CYPHER/CAT A
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IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 404
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
20 MAY 1969
SECRET/ADDRESSED F C O TELNO 404 OF 20 MAY R F I POLAD SINGAPORE,
WASHINGTON, CANBERRA AND SAVING TO PEKING.
FOR F C O AND CABINET OFFICE FOR JIC. FOLLOWING FROM LI C. ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION AS AT 0600 HRS 19 MAY 1969.
THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE PERIOD HAVE BEEN:
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(A) WIDESPREAD AND INTENSIVE STUDY IN ALL LOCAL COMMUNIST ORGANISATIONS OF LIN PIAO'S POLITICAL REPORT TO THE 9TH CONGRESS WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED LOCALLY AS A POCKET SIZED HANDBOOK. STUDY GROUP MEETINGS HAVE CONCENTRATED ON CHINA'S INTERNAL PROGRESS AND THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE SEMICOLON REFERENCES TO
HONG KONG HAVE EMPHASISED THE NEED TO USE MAO'S THOUGHTS CORRECTLY
AND THE LONG-TERM NATURE OF THE LOCAL STRUGGLE''. GROUPS OF LOCAL COMMUNISTS ARE ALSO ATTENDING POLITICAL STUDY
GROUP COURSES IN CANTON AND A NUMBER OF SENIOR OFFICIALS ARE VISITING CHINA, PRESUMABLY FOR BRIEFINGS ON THE 9TH CONGRESS.
(B) THE END OF A SUCCESSFUL TWO-WEEK RUN AT SIX COMMUNIST CINEMAS OF THE C P G ANTI-RUSSIAN FILM (PARA. 1(C) OF MYTEL 354) WHICH HAS BEEN SEEN BY SOME 350,000 PERSONS. THE FILM IS TO BE RE-RUN
AT SEVERAL SMALL RURAL CINEMAS.
(C) SHARP REACTION BY SOME 200 UNEMPLOYED MEMBERS OF THE MAIN COMMUNIST TRANSPORT UNION AGAINST THE DECISION TO TERMINATE STRIKE PAY (PARA. 1(D) OF MYTEL 354). THEY THREATENED TO BRING THE UNION INTO PUBLIC DISREPUTE FOR FAILING TO HONOUR THE UNDERTAKING TO PAY 'STRIKE 'PAY UNTIL THEY EITHER GOT THEIR ORIGINAL JOBS BACK OR SOME OTHER PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT. THE UNION HAS NOW OFFERED A FINAL CASH BONUS WITH OTHER CONTINUING WELFARE BENEFITS. SO FAR FEW STRIKERS' HAVE ACCEPTED THESE TERMS.
(D) THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY OFFICIALS OF A COMMUNIST DOCK WORKERS' UNION THAT CANDIDATES FOR FORTHCOMING OFFICE-BEARER ELECTIONS MUST BE WORKERS EMPLOYED WITHIN THE DOCKYARD, THUS CONFORMING WITH THE LAW AND DEBARRING FIFTEEN OF THE PRESENT NINETEEN
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