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MDHIAN
INSPIRED FILM I WOULD HAVE TAKEN A MORE SERIOUS VIEW OF IT. AS IT IS A HONG KONG PRODUCTION, IN WHICH ALL CONCERNED ARE PORTRAYED IN THE SAME UNFAVOURABLE LIGHT, I DECIDED NOT/NOT TO BAN IT.
4. THE NCNA COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN ON PREDICTABLE LINES. JI SHAOXIANG TOLD THE POLITICAL ADVISER ON 16 JULY THAT ALTHOUGH THE FILM PLOT WAS MADE UP, IT STIRRED UP HATRED TOWARDS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE PLA. IT WOULD CERTAINLY DAMAGE RELATIONS WITH THE PRC (THE GROUND FOR BANNING FILMS ON POLITICAL GROUNDS IS IF THEY MIGHT QUOTE SERIOUSLY DAMAGE RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES UNQUOTE). AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF IMPROVING RELATIONS AND MR MAUDE'S VISIT, APPROVAL OF SUCH A FILM WAS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. WHAT WAS WORSE, THE FILM MAKERS WERE ALREADY CONSIDERING A SEQUEL.
5. EHRMAN TOLD JI THAT WE DID NOT CONSIDER THE FILM A SERIOUS PIECE. ALL PARTIES WERE PORTRAYED IN THE SAME UNFAVOURABLE LIGHT. THE FILM SHOULD NOT BE DIGNIFIED BY BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY. TO BAN IT WOULD GIVE IT UNNECESSARY PUBLICITY AND MAKE A LAUGHING STOCK OF HKG. WE HAD NOT PERCEIVED ANY PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE FILM.
6. DESPITE THE HUFF, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THE CHINESE TO TRY TO MAKE A MAJOR ISSUE OF THIS FILM. IF ANY REFERENCE IS MADE TO IT DURING MR MAUDE'S VISIT, IT WOULD BE BEST TO DISMISS IT AS LAUGHABLE.
WILSON
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ECONOMIC ADVISERS PLANNERS
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