TNAG-0065-FCO40-101-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 136

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10.

Travellers

So far as the Kwangtung provincial authorities are

concerned, there were indications of measures being taken to

discourage precipitate action by extremist hotheads.

arriving in Hong Kong between 17th and 27th May referred to the

situation in Shum Chun during that period as extremely tense,

but control seems to have been effectively exercised by the local

PLA.

Anti-British meetings were being held in the town every

day and local Red Guards and demonstrators from the militia were

being reinforced by outllders from Canton and the surrounding

Residents of Hong Kong were said to be amongst the

countryside.

demonstrators.

Slogans painted on the roadways of Shum Chun begged

MAO to let the Red Guards march into Hong Kong to help their

compatriots; posters spoke of a desire to fight shoulder to

shoulder with their brothers in Hong Kong. On 19th May the PLA

in Shum Chun were reported to be telling the public not to make

such an issue of the Hong Kong affair because the Hong Kong

British authorities would be sure to accept the CPG demands.

11.

Thus while popular demonstrations continued in China

for the last half of the month and British diplomats and nationals

were subjected to indignities, up to the end of May there had

been no major or sustained cannonade on the diplomatic level

and the only major step taken against HMG was the closure of

the British Mission office in Shanghai and the withdrawal of

its personnel. No direct action by the CPG of any sort was

taken against Hong Kong itself, nor were there any indications

that any was being planned either in Peking or Kwangtung.

/12.

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