TNAG-2054-FCO40-2932-Political-activism-accusations-of-subversion-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 23

CONFIDENTIAL

AKB 060/1

RECEIVED IN PESTRY

08 MAY 1990

054546 MDLIAN 7868

CON DENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1428

OF 02115OZ MAY 90

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

FEDERATION FOR DEMOCRACY IN CHINA: NCNA DEMARCHE

1. JI SHAOXIANG OF NCNA CALLED ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER ON 2 MAY. SPEAKING ON INSTRUCTIONS HE REFERRED TO A REPORT IN THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS OF 19 APRIL WHICH QUOTED YAN JIAGI, CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERATION OF DEMOCRACY IN CHINA, AS SAYING THAT IN THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR, THE FDC WOULD SET UP AN OFFICE IN HONG KONG. IT WOULD BE MANNED BY HONG KONG RESIDENTS. IT WOULD OBTAIN A LEGAL REGISTRATION FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

2. JI SAID THAT NCNA HAD ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT THE FDC WAS A REACTIONARY ORGANISATION AIMED AT SUBVERTING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. YAN AND OTHER LEADING MEMBERS OF THE FCC WERE CRIMINALS WANTED BY THE CHINESE PUBLIC SECURITY AUTHORITIES. IF THE FDC WAS ALLOWED TO SET UP THE SAID OFFICE IN HONG KONG, IT WOULD CONSTITUTE AN ACT OF SUPPORTING SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE CPG AND WOULD CONTRAVENE THE COMMITMENT BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT IT HAD NO INTENTION OF ALLOWING HONG KONG TO BECOME A SUBVERSIVE BASE AGAINST THE CPG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT VIEWED THE ORIENTAL DAILY REPORT WITH GRAVE CONCERN, AND REQUESTED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO GIVE A CLEAR-CUT REPLY AND TO REFUSE ESTABLISHMENT OF ANY OFFICES OF EITHER THE FOC ITSELF OR ORGANISATIONS RELATED TO THE FDC.

3. EHRMAN SAID THAT HE HAD NOTED WHAT NCNA HAD SAID. WE WERE WELL AWARE OF CHINA'S VIEW OF THE FDC. AS HAD BEEN SAID IN PUBLIC, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD NO WISH TO SEE HONG KONG USED AS A POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND BY OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS. WE TOO HAD NOTED THE CRIENTAL DAILY REPORT. NO APPROACH HAD BEEN MADE TO US TO ESTABLISH AND REGISTER AN FDC OFFICE.

4. J SAID THAT WE SHOULD LET NONA KNOW OF ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAINED ON PLANS FOR THE OFFICE. EHRMAN REMINDED HIM THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL 1997. WE HAD NOTED NCNA'S VIEW.

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