TNAG-0609-FCO40-757-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-political-situati-1977 — Page 12

CONFIDENTIAL

5. OPPOSITION TO GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS REGARDING A REDUCTION IN THE

NUMBER OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS (PARA 7 OF THE ASSESSMENT FOR JULY) HAS DECLINED AS IT IS APPARENT THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THE REDUNDANT TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO FIND SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT.

STUDENT/NEW LEFT ACTIVITIES

6. SOME 120 MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS FROM LOCAL NEW LEFT GROUPS ATTENDED A THREE DAY SOCIALIST REVIEW CAMP'' AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. WELL DISCIPLINED AND ORGANISED, THE ACTIVITIES WERE CENTRED ON FOUR DISCUSSION MEETINGS DURING WHICH BOTH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE PEOPLES GOVERNMENT WERE CRITICISED. ALTHOUGH ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE HARD-CORE NEW LEFT FOLLOWERS, IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, MANY NEW LEFT GROUPS MET OPENLY TO EXCHANGE

VIEWS. IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST OCCASION ON WHICH THE NEW LEFT HAS

CHOSEN TO HOLD A MEETING OF THIS NATURE WITHIN A UNIVERSITY

IN HONG KONG.

KUOMINTANG

7. A SMALL GROUP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM KUOMINTANG YOUTH

ORGANISATIONS PRESENTED A PETITION AT THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE-

GENERAL ON 19TH AUGUST PRIOR TO THE VISIT TO CHINA BY THE U.S.

SECRETARY OF STATE, MR, CYRUS VANCE. THE PETITION CONTAINED AN

APPEAL TO PRESIDENT CARTER TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND REFRAIN

FROM NORMALISING RELATIONS WITH CHINA.

FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO WELLINGTON.

MACLEHOSE

FILE S:

HK & G D

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

FED

PUSD

IPD

OID

RES D

OPA

OLA

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

DEFENCE DEPT

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CONFIDENTIAL