SECRET
BRIEF NO.1
VISIT OF MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS TO HONG KONG
OCTOBER 1967
Issuos arising out of Confrontation
out 67
(A) Measures against various C.P.G.-omed organisations in Hong Kong
(i.e. the rain C.P.G.-oimed newspapers; the New China News Agency:
C.P.G.-owned Banks
These organisations have been the media through which the Peking Govornment has lent its aid to the local Communists in the confrontation with the Hong Kong authorities. The main Communist newspapers have poured
out a continuous stream of propaganda, incitement to disaffection and anti- British invectivo. The C.P.G.-owned Banks have lent their premises for physical use as strong points during the disturbances, including the installation of external loudspeakers for the open dissemination of Communist propaganda in the streets of Hong Kong. They have also been one of the means for distributing such financial assistance as has been forth- coming from mainland China for her "compatriots" in the Colony. The Now China News Agency may be regarded as an unofficial consulato general of the Poking Government; it has particularly close connections with the local Communist nowspapers and one of its main functions is to feed them with propaganda from Poking.
2. In an attempt to avoid outright confrontation with the C.P.G., the Hong Kong authorities have carefully avoided taking direct action against eny of those organisations. The nearest that they have como to doing so was when they secured Court orders for the suspension of three minor Communist nowspapers in August. Even so, this action was immodiately followed by an ultimatum from the C.P.G. and the subsequent sacking of the British
Mission's promises in Poking.
3. Tho susponsion of the three minor nowspapers was followed by tho appearance of Gostotnorod broadshoots which have been used to indicato
The Governor has targets for assassination and to issue terrorist warnings.
boon authorised to proceed against those by Emergency Regulations at his discretion, if he considers it necessary to do so.
4.
It is apparent that any proposals for direct action against the main C.P.G.-owned organisations in the Colony must be approached with the greatest caution. Recently, the local Communist hicrarchy have been
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SECRET
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