TNAG-2105-FCO40-3000-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-Chinese-complaints-abo-1990 — Page 19

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ANTI-CHINESE ACTIVITIES USING THE TERM ''A CHANCE OCCURRENCE THIS COULD NOT HOLD ANY GROUND''. HE HAD 'EVEN'' ASSERTED THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF HONG KONG'S LAWS. THE CHINESE SIDE WERE CLEAR THAT THE LAWS OF HONG KONG FORBADE SUCH SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES. THE SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES OF THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT IN CHINA NOT ONLY CAUSED DISTURBANCES AND UNCERTAINTIES IN HONG KONG SOCIETY, THEY DIRECTLY AFFECTED HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AND SERIOUSLY DAMAGED THE TRUST AND COOPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN ON THE QUESTION

OF HONG KONG, DURING HIS VISIT TO CHINA IN DECEMBER, SIR P. CRADOCK, SPECIAL ENVOY OF PRIME MINISTER THATCHER, HAD ASSURED THE CHINESE SIDE ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH PRIME

MINISTER THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD NO INTENTION OF USING HONG KONG AS A BASE TO SUBVERT THE CPG. CHINA HOPED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD KEEP ITS PROMISE BY TAKING REAL ACTION.

CHINA BELIEVED THAT AS LONG AS THE BRITISH SIDE SET STORE BY

THE OVERALL INTEREST OF MUTUAL COOPERATION AND TOOK THE NECESSARY MEASURES, IT HAD THE CAPACITY EFFECTIVELY TO STOP THESE ANTI-CHINESE ACTIVITIES.

2. PIGOTT UNDERTOOK TO REPORT. HE SAID THAT HE HOPED THE CHINESE HAD NOTED THAT OUR STATED INTENTION OF NOT ALLOWING HONG KONG TO BE USED AS A SUBVERSIVE BASE HAD BEEN EXPRESSED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. HE ADDED THAT WE HAD MADE CLEAR THAT EVERYONE IN HONG KONG WAS EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW: AND THAT NO GROUP HAD ANY MORE TOLERANCE THAN THE LAW ALLOWED. HE INVITED MME. HE TO EXPLAIN MORE PRECISELY WHAT THE CHINESE SIDE MEANT BY 'CONNIVANCE'' IN DESCRIBING THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE POLICE DURING THE 16 FEBRUARY RALLY.

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MME. HE SAID THAT THE DEMONSTRATORS HAD NOT APPLIED FOR A LICENCE: THEIR DEMONSTRATION HAD THEREFORE NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY APPROVED. THE POLICE HAD ESCORTED AND CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE DEMONSTRATORS. WHEN THE DEMONSTRATORS TORE UP AND BURNT COPIES OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, MADE TROUBLE AND CHANTED ANTI-CPG SLOGANS IN FRONT OF THE NCNA BUILDING, THE POLICE HAD SIMPLY STOOD BY AND WATCHED THEM WITH FOLDED ARMS. THE DEMONSTRATION HAD HAD A PERFECTLY CLEAR AIM OF OPPOSING THE CPG. AS FAR AS THE CHINESE SIDE UNDERSTOOD THEM, THE LAWS OF HONG KONG DID NOT PERMIT THIS KIND OF SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD RAISED THE ACTIVITIES OF THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE IN SUPPORT OF THE PATRIOTIC DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT IN CHINA WITH US MANY TIMES IN THE PAST. THAT ORGANISATION HAD THE CLEAR PURPOSE OF OVERTHROWING THE CPG. THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD TAKE REAL ACTION

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