TRANSCRIPT A SELECT COMMITTEE OI HONG KO G 12 JUNE 1989
3
SIR DAVID VILSON (CONT):
As you say, we are meeting now in the shadow of the
appalling events of 4 June. They have had a very marked
effect on Hong Kong, not just those events but what went
before. So perhaps I could go back just one stage.
People in Hong Kong had been watching very closely
everything that had been happening in China with the
student demonstrations in the Tiananmen Square, but
watching originally from a distance. The declaration of
Martial Law on 19 May changed that and changed it in a
very dramatic way.
A large number of people in Hong Kong clearly felt
deep sympath and deep empathy for the students who were
demonstrating in Peking and very deep concern about what
the imposition of Martial Law might mean that brought out
on to the streets of Hong Kong in a way which is without
precedence in history, large number of people,
occasions some 500, 000
600,000 people.
The point which you made just a moment ago about
these being totally orderly was a very remarkable feature
of those demonstrations and reflects, I think, great
credit on the people of Hong Kong. The fact that we could
have such huge demonstrations without any disorder,
without any incidente, was great credit to the people
taking part.
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