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The Star, Hongkong
e public purse for the pur- they tend to look to a ving to provide more than New million dollars' worth of arms. Reir obvious choice is the United tutes. In fact there are rumours in F Djakarta that an agreement for a gene- rous arms commitment by the US to . Indonesia has already been reached. The goods will arrive slowly and quietly, however, to avoid harsh reactions in Indonesia and abroad.
Philippine Airlines
PAL jet on a forced trip to China: The last of the week's series of headaches for Peking.
had mistaken for explosives. Several were simulated bombs decked out with slogans.
But there was no doubt about the first object discovered. Planted outside the Central Government Offices, it was accompanied by several slogans in Chinese: "Respect public opinion. Don't raise water prices. Make Chinese official language. Compatriots keep clear." British police officer Norman Hill, a veteran in the business, attempt:
Many Indonesians see the newly an- nounced delivery of Soviet military spareparts on soft terms as just a move, to counter the US advance. A visit by Soviet Ambassador to Indonesia M. M. Volkov, an architect of the soft ap- proach, to Central Java in mid-March was interpreted by some to be a similar move. Although the visit was formally announced to the Indonesian foreigned to dismantle it, apparently misjudged ministry, the commander of the Central Java military district, Major-General Widodo, issued a statement blaming "several foreigners of certain countries" for unwanted if not subversive activities i.. Indonesia.
The Djakarta weekly Chas which is said to be close to high-ranking military authorities especially those in the field of itciligence published the names : Soviet diplomats and their re- cent "machinations" in Central Java. Foreign Minister Adam Malik on the other hand tried his own soft approach and attempted to play down the criti- cism. Despite strong and controversial discussions in the Indonesian press at the end of March, observers believe the issue wi dum down and will not lead to another frost in relations between Djakart and Moscow. But psychological warta.-, dluding gerpol (guerilla poli- tics), has jet come to an end in Indones
probably never will.
HONG..
Caught in ... Crossfire
BY A CORRESPONDENT
1:
ngkong: Not since 1967 when the Caruze Revolution turmoil overflowed ny's streets had Hongkong suc.. an attack of the jitters. A skilfully-made oomo which blasted off a policeman's right hand signalled the start of a series of "bomb" scares this
week. Within four days police checked more than 50 suspected bombs. Most of them were innocuous bundles of news papers or other articles which the public'
FAI
ASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW
.
his task, and is now recovering in hospi- tal, his right hand and wrist amputated. In the initial shock wave which ran through the colony, share prices tum- bled, and fears were expressed that a reign of terror was beginning.
This seemed unlikely, if only because it was difficult to see who would benefit by such violence. Indeed, at first glance, the incidents appeared singularly sense- less. Although the "compatriots keep clear" warning had a familiar (1967) ring about it, official circles indirectly exonerated the communists for the blast. There seemed no reason to doubt them.
The communists have steered clear of the campaign to gain proper recognition of the Chinese language and made only conventional noises about Financial Secretary Sir John Cowperthwaite's move to raise water charges. In addition, the bomb outrage coincided with the release of two communists jailed for their part in the 1967 disturbances and the announcement that six more would be out shortly, following pressure from London on the Hongkong government.
Neither local communists nor Peking would want to jeopardise this tangible effort by Britain to improve relations. It is highly likely, however, that Governor Sir David Trench will have some hard words for Whitehall; he has opposed an amnesty for the communist prisoners, arguing it would only make keeping of "law and order more difficult.
One theory is that the bombers are hard-line communist extremists disillu- sioned by the thaw in Sino-British rela- tions. Another that they are Taiwan agents deliberately seeking to embarrass communists and British. Certainly, re.
2
cent evidence suggests Taiwan elements have the expertise, the equipment and the grievance against the authorities to push them to violent action. Three weeks ago a self-confessed Kuomintang agent was jailed for two-and-a-half years for possessing an impressive arsenal of guns and explosives. The police were almost certainly tipped off by the com- munists.
Chinese language campaigners have painstakingly avoided conflict with the law. Once again Hongkong is caught in a deadly ideological crossfire. Aware of how thin the ice is, the government is playing it very cool. Sentencing the Tai- wan agent, Commissioner Simon Li stressed Hongkong could not “afford to allow our city to be used as a place of political intrigue by either one or the other faction of a foreign power. That is the only way we can preserve a pro- per balance of peace." In the colony's bizarre geopolitical situation, the latest events demonstrate just how precarious that balance is.
While the communists' smile cam- paign to eradicate their violent image created in 1967 suffered a setback, Tuesday saw Hongkong face China with an even more embarrassing problem. A Philippine Airlines jet was hijacked to Hongkong and the pilot forced to fly on to Canton after refuelling. Peking in the past has stated privately its firm opposi- tion to air pirates but is currently in the middle of a campaign to support Fili- pino communists.
The plane returned to the colony on Wednesday without the six student hi- jackers who were disarmed by Chinese troops after landing at Canton. The Chinese traffic control spoke English and the pilot had no problems in getting in and out of the airport. The unexpected guests spent a comfortable night lodged and fed at China's expense, with even the two American couples on board full of praise for the hospitality they had been shown. The incident was dismissed in an official statement from Canton as "illegal" intrusion but "the Chinese gov. ernment decided to give lenient treat- ment, ordering the plane to leave China quickly." The hijackers stayed behind.
APRIL 3, 1971
M. Bod
K.271.
1. Bell?
This file and be bu, in an week with the LIC. Report file for a possible follow-up to
ANG JE
JB.u.
21.
P.A on bout file.
1/26
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