TNAG-0567-FCO40-700-Political-parties-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 23

CONFIDENTIAL

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suspicion and links between them are tenuous and strained. The growth of the pro-China faction amongst students, who naturally take the Chinese communist line, has heightened suspicion towards the New Left and there is no evidence of Trotskyist groups forming within post-secondary institutions.

Initially the Chinese communist attitude towards the New Left was simply to ignore them. However, as they saw them taking up issues on which it is communist policy to remain restrained, the communists have become increasingly critical and hostile and they have gone to considerable lengths to warn their followers to steer clear of the 'Trotskyists' who amount to a heretical ideological faction in the eyes of true Maoists. In particular the communists are sensitive towards the attitude of the New Left concerning the future of Hong Kong claiming that they will not accept the fact that the territory is part of China. The communists, in short, are at variance with New Left tactics and ideology. Similarly, the New Left, through its publications and recent demonstrations, takes every opportunity to attack Chinese communist policy and actions.

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The Trotskyist Fourth International, with its Headquarters in Brussels, has a widespread organisation with branches in many parts of the world and the R.M.L. and the I.S.L. are affiliated to it. Contacts by the R.M.L. include Trotskyist groups in France, Japan, Australia, Macau and the International Marxist Group (I.M.G.) in Britain. The 70's Bi-weekly is not known to have any political affiliations.

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In conclusion, our assessment is that the New Left movement in Hong Kong is currently built on three small groups of young Chinese radicals. These groups have no firm ideological base. They are disunited and often disorganised and their hard core strength is small. Nevertheless the threat posed by the New Left movement to the internal security of Hong Kong is out of proportion to its actual strength, because of the irresponsibility of New Left adherents and their potential for exploiting local issues in a manner likely to lead to violence.

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If you have any further comment on this Special Branch view we should be glad to have it.

jens

ever,

CC Chancery, Peking Chancery, Moscow

Alan.

(A E Donald)

CONFIDENTIAL