TNAG-0566-FCO40-699-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-change-in-Chinese-leadership-1976 — Page 27

SECRET

GR 450

IMMEDIATE

Original at: PIICOTY

Th's Ceny for:

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 050900Z

SECRET

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 1006 OF 5 OCTOBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, CANBERRA AND SINGAPORE. INFO SAVING WELLINGTON.

PLEASE PASS TO CABINET OFFICE FOR SEC JIC.

2. THE FOLLOWING IS THE LIC ASSESSMENT FOR AUGUST, 1976.

3. THE DEATH OF MAO TSE-TUNG.

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THE COMMUNISTS WERE ENGAGED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN THE METICULOUS PREPARATION OF DISPLAYS OF MASS GRIEF AND PATRIOTIC SOLIDARITY'' OVER THE DEATH OF MAO TSE-TUNG. THE CEREMONIES DEMONSTRATED COMMUN- IST STRENGTH, ORGANISATIONAL ABILITY AND DISCIPLINE, DRAWING EXTREMELY LARGE CROWDS WHICH, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WERE CALM, ORDERLY AND DIGNIFIED. LOCAL PRO-COMMUNIST STUDENT BODIES HELD FORA TO PRAISE MAO AND SERVICES TO MOURN HIS PASSING WHILE, APART FROM ITS SMALL KUOMINTANG-CONTROLLED SECTION, THE LOCAL MEDIA, COMMUNIST AND NON-COMMUNIST ALIKE, CARRIED LONG-PREPARED OBITUARY NOTICES IN GENERAL ADULATION OF THE DEAD LEADER.

4. THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT WAS 10 DAYS OF HIGHLY FAVOURABLE PROPAGANDA FOR THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY AND GOVERNMENT. WE CON- SIDER ONE PROBABLE OUTCOME OF THEIR ORGANISATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN HANDLING THE MAO CEREMONIAL WILL BE THE STRENGTHENING OF THE POSITION OF THE MODERATE PARTY LEADERSHIP IN HONG KONG.

5. THE EXTENDED PERIOD OF MOURNING HAS LED TO THE LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM CHINA, OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED TO MARK NATIONAL DAY (OCTOBER 1ST).

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16. DESPITE