0003160 G.F. 316
SECRET
-3-
10.
Since the start of the confrontation the border had been surprisingly quiet. However, this peace was broken on 10th June by an incident which heralded a series of demonstrations which were to continue to the end of the month. On that day some 1,000 people gathered outside the premises of the communist dominated Sha Tau Kok Rural Committee, in British Territory (B.T.) and after decorating the building with a portrait of MAO and a banner, they moved in procession around the British part of the village affixing posters to buses and buildings. They then marched to the border line where they were joined by about 200 people from Chinese Territory (C.T.), including about 20 Militia. After having sung revolutionary songs and chanted anti-British slogans, the British villagers returned to the Committee building where they held a meeting to condemn the H.K. Government.
11.
An indication that more tangible support might be forthcoming from China was seen in a "People's Daily" commentary on 10th June which told workers, peasants, the People's Liberation Army (P.L.A.) and the "revolutionary masses" in China to prepare to support the struggle in Hong Kong with concrete action. The local Communist press published a special edition containing this article in which the call to the P.L.A. was headlined. Action in line with this call for support came on 13th June when the All China Federation of Trade Unions (A.C.F.T.U.) remitted ten million Hong Kong dollars to the communist controlled F.T.U. in Hong Kong. On the same day a C.F.G. Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement warned the Hong Kong authorities and the British Government regarding alleged new crimes of suppression in Hong Kong, but a further article in the "People's Daily" re-iterated that the working class in Hong Kong would still have to bear the main burden of the struggle. Also on 13th June, the Director of the Hong Kong branch of the New China News Agency (N.C.N.A.), on orders from China, cabled H.E. the Governor protesting against attempts to use deportation to "carry out new fascist suppression" and warned that the deportation of Chinese against their will would not be permitted. The cable purported to be in answer to a Government statement of 8th June that deportation orders had been served on three persons in prison who had been convicted of offences during the earlier disturbances and that similar action against others was contemplated.
12.
The next local communist move was a call for a one day strike of hawkers and food stall owners on 13th June. This action, which could only affect the poorer section of the local populace, and was therefore hardly likely to win supporters for the communist cause, only met with any real success among dealers in pork and eggs, who rely almost entirely on the mainland for their supplies. Although no fresh fish arrived from China and distributors of mainland vegetables stopped supplies to retailers, markets remained open throughout the Colony and sold whatever could be obtained from local sources.
13.
Hong Kong based fishermen, who depend for a large part on the goodwill of the Chinese authorities for the right to use their
On fishing grounds, also became involved in the confrontation. 10th June about 200 people from more than 40 junks with dual Hong Kong/ Chinese registration attended an anti-persecution demonstration on The following Tap Mun Island, B.T., at the mouth of Tolo Channel.
day these junks left Tap Mun for Yim Tin in China to the cast of the Colony . The same day a large number of Hong Kong junks left
These junks for Sze Hau, also in China, to the west of Hong Kong. returned to Hong Kong on 13th June carrying anti-Government slogans painted on their hulls and flying C.P.G. flags, the majority of which were discarded on arrival in British waters.
SECRET
/14.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.