TNAG-0039-FCO40-75-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 239

CONFIDENTIAL

Cypher/Cat A

(1011)

IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

101A

Tel. No. 164

20 October, 1967

CONFIDENTIAL

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 164 of

20 October.

Repeated for information to Hong Kong, Washington and POLAD Singapore.

I was summoned to meet Mr. Hsueh, Deputy Head of West European Department, this afternoon at 3 p.m. Hsueh first said that Ministry of Foreign Affairs had received our Note of 15 October and his report of Shen Ping's interview with de la Mare the same day. He then read an oral statement, a summary of which follows.

2.

Incidents arising in Hong Kong border area over last few days were entirely the result of provocations by British authorities. On 10 October British authorities had set up barbed wire entanglements in fields belonging to Chinese farmers thus damaging their crops and harming production. On 14 October Chinese farmers crossed the border in order to demand that British authorities remove barbed wire so that their work should not be hampered. These demands were perfectly reasonable. How- ever instead of accepting demands British authorities sent large numbers of troops, police and riot police to threaten the farmers. They also sent four armoured cars to surround the peasants, this creating a serious situation.

It was only due to the attitude of forbearance of the farmers and their decision to withdraw promptly to their own area that an even greater incident was averted.

3. On 15 October a barbed wire fence was set up on Man Kam To Bridge which blocked the bridge, hindered production and further- more aggravated tension on the border. This provocative action gravely endangered safety of Chinese farmers and encroached on their traditional rights. The action also aroused strong indignation of the commune members. The Chinese Government lodged the most serious protest against this and demanded British Government's immediate removal of barbed wire entanglements, restore normal traffic and order on the border and guarantee against similar incidents in future.

40 On 12 October four [sic] members, Lo Fang, In Pao, An Kiu, were illegally arrested when they crossed the border in accord- ance with traditional custom. On 19 October another member of same village was arrested. As far as Chinese Government know there was no justification for their detention and they should be sent back immediately.

CONFIDENTIAL

LAST

REF.

NEXI

REF.

101B

15.