TNAG-0065-FCO40-101-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 61

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CRITICISED IN A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE CHINA RESOURCES

COMPANY WHICH HAS APPLIED TO IMPORT THE RICE. THE STATEMENT

DEMANDS IMMEDIATE IMPORT FREE OF ALL CONTROLS.

(D) MEETINGS OF THE MAJOR COMMUNIST TRANSPORT UNION DURING

WHICH 60% OF THE TOTAL OF 3,500 MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED FAVOURED

A RETURN TO WORK. IT WAS AGREED THAT MEMBERS PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED

IN THE GENERAL TRANSPORT FIELD SHOULD SECURE RE-EMPLOYMENT

BEFORE ANY DECISION WAS REACHED REGARDING MEMBERS DISMISSED BY THE

MAJOR TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES. AT. THE END OF THE WEEK, UNION

REPRESENTATIVES MADE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN REINSTATEMENT

OF FORMER EMPLOYEES AT A NUMBER OF TAXI COMPANIES.

(E) FURTHER PICNICS AND MEETINGS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BY

GROUPS FROM COMMUNIST UNIONS AND SCHOOLS IN THE URBAN AREAS.

THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS.

(F) THE CONTINUED COMPARATIVE CALM OF THE BORDER AREA BROKEN

ONLY BY MINOR STONE THROWING INCIDENTS ON THE 13TH AND 17TH

MARCH AND ORDERLY DEMONSTRATIONS AT LOWU CC.T.) DURING THE

ATTEMPT TO REPATRIATE THE TWO FILM STARS (SEE 1(A)).

(Q) THE CONTINUED ARRIVAL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALTHOUGH ON A

REDUCED SCALE BY SEA. 129 ARRIVALS BY SEA AND 6 BY LAND

WERE ARRESTED DURING THE WEEK, BRINGING THE TOTAL FOR MARCH

TO 283. THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVE MEASURES BEING

: TAKEN BY THE CPQ AUTHORITIES TO STOP ILLEGAL EMIGRATION

PARTICULARLY IN THE PEARL RIVER. ATTEMPTS TO REPATRIATE AT

LOWU HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED TEMPORARILY.

2. THE TWO DETAINEES ACTED ENTIRELY ON THE INSTRUCTIONS OF

THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES DURING THE ATTEMPT TO REPATRIATE THEM ·

TO CHINA. THE CPG HAS NOW MADE ITS POSITION CLEAR AND THERE

WOULD SEEM TO BE LITTLE HOPE OF SUCCESSFULLY RELEASING TO CHINA

ANY DETAINEES IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. ALTHOUGH EXTRACTING

CONSIDERABLE PROPAGANDA FROM THE INCIDENT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES

DID NOT DIRECT THE FILM STARS TO REMAIN INDEFINITELY ON THE

BRIDGE, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN INDICATION THAT THEY DO NOT

INTEND TO ALLOW A SITUATION TO DEVELOP AT THE BORDER WHICH COULD

PROVIDE A SPARK FOR A RENEWAL OF VIOLENCE. NEVERTHE LESS,

WHILE THE CPG PROTEST TO THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES IS RELATIVELY

MILD IN TONE, THERE IS A DANGER THAT MILITANT ELEMENTS IN THE

COLONY AND ON THE C.T SIDE OF THE BORDER COULD INTERPRET IT

AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO CREATE FURTHER INCIDENTS. IT IS CONSIDERED

UNLIKELY THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNIST LEADERSHIP WILL SUPPORT OVERT

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/VIOLENCE

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