TNAG-1997-FCO40-2844-Harassment-of-Hong-Kong-businessmen-in-Shanghai-1989 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

001

MDHIAN 5654

KONG BUSINESSMEN IN CHINA BEING SUBJECTED TO PRESSURE AS A RESULT OF THE EVENTS OF EARLY JUNE. GIVEN THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND FOR BOTH HONG KONG AND CHINA'S COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, WE WOULD SEE MERIT IN AN INTERVENTION, INITIALLY AT DESK LEVEL, WITH THE MFA IN PEKING. WE WOULD AIM NOT TO ENTER INTO THE DETAILS OF ALLEGED OFFENCES BUT WOULD STRESS THAT IT CAN BE IN THE INTEREST NEITHER OF CHINA, NOR OF HONG KONG, FOR THIS SORT OF HARASSMENT TO CONTINUE. GRATEFUL FOR INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU AGREE. AS A FURTHER MEASURE WE SHOULD CONSIDER CAND WOULD WELCOME HKG'S VIEWS) WHETHER LEUNG AND CHIU SHOULD BE ADVISED TO WITHDRAW TO HONG KONG AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING. THIS ADVICE WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT GIVEN BY SOME HONG KONG AND UK-BASED COMPANIES TO HONG KONG BASED STAFF WORKING IN PEKING, WHO ARE BEING TOLD TO KEEP OUT OF CHINA UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE REVERTS TO NORMAL.

5. IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE INSTRUCTING CONSUL-GENERAL SHANGHAI THAT SHOULD EITHER LEUNG OR CHIU BE ARRESTED HE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CLAIM THE RIGHT OF CONSULAR PROTECTION AS IN THE CASE OF ANY OTHER

BRITISH CITIZEN.

DONALD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

175

DISTRIBUTION

186

.CHINA POLITICAL

LIMITED

FED

PLANNERS

RID

POD

NEWS DEPT

PRU

INFO DEPT

PUSD

ECD (E)

RMO

DEFENCE D

RESEARCH DEPT

COD

PS

HKD

SEAD

SAD

SOVIET DEPT

CONSULAR

MWU

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

PS/MR WALDEGRAVE

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/PUS

PS/SIR J FRETWELL

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CONFIDENTIAL