TNAG-2292-FCO40-3304-Official-visits-from-Hong-Kong-to-China-1991 — Page 129

Political Counsellor

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CONFIDENTIAL

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HONG KONG COMMISSIONER OF POLICE CALL ON WANG FANG AND TAO SIJU

1.

I accompanied the Hong Kong Commissioner of Police, Mr Li Kwan Ha, on his call on Wang Fang, State Councillor and previous Minister of Public Security, and Tao Siju, present Minister of Public Security. Also present were Liu Wen, Director General of the CID and Zhu Entao, Head of International Co-operation What follows is a short account of the main points of interest.

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2. On first meeting Wang Fang I was struck by the rather crevasse like depression in his forehead which gives the impression that he has had a lobotomy, this impression was re inforced when he started speaking. However for a 70 year seemed in good health and did most of the talking (or, in his case, slow reading from a prepared brief) with only brief interru tions from Tao and the rather irrepressible Liu Wen. It was interesting that despite his removal from office under a slight cloud he obviously still wields considerable influence over his junior "colleagues".

3. State Councillor Wang spoke mainly in platitudes and stressed the need for good cooperation between the police forces of Hong Kong and China. He said how pleased he was that such cooperation was proceeding smoothly. He stressed the need for greater cooperation in the run up to 1997 and the important role that the police in Hong Kong would be playing after 1997 to ensure continued stability.

4.

The Commissioner thanked Wang for the warm reception that the Hong Kong delegation had received. He agreed that cooperation and talks were going well but pointed out that people wanted to see tangible results. An obvious example of that would be the return of cars stolen from Hong Kong. He also realised the important role the police had to play in ensuring social stability, and thereby prosperity, in the run up to, and beyond, 1997. The Commissioner said he also wished to make a point about freedom of the press in Hong Kong: press freedom was guaranteed in Hong Kong and therefore the papers were, within reason, free to print what they wanted. He hoped that the Chinese understood that this did not mean that the views printed were necessarily those of the Hong Kong government or even of people in authority.

CODE 18-77

24 April 1991

CONFIDENTIAL

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