RESTRICTED
6146
MDLIAN 9209
II) VIETNAMESE SHIPS SUSPECTED OF SMUGGLING, BUT FOUND TO E INNOCENT WHEN CAUGHT, AND RELEASED:
III) IT WAS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO KNOW CLEARLY WHERE THE
BOUNDARY LAY, CHINESE VESSELS THEREFORE SOMETIMES DRIFTED
ACCIDENTALLY INSIDE HONG KONG WATERS. BUT THEIR SOLE PURPOSE WAS
TO COMBAT SMUGGLING, THERE WERE NO OTHER MOTIVES. CO-OPERATION ON SMUGGLING HAD BEEN GOOD IN THE PAST, THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED IT WOULD CONTINUE.
6
BRADLEY SAID THAT IN THE PAST SMUGGLING HAD BEEN BETWEEN HONG
KONG AND CHINA AND IT INVOLVED EITHER HONG KONG PEOPLE OR
MAINLANDERS. BUT WE WERE NOW HAVING LARGE NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS BEING DETAINED. WAS THIS A NEW POLICY, OR DID THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE NEW INFORMATION OR INTELLIGENCE? YANG
UNDERTOOK TO CHECK AND REVERT.
COMMENT
7.
G
THIS MAY WELL BE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BANDITRY BY GUANGDONG SECURITY FORCES. BUT IT IS DISTURBING THAT VIETNAMESE VESSELS
APPEAR TO BE BEING TARGETED THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER RICH
PICKINGS USING THE SAME SEA LANES. WE THEREFORE WONDER WHETHER THIS MIGHT NOT/NOT BE A RESPONSE TO A CENTRAL DIRECTIVE, PERHAPS CONNECTED WITH THE SPRATLEYS DISPUTE. IF WE DO NOT/NOT RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE IN VERY SHORT TIME, OR IF FURTHER INCIDENTS OCCUR, WE MAY NEED TO TAKE THIS UP WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN LONDON AND/OR PEKING.
PATTEN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
32
HKD
SEAD
FED
AMD
SIR J COLES
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
32
MR HUM
MR MASEFIELD
MR BONE
2
PAGE
RESTRICTED
Page 45Page 46
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.