TNAG-0066-FCO40-102-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 48

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(K) THERE HAS BEEN COMPARATIVE QUIET ON THE LAND BORDER: ACTIVITIES

GENERALLY HAVE FOLLOWED THE PATTERN REPORTED IN PARAGRAPH 1CH OF

TELEGRAM 892.

2. THE STATEMENT OF SUPPORT BY THE ALL CIRCLES ANTI-PERSECUTION

STRUGGLE COMMITTEE FOR THE THREE DEMANDS MADE BY THE CHUNG WAH

MIDDLE SCHOOL IN RESPONSE TO THE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DEREGISTER

WILL NO DOUBT SIGNAL A GENERAL PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT LOCAL

COMMUNIST CIRCLES, BUT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT ANY STRONGER ACTION

WILL BE UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE AUTHORITIES IN

CHINA, NOTWITHSTANDING THE GENERAL TENOR OF UNSPECIFIED DEFIANCE

REFLECTED IN SPEECHES AT COMMUNIST SCHOOL MEETINGS AND IN STATEMENTS

IN THE PRESS. WHILE THE DEREGISTRATION WILL BE SEEN BY THE COMMUNISTS

BOTH HERE AND IN CHINA AS A SEVERE BLOW IN ONE OF THEIR MOST

IMPORTANT FIELDS AND ONE IN WHICH CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND MORALE ARE

AT A HIGH LEVEL, THEY MAY WELL FEEL CONSTRAINED TO AVOID A DIRECT

PHYSICAL CLASH WITH GOVERNMENT. IN THIS CONTEXT THE STATEMENT MADE

BY C.P.G. OFFICIALS IN CANTON, TO VISITING COMMUNIST PUBLISHING

STAFF FROM HONG KONG, REITERATES THE CURRENT COMMUNIST LINE OF A NON-

VIOLENT CAMPAIGN. HOWEVER, AT LEAST MINOR DEMONSTRATIONS AND

DELEGATIONS MUST BE EXPECTED AS WELL AS A SERIES OF PRIVATE MEETINGS,

FORMING PART OF THE PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN.

3. TRAVELLERS FROM CANTON STATE THAT SINCE 15TH JULY THE P.L.A. HAVE

TAKEN STRONGER MEASURES AGAINST FACTIONS, INCLUDING SEARCHES OF

PREMISES AND OPENING FIRE ON RECALCITRANT PROGRESSIVE ELEMENTS. THIS

FOLLOWS REPORTS OF THE ARRIVAL OF A MISSION FROM PEKING, AND A

KWANGTUNG REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE WARNING THAT FORCE WOULD BE USED

AGAINST FACTIONAL VIOLENCE. THE LAST REPORTED CLASH IN THE CITY WAS

ON THE 17TH JULY.

/ COMMONWEALTH OFFICE PLEASE

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