TNAG-0104-FCO40-140-Discussions-with-Governor-during-his-visits-to-UK-1969 — Page 82

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RECORD OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG

22-23 OCTOBER, 1968

PRESENT:

Sir Arthur Galsworthy

Sir David Trench

Sir John Johnston

Mr. J. 0. Moreton

Mr. R. H. Mason

Mr. J. Murray

Mr. W. S. Carter

Mr. P. M. Sedgwick

Mr. M. J Macoun

•

Mr. R. G. Pettitt

Mr. V. S. Bates

Mr. A. Routledge

Mr. J. D. Boyd

Mr. A. V. Gaminara

(for item 2 only)

(for items 4 and 5 only)

(for item 7 only)

RELATIONS WITH CHINA

(a) General Policy in the Short Term

There was general agreement on the principles which should be applied in dealing with any individual issues which might arise and call for decisions. These principles should be based on the need to avoid any acts which might provoke the Chinese whilst exercising sufficient firmness to cause the Chinese to reckon that if they pressed on with any particular troublesome line of action, it would either be thwarted by us or cause such a degree

At the same time of disruption as would harm their interests. we should not miss chancesof gradual de-escalation in Hong Kong.

(b) Communist Schools

2.

In the view of the Governor this issue constituted the most difficult problem facing Hong Kong both in the short and long term. It was, in fact, a more difficult problem than that of the communist press. Although public pressure for action to be taken against communist schools had abated, public apprehension caused by the recent expansion in the communist schools programme still remained. Expansion appeared to have reached its limit for the moment, but it would probably be renewed at the beginning of the next school year in September 1969. As regards the various measures which he had suggested for dealing with the situation, the Governor made the following points :-

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(1) The provision of additional non-communist schools would

not prevent more children from going to communist schools (although it was of course a desirable measure in itself in areas where educational facilities were inadequate). There was still a very considerable number of children not yet in school who, because their parents were either convinced communists or were for one reason or another subject to pressure from communist employers, etc., would only be sent to communist schools. Conversely, communist schools did not attract more than a handful of children from non-communist homes.

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/ (ii).