TNAG-2608-FCO40-3799-International-support-from-the-USA-regarding-the-future-of-H-1992 — Page 27

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Ambassador not to take it too seriously.

On 22 April the

Chinese raised this subject with our Ambassador in Peking

stressing the similarity between this draft report and the

McConnell Bill.

FILM CENSORSHIP: COMPASSION IN EXILE

E 7. Chen Rongchun of NCNA called on the Political Adviser on

22 April to complain about a film, "Compassion in Exile", a

documentary showing at the Hong Kong International Film

Festival. It is basically a biography of the Dalai Lama,

but including a good deal about the fate of Tibet and the

Tibetans under Chinese rule. The Television and

Entertainment Licensing Authority failed to refer it to the

PA's office, but had they done so, HKG would almost

certainly have decided that the down side both locally and

internationally of seeking to ban it would have been worse

than the Chinese criticism. They explained to Chen that it was now not possible under the law to withdraw permission for its showing.

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