TNAG-2909-FCO40-4183-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1993 — Page 22

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18 OCT 1993

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AND TO DESKBY 29093OZ HONG KONG

INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, UKMIS NEW YORK

UKMIS NEW YORK FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY

ARREST OF MINGPAO REPORTER, XI YANG

1.

On 28 September we made a low-key enquiry (by telephone) of the HKMAO, MFA seeking confirmation of the arrest of Ming Pao reporter Xi Yang, announced in a Xinhua bulletin on the evening of 27 September, and asking for any other details. Cheng Shousan (First Secretary, HKMAO, MFA) today (29 September) telephoned us and read out the text of the Xinhua news bulletin. He said that this remained the current position. Asked what kind of identity documents Xi held, Cheng made no further comment.

Cheng subsequently rang back to inform us that Xi was a Chinese national travelling on a "Huixiang Zheng". Again, he made no further comment.

2.

COMMENT

This does not take us much further forward. We are under heavy pressure from the press here to tell them what we are doing.

Up to now I have taken the line that we are pressing for information but have not yet received any response to our enquiries. Grateful for instructions as to what further action you would wish us to take. We still do not have confirmation of Xi's status in Hong Kong.

MCLAREN

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