CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 020/6
16
06000+ MDLIAN 4367
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 402
OF 040445Z FEBRUARY 89
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
13
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
OUR TELNO 328: GOODS VEHICLES INCIDENT AT MAN KAM TO
1 PA SPOKE TO JI SHAOXIANG OF NCNA ON 31 JANUARY EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE INCIDENT AND ASKING FOR INFORMATION ON WHAT MEASURES THE CHINESE WOULD TAKE TO PREVENT SUCH INCIDENTS IN FUTURE. JI SAID THAT NCNA HAD NOT YET RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL REPORT BUT ADMITTED THAT HK DRIVERS HAD FOR A LONG TIME HELD GRIEVANCES AGAINST CHINESE CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION OFFICERS WHO OFTEN ASKED THEM FOR OPEN QUOTE SPECIAL ADVANTAGES CLOSE QUOTE. THE PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO JI, STEMMED FROM THE FACT THAT IN CHINA QUOTE SOLDIERS UNQUOTE NOT PROFESSIONALS CARRIED OUT CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION FUNCTIONS AT THE BORDER. SOLDIERS WERE ONLY PAID 20 RMB PER MONTH. IN THE THREE YEARS THEY WERE POSTED TO THE BORDER THEY GRADUALLY BECAME CORRUPT. (IN FACT THE PEOPLE'S ARMED POLICE, NOT THE PLA, UNDERTAKE THESE DUTIES BUT THAT WAS CLEARLY WHAT JI MEANT).
2. JI EXPRESSED UNDERSTANDING OF PA'S CONCERN THAT SHOTS WERE FIRED
IN THE BORDER AREA. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE SHOTS HAD BEEN FIRED IN WARNING WHEN PSB OFFICIALS WERE BEING ATTACKED BY THE HK DRIVERS.
3. HE UNDERTOOK TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE INCIDENT IN
DUE
COURSE.
4 JI WAS UNUSALLY FRANK IN ADMITTING THAT IT WAS IN FACT THE
SYSTEM NOT THE INDIVIDUAL WHICH WAS AT FAULT. AS WE KNOW, THE
SYSTEM IS DEEPLY ENTRENCHED AND CANNOT BE CHANGED OVERNIGHT. PA
DID NEVERTHELESS URGE THAT THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS JI HAD DESCRIBED
SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION BOTH OF THE PROVINCIAL AND
CENTRAL AUTHORITIES.
WILSON
YYYY
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