TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 136

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If thoroughly revolutionary heroes like Lin, Chiang and Company actually wanted to recover Hong Kong, they did not have to let those kids raise such a storm. Deputy Commander Lin's own troops were in Kwangtung. He could have ordered Huang Yung-sheng to lead several army corps there. There was no war, no peace and no recovery but they wanted to carry the "anti-atrocity" movement out into a long-term state of commotion. There was only one explanation, which was that they wanted to use this red-hot branding iron of "anti-atrocity" to make Chou En-lai endure long hardships and sufferings and to thoroughly confuse and destroy the diplomatic shop!

At the outset, Chou wanted to do his best to control the situation. He did not allow it to deteriorate, but subsequently was completely set aside. The Cultural Revolution Group and the Peking Municipal Revolutionary Committee organized rallies and demonstrative processions. People including Chin Chin-mai and Lu Kung-ta of the subordinate literary and art group of the Cultural Revolution Group established ties and carried out activities everywhere, fanned up winds and fires and arranged propaganda. "Although the head

chef did not cook homself, Hu Chu did not do it on his behalf." They did so because their only anxiety was that there should be no (sic) on earth. What Chou could do at that time was only examine statements, notes and articles containing important information and amend a few words and sentences to make them very low-keyed. Even so, Lin, Chiang and Company attacked him, calling him Li Hung-chang the second. The group of historians like Chi Pen-Yu dished up an article on the Boxers insinuating that Chou fawned on foreigners and suppressed the masses. This article created a precedent for the Gang of Four to make historical insinuations.

After processions, demonstrations and publicity incited the masses' hatred of foreigners, Lin, Chiang and Company included the problem of Chen I on the agenda. Criticism of Chen amounted to criticism of Chou. Chen I became a target, and shooting at him meant shooting at Chou. If Chen I was proven to be a figure of the sinister line, how could Chou escape?

There were more examples than this. From July to September 1967 Mao inspected seven provinces and municipalities in east and central-south China. The "16 May Corps" had been well informed. As soon as Mao left Peking, they organised people to pitch camps around Chungnanhai, install highvoiced loudspeakers, raise a storm at Chungnanhai and babble that they would struggle against Liu Shao-chi. This was the so-called "Front to Drag out Liu." They also published a combat newspaper. Liu lived in Chungnanhai but was the target of examination by the Cultural Revolution Group of the central authorities. If they wanted to drag Liu out, they should go to Tiaoyutai, pitch camps there and Chiang approved, they could pull Liu Shao-chi out and struggle against him.

They obviously wanted to drag out Chou, not Liu, first, if Chou succumbed to pressure and handed Liu out (which was impossible), he should be responsible to the central auth- orities. Secondly, if he did not do so, he could be charged with protecting Liu Shao-chi. This was an extremely sinister trick. The "16 May" elements subsequently revealed that, according to their plan, when their efforts to drag Liu out progressed to a certain point, they would rush into Chungnanhai, drag out and struggle against Liu and Chou and announce that Chou was a cohort of Liu and the greatest royalist.

The followers assembled by Lin and Chiang came from all directions and were resolved to expose Chou to mortal danger. If they could not topple him, they should at least get rid of him (resignation). If they could not get rid of him, they should disrupt him.

Moment of decisive war

Falling sick from overwork, Chou discovered in the beginning of 1967 that he suffered from heart trouble. People working beside Chou were greatly worried and jointly put up a big-character poster, requesting him to change his work style and daily schedule so that he could "Work longer for the party."