TNAG-0116-FCO40-152-Departmental-Briefs-For-Meetings--Visits-and-Foreign-Affairs-1969 — Page 16

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VISIT OF MINISTER OF STATE FOR ADMINISTRATION.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(MR HATTERSLEY)

TO HONG KONG, OCTOBER/NOVEMBER. 1969

POLITICAL AND INTERNAL SECURITY SITUATION

GENERAL

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It is now nearly two years since the end of the Communist

campaign of violence against the Hong Kong authorities. During

this period there has been no organised violence in the Colony; there have been sporadic incidents involving violence on a minor

scale but such incidents are believed to have been entirely

spontaneous in origin and to have received no instigation or encouragement from the Communist authorities in Peking. In fact

such violence as there has been may reasonably be attributed to the protracted difficulties experienced by the local Communist

leadership in convincing their more militant cadres of the

desirability of abandoning violence in favour of a long term ideological campaign to win public support for their cause.

2. This latter course has been followed by the Communists for

a considerable time now and as part of their campaign they seek every opportunity of criticising the authorities on the ground of real or alleged deficiencies in the administration of the Colony's affairs. They have been particularly critical in the

spheres of public transport, crime, labour disputes, hawkers

and resettlement schemes; but they do not hesitate to seize upon any opportunity which presents itself of furthering their ultimate objective, which is to undermine the authority of the Government. There is no evidence to suggest that they are achieving any success in their campaign (except possibly in the sphere of education); nor is there any reason whatever to

suppose that they have any intention of abandoning their

efforts to attain their ultimate objective.

Recent Incidents and Current Situation

3. During August there were several incursions into Colony

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