TNAG-0038-FCO40-74-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 139

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and actually passed beyond the barrier to paste insulting posters on the bridge girders in our territory. These we are removing as the occasion offers, as far as possible during the moments that passengers are crossing the bridge when the Chinese are least likely to wish to show themselves in a bad light.

4.

We have therefore a situation in which Chinese citizens have infringed the border, have prevented the lowering of the barrier and have caused damage to installations in British territory. Sometimes it is possible to close the border in the normal way; sometimes we just have to leave the barrier up all night because otherwise we should have to order our people out under a hail of stones and threatened by rifles.

5.

There are various things which we can, or could, do to remedy this situation. First of all we propose to see that our lights are covered with unbreakable glass so that stone throwing will not put them out. It has also been suggested that we should install a second barrier in our territory at our end of the bridge. The disadvantage of this would be that we risk creating a new line which might in due course come to be regarded as the border and the Chinese might then feel free to ingress right up to it. should thus have lost control over another 60 feet of our territory. The fact is that our vital security is not threatened by the present situation and therefore we are inclined to put up with it and avoid provocation in the hope that in due course the Chinese will give up their hooligan behaviour.

6.

We

In the meantime as you will have seen from our telegram No. 1041 primary responsibility in this sector for security rests with the Army. So long as the situation is not troublesome they keep out of sight by day and they have not, so far, been involved in any of the incidents to which I have referred.

7.

From this letter I hope that you and Donald Hopson, to whom I am sending a copy, will have a clear picture of what exactly is happening on the frontier. This letter will also act as a point of reference for further correspondence. I am also sending a copy to the Political Adviser in Singapore and attach a spare copy for you to send to Far Eastern Department, Foreign Office.

Yours sincerely

M. You

ichael

Wilfo

(K. M. Wilford)

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