TNAG-2057-FCO40-2935-Armed-incursions-by-China-and-Royal-Navy-rules-of-engagement-1990 — Page 98

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ENQUIRED ABOUT THE ARRIVAL OF THE GOODS. AFTER HALF AN HOUR HE RETURNED TO THE SPEEDBOAT WHICH DEPARTED.

THE SPEEDBOAT SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED AROUND MIDNIGHT AND THE SAME MAN AGAIN BOARDED THE LIGHTER. HE MADE TELEPHONE CALLS WITH A WIRELESS TELEPHONE. THE 5 MEN IN UNIFORM WERE STILL ONBOARD THE SPEEDBOAT.

THE SPEEDBOAT SUBSEQUENTLY LEFT BUT RETURNED ONCE MORE AROUND 3.00 AM. SHORTLY AFTER 4.00 AM 3 MERCEDES CARS ARRIVED AT THE PIER AND WERE LOADED ONTO THE LIGHTER. JUST AFTER 4.40 AM THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES, BUT WAS BY NOW ALSO WEARING WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN OFFICIAL UNIFORM, GAVE THE ORDER TO SAIL. HE HIMSELF LEFT IN THE SPEEDBOAT. FOUR OF THE PERSONNEL IN UNIFORM STAYED ONBOARD THE TUG AND THE LIGHTER, AT LEAST ONE OF THEM WAS ARMED. ALSO ONBOARD THE TUG AND LIGHTER, WERE THE 5-MAN CREW AND THE 2 UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICERS.

AT 4.50 AM THE POLICE ARRESTED 3 MEN ON THE PIER IN CONNECTION WITH THE THEFT OF THE CARS.

SHORTLY AFTER 5.00 AM THE MARINE POLICE INTERCEPTED THE TUGBOAT AND REQUESTED IT TO STOP. THIS REQUEST WAS REFUSED. WHEN THE POLICE LAUNCH SUBSEQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO COME ALONGSIDE, A WEAPON WAS POINTED AT THE LAUNCH. AT ABOUT 5.50 AM A CHINESE BORDER INSPECTION VESSEL CAME ALONGSIDE THE HONG KONG POLICE LAUNCH. REQUESTS TO STOP THE LIGHTER WERE REFUSED BY THE CHINESE VESSEL.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REQUESTED THE IMMEDIATE RETURN OF THE 2 MEMBERS OF THE POLICE, THE TUG, THE LIGHTER AND THEIR CREW, AND THE STOLEN CARS. THE GOVERNMENT EXPRESSED GRAVE CONCERN TO THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY OVER THIS INCIDENT AND REQUESTED A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAD OCCURED. THE 2 POLICE OFFICERS RETURNED TO HONG KONG ON THE EVENING OF 3 MAY.

3. IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHEN CHINESE BORDER INSPECTION VESSELS HAVE STRAYED IN ERROR INTO HONG KONG WATERS AND SOUGHT TO EXERCISE JURISDICTION. ON THESE OCCASIONS, THE MARINE POLICE HAVE INFORMED THE CHINESE PERSONNEL INVOLVED THAT THEY WERE IN HONG KONG WATERS AND DIRECTED THEM TO LEAVE.

WILSON

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