TNAG-0053-FCO40-89-Communist-activities-in-schools-1968 — Page 19

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CONFIDENTIAL

with Chung Wah. I do not think that we should discount this as a mere debating point. Chung Wah has been seen by the Chinese as a serious issue and though we have so far I am avoided a real crisis it has done us no good at all. sure also that the Chinese think it may be a portent and that we may intend escalation. The coincidence of Donald Hopson's safe arrival in Hong Kong followed a few hours later by the announcement of deregistration must have suggested to some Chinese at least that concessions on their

I part would only be followed by a stronger line on ours. hope we shall draw the obvious conclusion that if we move on from Chung Wah to further acts against communist schools we shall be involving ourselves in real trouble, both in Hong Kong and in the wider field of Sino/British relations. As I tried to point out in my telegram 813, there is a basic contradiction between a policy of seeking to improve our relations with China and a policy of striking at peaceful communist education in Hong Kong, whether overtly or even (unless it is done with the greatest discretion) covertly.

So There is therefore something in Shen P'ing's retort. far, with Chung Wah, we have managed to have it both ways and to deregister a school without too serious damage to relations. We have been able to do this because we had a good historical reason, in bomb-making, because we offered a new school and because we gave assurances on peaceful education. But we cannot go further without reaching a parting of the ways. Hong Kong telegram 1032 suggests we

are very near it.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Arthur Maddocks in Hong Kong.

Yous

cuer

Пасивалом

(P. CRADOCK)

CONFIDENTIAL