TNAG-2236-FCO40-3215-Hong-Kong-and-China-subversion-and-student-demonstrations-1991 — Page 153

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA

TELNO 9

OF 17062OZ JULY 91 INFO IMMEDIATE FCO

28

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB OGI / 1

G

29

074524 MDHIAN 5633

TOP COPY Q DIST?'

YOUR TELNO 13: CONFERENCE OF CHINESE STUDENT FEDERATIONS.

1. THE CONTINGENCY DEA PRESS LINE ON THIS CONFERENCE IS LESS THAN HELPFUL. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER. HE SAID THAT HE WILL HAVE TO USE IT IF QUESTIONED, BUT WILL NOT DO SO OTHERWISE.

2. HIS GOVERNMENT SEEM TO BE UNDER A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND HERE. THEY THOUGHT THAT ONE CANADIAN CITIZEN AND 7 OTHER CHINESE STUDENTS FROM CANADA WERE DETAINED AT THE AIRPORT. THIS IS NOT OF COURSE THE CASE (PARA.1 OF OUR TELNO 2260). THE POLITICAL ADVISER HAS CONFIRMED TO HIGGINBOTHAM THAT

THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON DETAINED AT THE AIRPORT WHO HAS COME FROM CANADA. HE IS WEI DONGQING, WHO HOLDS A PRC AND NOT A CANADIAN PASSPORT. HIGGINBOTHAM HAS INFORMED THE DEA OF THIS. HE

BELIEVES THAT THIS MIGHT MAKE THE SITUATION EASIER TO HANDLE IN A LOW-KEY WAY.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

60

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

NEWS D

PLANNERS

DISTRIBUTION

64

PUSD RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

SIR J COLES

MR BURNS

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CONFIDENTIAL