TNAG-0567-FCO40-700-Political-parties-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 27

AL

ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, WHICH PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHINESE OFFICIALS TO MEET FORMALLY WITH THIS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED HONG KONG BODY, THE COMMUNIST CONTROLLED HONG KONG BADMINTON ASSOCIATION GAVE ITS SUPPORT TO CHINA'S ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ADHITTANCE TO THE INTERNATIONAL BADMINTON FEDERATION BUT TAIWAN AGAIN SUCCEEDED IN RETAINING ITS SEAT.

KUOMINTANG (K.M.T.)

4. THE ONE REMAINING MEMBER OF A KUOMINTANG INTELLIGENCE SERVICE UNIT WHO WAS CHARGED WITH OFFENCES IN CONNECTION WITH ARMS AND EXPLOSIVES DISCOVERED IN NOVEMBER 1975 (SEE PARAGRAPH 10 OF OUR ASSESSMENT OF NOVEMBER 1975) WAS SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IMPRISONMENT.

5. THE 14TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAY 1962 REFUGEE EXODUS FROM CHINA AND THE TIEN AN MEN INCIDENT ARE BEING USED BY LOCAL KUOMINTANG ORGANIZATIONS FOR A PROPAGANDA ATTACK IN THE PRESS AGAINST THE PRESENT REGIME IN CHINA.

NEW LEFT AND STUDENTS.

6. NEW LEFT ADHERENTS FURTHER EXPLOITED THE OPPORTUNITY OFFERED. BY THE TIEN AN MEN INCIDENT TO CRITICISE THE CHINESE COMMUNISTS BY ORGANIZING A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE 16TH MAY. ALTHOUGH THE MEETING ATTRACTED ONLY ABOUT 40 HARD-CORE SYMPATHISERS, A CROWD OF 500 TO 600 WAS PRESENT, INCLUDING A LARGE PRESS CONTINGENT. A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE MEETING WAS THE PRESENCE OF SOME 150 COMMUNIST TRADE UNIONISTS, SOME OF WHOM HECKLED THE SPEAKERS BUT MADE NO SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS. THE HECKLERS WERE LATER DISCIPLINED BY THEIR UNION LEADERS FOR EXCEEDING THEIK BRIEF AS ''OBSERVERS", OVERALL THE RALLY DID NOTHING TO ENHANCE THE STANDING OF THE NEW LEFT WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE ISSUE AND WHO ARE NOW REGARDED WITH GREATER SUSPICION BY THE CHINESE COMMUNISTS.

.7. AN EARLIER ATTEMPT BY A NUMBER OF NEW LEFT AND STUDENT

FACTIONS TO ORGANIGE A PETITION TO THE NCNA PROTESTING AT THE TREATMENT OF THOSE ARRESTED AFTER THE TIEN AN MEN INCIDENT ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 4TH MAY MOVEMENT BROKE DOWN, BUT THE COLLEGE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION AND SOCIALIST FACTION OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY WENT AHEAD WITH THE PETITION.