TNAG-1624-FCO40-2238-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 136

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MDLIAN 1 5

PANCHEN LAMA WOULD HAVE HAD NO REAL CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THIS LINE, HIS REMARKS SHOWED A CLEAR UNDERCURRENT OF CONCERN THAT THE RIOTS MIGHT TEMPT THE CHINESE TO REVERSE THEIR POLICIES, AN OUTCOME WHICH HE SEEMED ANXIOUS TO FORESTALL.

SINO-US RELATIONS:

5. THE CHINESE HAVE CONTINUED TO CRITICIZE WHAT THEY PUR PORT TO SEE AS AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT (MY SECOND TUR). ON 8 OCTOBER, THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS ISSUED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ACTIVITIES OF CONGRESSMEN PELL, HELMS AND ROSE AND THE SENATE AMENDMENT OF 6 OCTOBER ON THE TIBET QUESTION WHICH ''WERE DESPICABLE ACTS OF GROSS INTERFERENCE IN CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS''. THE STATEMENT REITERATED THAT TIBET WAS AN INALIENABLE PART OF CHINESE TERRITORY AND THAT THE TIBETAN PEOPLE WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THE BIG FAMILY OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. ANY QUESTION CONCERNING TIB ET WAS CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR, IN WHICH NO FOREIGN COUNTRY HAD THE RIGHT TO INTERFERE. ANY ATTEMPT TO SEVER T IB ET FROM THE REST OF CHINA OR TO DISRUPT ITS UNITY WOULD MEET WITH RESOLUTE OPPOSITION FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE, AND WOULD NEVER SUCCEED. THE STATEMENT WENT ON TO REGRET A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS (ALLEGED SLANDER OF CHINA OVER HUMAN RIGHTS, TAIWAN, FAMILY PLANNING AND SO ON) CREATED BY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THE US CONGRESS, WHICH HAD BADLY HURT THE NATIONAL FEELINGS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE AND WHICH HAD BECOME A NEGATIVE FACTOR DETRIMENTAL TO THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF SINO-US RELATIONS. SUCH ACTIONS WERE NOT ONLY OPPOSED BY THE CHINESE PEOPLE BUT WOULD ALSO BE OPPOSED BY THE

AMERICAN PEOPLE. IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFEGUARDING FRIENDSHIP AND DEVELOPING RELATIONS, THEY SHOULD BE STOPPED.

6. BY TREATING THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE TIBET EPISODE AS A MATTER BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESSN, THE CHINESE ARE TRYING TO STOP THEM FROM BECOMING A MATTER BETWEEN THE U.S.

ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. FRICTION WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT, HOWEVER, ALTOGETHER BEEN AVOIDED. THE AMERICANS HAVE OFFICIALLY PROTESTED AGAINST THE ORDER REMOVING JOURNALISTS FROM LHASA AND A STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN HAS PUBLICLY EXPRESSED REGRET OVER THE DECISION, CALLING IT A RESTRICTION ON THE FREE COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION. THE CHINESE MFA IN ITS TURN HAS CRITISED THIS US STATEMENT, SAYING THAT NO FOREIGN COUNTRY HAS THE

RIGHT TO MAKE SUCH IRRESPONSIBLE REMARKS.

COMMENTS:

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