14A
SECRET
SECRET
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO
IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 156
OF 22110OZ MAY 89
HKC
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG
од
TOP COPY Q DIST?
(165)
116373 MDHIAN 5763
FOR MCLAREN AUSS
119) HKC031/1
YOUR TELNO 62: DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER AND THE INTERPLENARY
SUMMARY
1. EVENTS IN PEKING MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEFENCE LANDS
ISSUE. WE SHOULD RECONSIDER OUR TACTICS.
DETAIL
2. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN NOT ONLY HOW THE POLITICAL STRUGGLE IN
PEKING WILL BE RESOLVED BUT ALSO WHETHER THE POSITION OF THE CHINESE MILITARY IN THE LEADERSHIP WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME STRONGER. IT SEEMS LIKELY HOWEVER THAT THOSE IN THE MFA AND STATE COUNCIL WILLING
TO ARGUE POINTS OF OUR CASE MAY FIND IT MORE DIFFICULT IF THE ROLE
OF THE PLA IN MAINTAINING PUBLIC ORDER BECOMES CRUCIAL WHETHER OR NOT THIS INVOLVES AN OUTRIGHT CRACKDOWN. THE IMMOBILISATION OF PLA UNITS TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS THE CENTRE OF PEKING GIVES UNFORTUNATE PROMINENCE TO THE QUESTION OF COMMUNICATIONS WHICH MIGHT ALLOW THE PLA TO INSIST ON THEIR NEED FOR BASES IN THE CITY CENTRE HERE. THE FACT THAT THE RALLY HERE ON 22 MAY WAS SO EXTENSIVE MAY ALSO STRENGTHEN THEIR HAND IN THIS REGARD.
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Redacted under FOI exemption section 27(1)
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