TNAG-0038-FCO40-74-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 213

16

10

Cypher

IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

OUTWARD TELEGRAM

FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)

TO HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)

Sent 18th March 1967. 01.50 hrs

CONFIDENTIAL

No. 542

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIVES No. 63

20 HARISO/

HUA 4/1

Addressed to Governor Hong Kone,

Repeated IMMEDIATE for information to Ambassador

Peking

Your telegram No. 338.

Lau Fau Shan incident.

For the reasons given in Peking telegram No.297 we think that we should not, repeat not, raise the matter in Peking at present, even if Hopson should be summoned by the Chinese to receive a protest about the visit of American ships.

2. We agree, however, that you should, if you con- sider it essential, take firmer action. We would hope that this will prove effective. We agree that the action suggested in paragraph 3 of your telegram No. 338 involves a serious risk of escalation. We suggest therefore that you should not automatically treat these intruders as illegal immigrants but, if they give cause, should detain them for e.g. disorderly behaviour and return them immediately to the mainland.

3.

Ir these incidents continue on a larger and more militant scale then, subject to confirmation from here, we agree that Hopson should seek an interview with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and speak on the lines of paragraph 5 of his telegram No. 297. Meantime, please send him the briefing he has requested about illegal immigrants indicating the information he may use in any approach he may be authorised to make to the Chinese.

(Passed to D.S.A.0. for repetition to Peking.)

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

Fo... Messis de la Mare, Bolland, Derson, Wilm

CONFIDENTIAL