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RESULTING FROM THE CONNIVANCE BY THE BRITISH SIDE AT ANTI-CHINA ACTIVITIES. THE CHINESE EXPRESSED DEEP REGRET AND INDIGNATION OVER THIS INCIDENT. IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BRITISH SIDE TO CHECK THE SITUATION. THE CHINESE SIDE ASKED HMG TO INSTRUCT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES TO ADOPT URGENT AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO STOP THE ANTI-CHINA ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR 9/10 JUNE AND THE TERRORIST THREATS, TO INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY THE SHOOTING INCIDENT AND TO PROTECT THE PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY OF CHINESE ORGANS IN HONG KONG. OTHERWISE THE RECENTLY IMPROVED BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UK AND CHINA WOULD BE DAMAGED. THE CHINESE SIDE RESERVED THE RIGHT TO MAKE FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS.
IN HIS RESPONSE, THE AMBASSADOR DEALT FIRST WITH THE SHOOTING INCIDENT. THE POLITICAL ADVISER HAD ALREADY EXPRESSED THE BRITISH SIDE'S REGRET TO NCNA. WE TOOK THIS MATTER AS SERIOUSLY AS THE CHINESE SIDE AND WOULD NOT SHIRK OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY OF CHINESE ORGANS IN HONG KONG.
THE POLICE WERE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER WOULD INFORM NCNA OF THE RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS. ON THE DEMONSTRATIONS, CHEN HAD MENTIONED THOSE ON 3/4 JUNE. PROVIDED PEOPLE ABIDED BY THE LAW IN HONG KONG THEY HAD FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY. THE ACTIVITIES OF 3/4 JUNE WERE CARRIED OUT IN AN ORDERLY AND LAW ABIDING FASHION. FUTURE DEMONSTRATIONS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. THE AMBASSADOR REMINDED CHEN OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT LOOKING TO THE FUTURE RATHER THAN CONCENTRATING SOLELY ON THE PAST, AND THE STAND THAT HONG KONG HAD TAKEN ON THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY: THIS SHOWED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE SERIOUS ABOUT NOT ALLLOWING HONG KONG TO BECOME A BASE FOR SUBVERSION OF THE MAINLAND. HOWEVER, OUR TWO SOCIETIES HAD A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY. WE ALLOWED PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS PROVIDED IT WAS DONE WITHIN THE LAW. THE CHINESE SIDE MUST UNDERSTAND THIS.
5. CHEN REITERATED HIS HOPE THAT THE POLICE WOULD THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE THE SHOOTING INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF ANTI-CHINA ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG. HKG SHOULD TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, PREVENT SIMILAR OCCURRENCES IN THE FUTURE AND PROTECT THE PROPERTY AND PERSONNEL OF CHINESE ORGANS IN HONG KONG. THE AMBASSADOR HAD SPOKEN OF THE FREEDOM OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. CHEN SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD THIS ARGUMENT BEFORE AND WAS NOT CONVINCED.
AND WAS NOT CONVINCED. THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS ABSTRACT AND ASSOLUTE FREEDOM. THE DEMONSTRATION ON 3/4 JUNE HAD VICIOUSLY ATTACKED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND LEADERS. CHEN DOUBTED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD ALLOW SIMILAR FREEDOM
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