TNAG-1089-FCO40-1339-Illegal-immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 110

GRS 1000 A

SECRET

SECRET

HKK 34111

RECHVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

02 OCT 1981

(89

DESKBY FCO 011200Z

DESK OFFICER

FM HONG KONG #111112 OCT 81

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

(,-E

TELEGRAM NUMBER 881 OF 1 OCTOBER

NC

2110

Pas 2/10

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

PL A DESERTER.

See do

copied to puro AGO 6/10

AGED 23 WHO CLAIMS TO BE A DESERTER FROM THE PLA CROSSED THE BORDER INTO HONG KONG IN THE EARLY HOURS OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1981. HE WAS ARRESTED AND IS BEING HELD PENDING A DECISION AS TO HIS DISPOSAL. HE HAS ASKED TO BE ALLOWED TO STAY IN HONG KONG. AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST HE WAS IN UNIFORM (BUT WITHOUT BADGES). HE HAD APPARENTLY CHANGED INTO UNIFORM AFTER CROSSING THE TORDER.

2. THOUGH THERE ARE SOME PUZZLING ASPECTS, THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT AS REVEALED BY QUESTIONING IS THOUGHT TO BE NOT FAR FROM THE TRUTH.

HE HAS BEEN IN 111 INFANTRY REGIMENT SINCE MARCH 1978, SERVED IN THE VIETNAM BORDER WAR IN 1979 AND AFTER RETURN OF THE UNIT TO CHINA WAS CHARGED EARLY IN 1980 WITH STEALING ARMY BINOCULARS. FOR THIS HE RECEIVED AN 18-MONTH SENTENCE. HE WAS RELEASED ON 22 SEPTEMBER 1981 BUT INSTEAD OF RETURNING TO HIS UNIT AS ORDERED HE DECIDED TO ESCAPE TO HONG KONG ALLEGEDLY BECAUSE OF HIS HATRED OF CONDITIONS IN CHINA IN GENERAL AND THE ARMY IN PARTICULAR. HE REACHED THE BORDER WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY AND WAS ARRESTED AFTER CROSSING.

3. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN QUESTIONED TO ASSESS HIS VALUE FOR MILITARY

INTELLIGENCE PURPOSES. HE HAS GIVEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INFORMATION BUT IT IS NOT OF HIGH QUALITY AND LITTLE MORE OF INTEREST IS LIKELY TO BE FORTHCOMING.

4. THE CHINESE MILITARY LAW CODE PROVIDES FOR THE DEATH SENTENCE FOR DESERTION AND FOR REVEALING MILITARY SECRETS TO FOREIGNERS.

IT FURTHER PROVIDES FOR 10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL

WHO TRY TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. UNDER THE CIVIL CRIMINAL CODE, ANYONE RELEASED FROM PRISON WHO COMMITS ANY OFFENCE AFTER 3 YEARS OF RELEASE IS TO BE SEVERELY PUNISHED.

5. THE DEFECTOR WORKING GROUP HAS CONSIDERED HIS CASE SO FAR AS DEFECTION IS CONCERNED AND RECOMMENDED, THOUGH NOT UNANIMOUSLY, THAT BE RETURNED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE GROUP RECOGNISED THAT THERE MUST BE A DEGREE OF RISK OF THE DEATH PENALTY BUT THOUGHT IT WAS NOT HIGH. WAS MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE A FAIRLY LONG SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT. HE HIMSELF EXPECTS AT LEAST THREE YEARS HARD LABOUR. THE GROUP HAS IN MIND THAT

HAD CHOSEN

TO DESERT, KNOWING THE PENALTIES, EVEN IF APPREHENDED IN CHINA: THAT TO ALLOW HIM TO STAY COULD RESULT IN OTHER DESERTERS CROSSING THE BORDER: AND THAT HIS PRESENCE IN HONG KONG WAS VERY LIKELY TO BECOME KNOWN TO THE CHINESE WHO WOULD ASK FOR HIS RETURN. (THE ARREST OF A CHINESE SOLDIER IN UNIFORM IS A RARE OCCURRENCE AND IS LIKELY TO LEAK).

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