RESTRICTED
HKC
300/1
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1104
OF 220845Z APRIL 92
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY CMQ DIST?
6
117547 MDHIAN 1080
FILM CENSORSHIP: COMPASSION IN EXILE.
SUMMARY
CHINESE COMPLAIN ABOUT A FILM ON THE LIFE OF THE DALAI LAMA SHOWING IN THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. WE EXPLAIN THAT THE FILM DOES NOT ADVOCATE TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE (MAIN CHINESE COMPLAINT) AND THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO WITHDRAW PERMISSION FOR ITS SHOWING.
DETAIL
CHEN RONGCHUN OF NCNA CALLED ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER ON 22 APRIL TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A FILM MADE BY AMERICAN MICHAEL LEMLE WHICH WAS SHOWN ON 13 APRIL AS PART OF THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. IT WILL BE SCREENED AGAIN ON 25 APRIL. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE CHINESE HAVE RAISED IT WITH US, THE FORMER TWO BEING TELEPHONE CALLS TO THE DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER ON 15 APRIL
AND 21 APRIL.
3. CHEN, REFERRING TO PRESS ARTICLES ABOUT THE FILM, SAID IT ATTACKED THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, ADVOCATED TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE, EULOGISED THE DALAI LAMA, AND THAT ITS MAKERS HAD A CLEAR POLITCAL OBJECTIVE IN CHOOSING HONG KONG TO PREMIER THE FILM. (IN EARLIER COMPLAINTS THEY SAID THAT THE FILM DREW A COMPARISON BETWEEN TIBET AND HONG KONG). CHEN EXPRESSED SURPRISE AND REGRET THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW SUCH A FILM TO BE SHOWN IN HONG KONG. THE CHINESE POSITION WAS VERY CLEAR: TIBET WAS A PART OF CHINA AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE WERE ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED TO ANY IDEA OF TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE. THEY WISHED HKG TO CONSIDER THE MATTER FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF OUR OVERALL RELATIONSHIP AND PREVENT THE FILM FROM BEING SHOWN ON 25 APRIL. CHEN SAID THAT HE WAS SPEAKING ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM PEKING.
4"
EHRMAN SAID THAT BRADLEY HAD SEEN THE FILM. NOWHERE DID IT
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