CONFIDENTIAL
126313
MDH AN 0189
5. ZHAO WISHED TO EMPHASISE THAT THE CHINESE SIDE REQUESTED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO INSTRUCT THE HKG TO PROCEED FROM THE GENERAL INTEREST OF SAFEGUARDING SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND MAINTAINING THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG AND TO TAKE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO COUNTER THE ACTTIVITIES MENTIONED IN HIS DEMARCHE BECAUSE THESE INCIDENTS WERE SERIOUS POLITICAL MATTERS AND IF ALLOWED TO GO UNCHECKED MIGHT EXPAND FURTHER. THIS WOULD NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO GOOD BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN. IN REPLY COUNSELLOR POINTED OUT THAT FEWER PEOPLE TOOK PART IN DEMONSTRATIONS THIS YEAR IN HONG KONG THAN LAST. IF HKG ACTED IN A WAY THAT EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY THIS WOULD PROBABLY PROVOKE A VERY STRONG REACTION FROM HONG KONG PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MIGHT REGARD AS SUBVERSIVE (ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT ACCEPT THAT CATEGORIZATION). A REASON THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REFLECT VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE ASKING HKG TO ACT IN A MANNER AT VARIANCE WITH ITS OWN LAWS.
6
ZHAO ADDED THAT THERE WERE SOME NEW AND NOTEWORTHY DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS YEAR'S ANTI-CHINA ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG, NAMELY THE ATTEMPT BY OVERSEAS POLITICAL FORCES TO BRING THE STATUE AND MINI-STATUES OF THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY INTO HONG KONG, AND THE USE OF MOCK COFFINS IN A RUSH TOWARDS THE NCNA BUILDING. A FURTHER NEW DEVELOPMENT WAS THE DISPLAY OF KMT FLAGS BY KMT MEMBERS DURING THE RALLIES. ON LEAVING THE MFA ZHAO SAID PRIVATELY TO COUNSELLOR THAT HE HOPED HE (COUNSELLOR) WOULD BE ABLE TO USE HIS INFLUENCE TO CONTAIN THIS AFFAIR.
COMMENT
7"
INITIALLY THE CHINESE HAD SUMMONED FIRST SECRETARY TO CALL ON CHENG RUOYU (FIRST SECRETARY HKMAO, MFA) BUT LATER UPGRADED THE SUMMONS TO COUNSELLOR LEVEL. THIS COMPLAINT WAS MORE SUSTAINED AND SERIOUS IN NATURE THAN PREVIOUS ONES. IF EITHER WU OR THE STATUE SPEND A LONG TIME IN HONG KONG, WE COULD BE IN FOR TROUBLE. THE KEY RINGS ARE PROBALY MANAGEABLE. THE SUBJECT
WAS NOT HOWEVER RAISED DURING MY MEETING WITH TIAN ZENGPEI ON 7 JUNE.
MCLAREN
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CONFIDENTIAL
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