TNAG-0066-FCO40-102-Local-intelligence-reports-1968 — Page 58

SECRET

HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 838 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

3.

(J) ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SWIMM ING FROZ CHINA ACROSS DEEP AND M IRS

BAYS INTO BRITISH TERRITORY: 53 OF THE 80 IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED

DU FING THE LAST TWO WEEKS ESCAPED IN THIS WAY.

(K) INCIDENTS IN DEEP BAY ON THE MORNING OF 30TH JUNE IN WHICH 14

FISHING VESSELS, AND SOME 50 FISHERFOLK, WERE TAKEN FROM BRITISH

WATERS TO C.T. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A CHINESE ARMED VESSEL (SEE

10.91)

TELEGRAMS 834 AND 835).

HWA 4/3/1

2. MORALE IN COMMUNIST CIRCLES AT THE PRESENT TIME, WITH THE

EXCEPTION OF THE EDUCATION AL SPHERE WHERE THE EXPANSION PROGRAMME

CONTINUES, AND POSSIBLY THE PRESS, APPEARS TO BE AT A LOW E EB. THE

APPARENT GROWING DISTASTE FOR THE CEASELESS MAD INDOCTRINATION IS

SIGNIFICANT. SO IS THE MARKED REDUCTION IN THE CONFIDENCE OF THE

LOWER COMMUNIST ECHELONS IN THEIR LOCAL LEADERSHIP, PARTICULARLY

IN LABOUR CIRCLES, WHERE THE REAL ITIES OF THE FRUITLESS REINSTATE-

MENT CAMPAIGN ARE BEING DRIVEN HOME MORE AND MORE AS EACH UNSUCC-

ESSFUL DAY PASSES. THE WIDESPREAD START, AT LEAST A MONTH EARL IER

THAN USUAL, OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE FORTHCOMING C.P.G. NATIONAL

DAY CELE FRATIONS, IS BEL IEVED TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO EMP LOY THE

ENERGIES OF THE LOCAL RANK AND FILE AND THUS DISTRACT THEM FROM THE

CU PRENT SITUATION. CLEARLY THE LOCAL COMMUN ISTS NOW NEED SOME NEW

VICTORY' OR 'CAUSE' WHICH THEY CAN USE TO OFFSET FLAGGING SUPPORT.

3. AT PRESENT THE SPECIFIC REASONS BEHIND THE ABDUCTION OF THE

PERS O'S FROM DEEP BAY ARE NOT CLEAR. OVER THE YEARS THERE HAS BEEN

CONTINUIOUS PRESSU FE ON B.T. FISHERMEN TO COMPLY WITH C.T.

REGULATIONS GOVERNING FISHING, WHICH INCLUDE REGULAR ATTENDANCE AT

MONTHLY INDOCTRINATION MEETING S IN C.T. THIS LATEST INTRUSION MAY

BE AN ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE THIS REGULATION IN CONNECTION WITH A

MEETING DUE TO BE HELD ON 1ST JULY. AT THE SAME TIME THIS AREA HAS

BEEN THE SCENE RECENTLY OF INCREASING ILLEGAL IMK IGRATION (SEE

PARAGRAPH 1(J) ABOVE) AND THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES MAY SUS FECT THE

INVOLVEMENT OF THESE FISHERFOLK. HOWEVER THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT

THEY HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED AND THE INCIDENT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE

CAUSED ANY UNDUE CONCERN AMONGST OTHER FISHERMEN IN THE AREA.

SECRET

/INTRUSIONS