TNAG-0052-FCO40-88-Communist-activities-in-schools-1968 — Page 79

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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

demands.

taking more account of Chinese/susee

ties,

for taking a more relaxed view of the firmness

that we need to maintain over communist

activities in Hong Kong and for offering

worthwhile face-saving concessions.

But for

so long as we have reason to believe that China

is concerned only to exploit the present

situation with a view to weakening our position

in the Colony and extending its own influence,

there can be no one-sided gestures or damaging

concessions on our part. We must show by

firmness that we are not prepared to yield to

present Chinese policies and pressures.

It

is moreover a matter of prudence in this

situation to take such measures as are open to

us to prevent the communists in Hong Kong re-

establishing a position from which they could.

mount a repetition of last year's events

(e.g. by resisting the reinstatement of

dismissed strikers in the essential services).

This does not mean that we should embark on a

policy of suppression of local communist

activities; but it does mean that we deal

firmly with such activities when they have over-

stepped the mark in case they should be

encouraged and emboldened to resort again to

their earlier tactics.

16. Further separate study is being made of

this exchange of telegrams between Hong Kong

and Peking with a view to providing

Sir Donald Hopson with the clarification he

requests.

/Conclusions