TNAG-0566-FCO40-699-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-change-in-Chinese-leadership-1976 — Page 40

Mr Popplewell

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CHINESE NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION

1.

The Chinese Embassy have informed me that they have been instructed to cancel the National Day reception which was to have been held on September 30th. They are also cancelling or postponing a number of other social events that were to have been held between now and October 10th (Mao's death occurred on 9 September).

2.

The decision is of some interest as the Chinese Embassy had been working on the assumption that the period of mourning would end on 18 September. They have clearly now received fresh instructions from Peking. The reasons for the change of plan are not immediately apparent. We do not yet know whether the celebrations in Peking have been cancelled but this seems probable. The last time that the Chinese cancelled a National Day reception was immediately after the abortive flight of Lin Piao which ended in his death. On that occasion it was fairly apparent that the Chinese had wanted to avoid a leadership line-up at a time when internal. tensions in the leadership were still unresolved. This could be a factor in the present decision.

3. The Embassy will be writing to all those who had been invited to the Reception.

22 September 1976

The Martin

J FR Martin

Far Eastern Department K 253, 5539

Mu. Doavid

fals Vicity

2319.

Cc:

Mr Paul

Mr Male

Mr Cortazzi

PS/PUS

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

PS/Mr Luard

PS/Dr David Owen

PS/Mr Rowlands

PS/Mr Tomlinson

Dr Wilson, Cabinet Office

Mr Walker, Research Dept, FE

Mr Milton, HKD

Head of P&CD

Mr Love, CRE

du.

Protocol Dept, Ministry of Defence

CONFIDENTIAL