En Clair
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
no. U/N
30 November 1967
UNCLASSIFIED
PRESS
228
HW
TOP COPT
301200.
Attention Glover.
Further details of the exchanges which led to the return of two police constables from China were revealed today Thursday, Government spokesman disclosed discussions had taken place at border. He added details had not (repeat not) been released earlier because local border officials who took part on Chinese side had specifically asked us not (repeat not) to publicise the discussions.
A
Government spokesman said he was now able to confirm the discussions which resulted in the safe return of two constables after fifty nine days in captivity also included the payment of a sum of money. The spokesman emphasised all these discussions were confined to local border matters. These included our plans for strengthening our border security fences and other works.
Not unexpectedly, the spokesman continued, these discussions had been presented in local Communist newspapers as "demands" which Hong Kong Government had been "forced" to accept. This of course was completely untrue.
There was no (repeat no) formal agreement but an exchange of information and views about border matters.
We had for instance informed the Chinese that having recently completed a new anti-illegal immigration fence we were now proposing to remove the secondary fence erected in nineteen sixty two to deal with the massive illegal influx in that year from China.
This fence is now rusted and overgrown, while removing it we will also repair and strengthen the primary chain-link fence on the border,
At these discussions it was also possible to explain to responsible officials that the Hong Kong authorities had never found it necessary to interfere with anyone crossing lawfully into Hong Kong territory so long as they did not break the law.
The Government spokesman also revealed that suggestion for these local discussions was made in exchanges which followed the
K.CE...
ARCHIVES No. 03 30NOV 1967
HLAY/1
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