0003160 G.F. 316
SECRET
Copy No.
CHIEF REGISTRAR'S OFFICE
25 APR 190/
COMMONWV AETH OFICE,
DEPINJENT TERTORIES
DVBION.
SAVIN GRAM
From:
The Governor, Hong Kong.
Repeated:
To:
The Secretary of State for
Commonwealth Affairs
P. A. to C. in C.F.E.
22
Peking
25
No.
766
Tamsui
10
Date:
14 April, 1967
Ref. :
TS.2/57 III
1.
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 63 20 AFRI/6/
MWADLY
L. I.C. MONTHLY EXTERNAL INTELLIGENCE REPORT
MARCH, 1967
March was an unusually eventful month as far as relations with China were concerned. It is impossible to say with any certainty at this stage whether there has been a hardening of the C. P.G's. attitude to Hong Kong, though this would be a possible by-product of the present political struggle in China.
There was, however, a notable increase in left-wing press criticism of actions by the Hong Kong authorities; and some evidence that the communists were prepared to adopt a more aggressive attitude in support of Chinese rights and interests.
2.
The U.S.S. "Enterprise" visited Hong Kong from 14 to 20 March. There was the anticipated hostile reaction in the local left-wing press and a diplomatic note of protest was handed to H. M. Charge d'Affaires in Peking on 20 March. The terms of the diplomatic protest were surprisingly mild and the complaint had the appearance of a routine exercise, As in the case of the last visit of the "Enterprise" in February 1966, the protest was delivered after the departure of the vessel. It seems likely that the timing was deliberate; the intention may have been to minimise the risk of unduly active protests by the left-wing while the ship was still in Hong Kong.
30
The protest about the "Enterprise", and the alleged use of Hong Kong as a military base by the U. 3. was echoed by Hanoi and, eventually, by the South Vietnam National Liberation Front, no doubt with at least the acquiescence of the C.P.G. A possible cause was the considerable publicity given by U.S. sources to the part taken by "Enterprise" in military operations immediately after leaving Hong Kong. Another interesting feature of the campaign was the fact that the left-wing press for several days printed what it claimed to be readers' letters protesting indignantly, if in stereotyped form, at U.S. military activities in Hong Kong. In February 1966 a number of prominent left-wing personalities in Hong Kong and Macao had been quoted as strongly opposed to the then visit of what they termed the "God of Plagues". This year, perhaps in accordance with the increased emphasis on "mase" action in connection with the Cultural Revolution, the letters originated with anonymous groups of e.g., students and workers.
4.
The left-wing press also did their best to exploit for anti-American purposes an official announcement at the end of the month concerning improvements at Kai Tak airport which are becoming necessary to meet civilian air traffic requirements (e.g. the use of supersonic aircraft). The left-wing press argued that these developments were entirely necessitated by the
/increased
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