TNAG-0052-FCO40-88-Communist-activities-in-schools-1968 — Page 10

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CONFIDENTIAL

against exploitation. The Hong Kong Government would not tolerate violence, but at the same time did not object to well-conducted and peaceful education, whatever the subject. The decision to deregister the school did not mean that the premises would be permanently closed or denied to education. The Hong Kong Government had made it quite clear that an application to register a new school on the same premises but under a new name and with a d different staff would be judged according to the usual critera by the Hong Kong Education Department. In other words, the Chung Hua school would be taken off the register but a new school could be opened there. Thus, so far from being a provocation, the Hong Kong Government's actions showed that they did not wish to deny the premises to peaceful education by interested authorities. The action of the Hong Kong Government was clearly justified under any reasonable system of law and order. The announcement that Hong Kong Government were ready to consider a new application to open a school on the premises was an act of understanding toward those interested in carrying on peaceful education. It was in this sense that the Chinese Government should understand this action.

5. Mr. Hsueh said he could not agree. The Hong Kong Government's actions were a further provocation to the Chinese people and their compatriots. The reason why the students and teachers of the school had taken part in the anti- British struggle last year was because their compatriots were suffering ruthless persecution by the British. They were innocent: the Chinese Government fully supported their just acts. The administrative authorities did not know in advance about the incident (Hsueh made it clear in the course of questioning that he meant the incident of the explosion). The British side were trying to fabricate a pretext that the teachers had helped the students, in order to carry out further provocation. The British authorities were creating new tension in Hong Kong. He was instructed seriously to warn H.M.G. to take effective measures to meet the just demands of the school's teachers and students. The British side should not go on arbitrarily like this. If the British side persisted in their reckless course, then H.M.G. would have to be fully responsible for the consequences.

6. H.M.M. said he had already given a reasonable explanation and repeated that interested people could apply to open a new school on the premises. Mr. Hsueh was standing truth on its head, and quibbling in his arguments. He seemed to be saying that the Chinese Government supported explosions in schools ... Mr. Hsueh interrupted to say that what the Chinese Government supported was the just struggle of compatriots against fascist suppression. The question was, did the British side want to ease tension or did they want to create new tension?

7. H.M.M. affirmed that H.M.G. did indeed wish to ease tension by ending violence and providing an opportunity to carry on peaceful education.

8.

Mr. Hsueh said that at a time when old scores had still not been settled, the British side were already creating new incidents. In July the British authorities had continued to suppress the propagation of Mao's Thought in the Chang Sha-wan park incident,

COUETDRATUAIA

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