TNAG-0040-FCO40-76-Border-incidents-with-China-1968 — Page 57

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T.S. 4/60 II

Colonial Secretariat, Lower Albert Road,

Hong Kong,

6th May, 1968.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTERNAL THREAT TO SECURITY IN THE

BORDER AREA IN THE LIGHT OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN

KWANG TUNG PROVINCE.

251

Please refer to (i)

T.S. 4/60 II dated 27th March, 1968 A

(ii)

Item 1 of the Agenda for the 7th Meeting of the L.I.C. on Monday 6th May, 1968

B

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Since

The most recent assessment paper on the threat dated 25th March, 1968 was circulated under Ref. 1. then there have been some changes in the situation in China which are directly reflected in Kwangtung Province.

2.

Travellers arriving in the Colony since the 26th April have reported a resurgence of factional violence in the province. This has mainly consisted of frequent student fights in Canton, but there have been several examples of disturbances of a factional nature in other Kwangtung areas. The apparent cause of this resurgence has been recent national propaganda praising revolutionary factionalism, together with

There recent official encouragement of Red Guard activity. are, however, important differences between the situation now and that pertaining when factional violence was previously at its height.

3.

(a)

(b)

The Kwangtung authorities appear to be better prepared to deal with factional violence, and there are indications that they are not prepared to let it get too far out of hand.

The Kwangtung Military District recently made a decision to put militia to work in the border area "on a solid political, military and organisational basis". This should have strengthened C.C.A. control of border militia.

(c) There is little propaganda being disseminated

in Kwangtung on the Hong Kong situation, and a consequent lessening of interest in the subject on the part of the populace.

Our experience of the past Cultural Revolution troubles in Kwangtung has shown us that :

(a)

It is the C.P.G.'s apparent intention to maintain a strong C.C.A. force in the border area, despite the need for military forces elsewhere to quell factional violence. / (b) ..

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