TNAG-0077-FCO40-113-Action-against-Communist-press-1967 — Page 31

2600027

C.S. 20A

From the Governor, Hong Kong

To the Secretary of State for the Colonies

Repeated to:-

Repeated to:-

POLAD, SINGAPORE.

ate. August 25th, 1967.

WASHINGTON

My Reference......TS 1/3/1168/47...

SAVINGRAM

Saving Despatch

Your Reference.....

Room 318;

Il send me

Re

second copy to the

Sharland, FED (FO) & the Third to me. Wilson (IRD)

buy/3018. 6.2

No. 29.

No. 42...

No. Misc... 13.4....

Fei Yi-min, publisher of Ta Kung Pao, gave a press conference on 22nd August to a number of invited correspondents. This included 6 European correspondents (including A.F.P. and Reuters). Other Communist newspaper directors and editors were present.

2.

Fei made a prepared statement mainly aimed at justifying his accusations of fascist suppression by the police, of their brutality, of the fascist nature of the emergency regulations and of the fascist law in operation here. He repeated the Feking Government's demands in relation to journalists and newspapers and predicted the certain ultimate downfall of British rule. "we are confident.... that the British H.K. authorities can be defeated.... their 'prestige' has been run down completely and their economy has suffered serious damage and will need three to five years to recover". The thought of Mao was mentioned several times as the inspiration of all in Hong Kong. Fei concluded by asking the journalists to report the facts truthfully to all corners of the world.

3. that:

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63 30 AUG1967

HNB 14/32

In reply to questions, Fei said, amongst other things,

(a) China will certainly consider taking Hong Kong back, but the means by which this will be accomplished are for Peking to decide;

(b) the settlement of the Hong Kong incident must be on the basis of M.F.A.'s 15th May demands and those of the compatriots;

(c) Peking had been taking care of Chinese compatriots in H.K. so far as water and food supplies were concerned;

(d) Chinese compatriots and workers in the border areas

have exercised great restraint under persecution and provocation;

(e) reporters should be able to judge by common sense and

their own observation whether bombs in the streets were the work of compatriots. "Loyal compatriots are directing their main spearhead against fascist elements and traitors, and definitely not against Chinese residents or our foreign friends" (This in reply to a question whether compatriots were being framed.)

Comy to his C. Wilson (IxD)

The E.-J. Sharland (FOX)

/(f)