TNAG-0736-FCO40-940-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-political-situati-1978 — Page 13

BR 1850

-MMEDIATE

SECRET

CYPHER/CAT A ALSO AT HEK cod

91

184/1

307

FM HONG KONG 1188152

341 843

SECRET

HKIS CALL

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY RO. 51 12 OCT 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX.

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.1191 OF 11 OCTOBER 78,

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING,

ROUTINE: CANBERRA, SINGAPORE,

INFO SAVING WELLINGTON.

Plenter extracts

appropriate files.

PLEASE PASS TO CABINET OFFICE FOR SECRETARY J.l.C.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE LIC ASSESSMENT FOR SEPTEMBER 1970.

CHINESE COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES.

DURING THE MONTH THERE WERE SEVERAL INDICATIONS OF GREATER CO-OPERATION AND A MORE RELAXED RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPING BETWEEN THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAM AT ANY TIME SINCE 1949.

2. THE NON-COMMUNIST MEDIA MADE MUCH OF A SPEECH IN WHICH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE N C NA MADE WHAT AMOUNTED TO AN APOLOGY FOR THE DISTURBANCES WHICH TOOK PLACE IN HONG KONG IN 1967 AND WARNED HIS AUDIENCE AGAINST ALLOWING THEIR RECURRENCE.

3. THE COMMUNIST PRESS EMPHASISED THE ROLE OF HONG KONG IN SUPPORTING THE CHINESE PROGRAMME FOR MODERNISATION AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT.

4. BOTH THE SHIPPING AUTHORITIES OF KWANGTUNG PROVINCE AND THE

HONG KONG YAU MA TEI FERRY COMPANY CONFIRMED ON 23RD SEPTEMBER THAT DAILY HOVERFERRY SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANTON WILL

COMMENCE IN MID-NOVEMBER. AGREEMENT WAS ALSO REACHED BETWEEN THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT, HONG KONG AND A DELEGATION FROM THE CHINESE CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FOR CHINA TO OPERATE NON-SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANTON DURING THE CANTON AUTUMN FAIR IN OCTOBER.

SEORET

10