TNAG-0069-FCO40-105-Disturbances-in-Hong-Kong-propaganda-1967 — Page 173

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(a) Government assurances about Hong Kong

Sir A. Galsworthy said that they were under strong pressure from the Hong Kong Association to put out some statement that we intended to remain in Hong Kong until 1967 and beyond. It was agreed that we should resist this pressure. It was, however, also thought that we should make it quite clear that H.M.G. intended to discharge our responsibilities and maintain our authority in the Colony. More specifically, on Mr. Royle, M.P.'s motion which had been placed on the Order Paper today, it was decided that the best way to deal

with this was to avoid a debate but, if it was reached, to

make some short statement that this motion expressed the feelings of the House.

(b) Information

(i) It was agreed that Mr. Peck should co-ordinate

activities in Whitehall in this field and that Mr. Colin

Wilson of I.R.D. would act as a central point. Mr. Peck would call a meeting early next week of the information and political departments to decide on what action to take.

(ii) In the discussion, it was suggested that we should put out information to support, inter alia, the following

lines:

The chaotic state of China;

The way in which the local Communists in Hong Kong were misinforming Peking about the real situation

in the Colony;

The need to remove any impression in Hong Kong's foreign markets that Hong Kong could not fulfil her contracts; and

To encourage the Overseas Chinese to express their support for Hong Kong in order to sustain the morale

of the local Chinese.

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/(c)