TNAG-0217-FCO40-253-Detainees-and-prisoners-convicted-for-offences-during-the-di-1970 — Page 44

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immediately release all the remaining patriotic compatriots.

If the Hong Kong British authorities would take more positive

steps in this direction, Mr. Ma believed that the case of

Mr. Johnston would be settled.

6. Sir Stanley Tomlinson said that he welcomed what Mr. Ma

had said about the Chinese Government's desire to improve

relations. This was a desire strongly shared by us. The

prisoners convicted in Hong Kong in 1967 were tried in open

court, according to the normal legal processes.

They were

given every opportunity to defend themselves and were eligible

for full remission. The fact that the Hong Kong Government

had arranged for the release of two more prisoners on the

grounds of illhealth was another serious and positive step to

improve relations. We much hoped that the Chinese Government

would take some parallel action.

7. Mr. Ma said that the question of patriotic compatriots in

Hong Kong had been discussed many times.

They had been

subjected to political persecution and their arrest and

imprisonment wore totally unjustified.

Mr. Ma expressed the

hope that the British Government would take more active steps

and would immediately release all of the more than seventy

patriotic compatriots imprisoned in Hong Kong.

8. Sir Stanley said that he would take careful note of what

Mr. Ma had said, as he always did. Sir Stanley went on to say

that on the question of the rebuilding of the Chinese Office,

we should need to have more information before we could decide

how we could help. Far Eastern Department had already been

in touch with the Chinese Office asking for more details.

We

should like to help as much as possible.

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19.