TNAG-2236-FCO40-3215-Hong-Kong-and-China-subversion-and-student-demonstrations-1991 — Page 209

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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NCNA COMPLAINT ABOUT A PLANNED RALLY BY THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE

1. YANG YOUYONG OF NCNA CALLED ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER ON 28

MARCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A PLANNED RALLY BY THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE ON 5 APRIL (THE CHING MING FESTIVAL) TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT ELEMENTS. YANG COMPLAINED THAT SUCH AN ACTION WAS AIMED AT THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT AND WAS A FLAGRANT ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE WITH CHINESE INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND IN CHINA'S INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL WORK (SIC). IT WAS AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE MAJORITY OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS. NCNA DID NOT WISH TO SEE ANYTHING UNPLEASANT OCCURRING DURING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA WHICH MIGHT POLLUTE THE ATMOSPHERE. THE HKG SHOULD TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT THE RALLY.

2. EHRMAN REPLIED IN STANDARD TERMS. THERE WAS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION WITHIN THE LAW IN HONG KONG. THE NECESSARY APPLICATION FOR THE RALLY HAD BEEN MADE.

3. YANG SAID THAT THE MARCH (WHICH POLICE ESTIMATE MIGHT ATTRACT SOME 500 PEOPLE) WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG. IT WAS CLEARLY SUBVERSIVE. EHRMAN SAID THAT TO ALLOW SMALL MINORITIES TO VOICE THEIR VIEWS PEACEFULLY DID NOT UNDERMINE STABILITY. ANY ATTEMPT TO SUPPRESS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION WITHIN THE LAW ON THE OTHER HAND COULD WELL LEAD TO INSTABILITY. EHRMAN REFERRED TO OTHER RECENT RALLIES, E.G. OUTSIDE THE AMERICAN CONSULATE DURING THE GULF WAR, AND OUTSIDE THE JAPANESE CONSULATE OVER THE QUESTION OF THE SENKAKU ISLANDS. ALL SUCH RALLIES WERE WELL POLICED TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC ORDER WAS PRESERVED.

4. YANG SAID THAT THE NATURE OF THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE'S RALLIES WERE QUITE DIFFERENT. THEY WERE ADVOCATING THE OVERTHROW OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HOW COULD THIS BE ALLOWED.

5. EHRMAN SAID THAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION WAS PART OF OUR SYSTEM, AND WAS GUARANTEED TO CONTINUE AFTER 1997 BY THE JOINT DECLARATION. NO ONE COULD SERIOUSLY PRETEND THAT THE EXPRESSION

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