COBFIDENTIAL
14)
Possible Passage on Information Terk for inelusion
Lord Shepherd's keport on his visit to Hong Kong
Information
It is of major importance that what we are doing in Hong Kong
should be known and understood externally and internally.
2. The external problem is that of sustaining international
confidence in Hong Kong, and seeing that the world has a balanced
picture of events and achievements in the colony. A good deal is
happening on this front. A Working Group in London is co-ordinating
the effort, and a flow of material is being fed to posts and inte all
appropriate media. Hong Kong have had an officer from London en
secondment with the job of gearing local efforts to fit in with the
needs of the world-wide operation. A substantially increased flow
of material from Hong Kong has been arranged and there is now a good
and creative working liaison between the information machine in
London and the Department in Hong Kong, The Embassy in Tokyo have
segonded a Japanese speaking offiear to Hong Kong. It is planned to
send a feature writer from the 0.0.I. to join the Hong Kong
Information Department.
3.
Internally there are a series of separated but related problema
how to counter attempts by the P.L.A. to subvert troops on frontier
duty: how to nautralise Chinese communist activity with fishermen
and agriculturists in the new territories: and, most important of all
how not only to counter communist propaganda in Hong Kong but to
sustain the morale of the Hong Kong Chinese and bring them to an
understanding of the purpose and policy of the Hong Kong Government.
My impression was that there is at present a gulf between Government
and people in Hong Kong which urgently needs bridging. I believe
this "hearts and minds" problem has got to be tackled much more
/vigorously
CONFIDENTIAL
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