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FILE No. FEC 13/13
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426 art
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TITLE: CHINA INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION:
CHINA-WATCHING
REFER TO
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IN HONG KONG
DATE
DATE
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YEAR STAMP
1968/9
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Reference.
!
1
Mr. Furness (Personnel Policy Department)
The question of establishing a China-watcher in Hong Kong has now been
discussed in Hong Kong by Sir Leslie Monson and with the Governor of
Hong Kong in London. On both occasions it was argued that our original
proposal to second an FCO officer to the Political Adviser's staff in
the Hong Kong Government would be embarrassing. The Governor of Hong
Kong has now put forward new proposals in his minute (attached) and I
should be grateful if you would say whether they are acceptable from the
Personnel administration point of view. They are in brief that
Kal
the officer would be en poste in Hong Kong and not on secondment to the
Hong Kong Government, as-is the case with the staf I DI 218 1litičal
Adviser's Offians-
(b) he would be paid from the FCO vote;
we would need to supply a confidential secretary;
(☎ he would probably be housed in the Secretariat building although this
remained to be decided, if this turned out to be the case we would be
expected to pay rent for his accommodation;
(e) the Political Adviser would unofficially
supervise his activities.
Wilson
1
(C. Wilson)
Far Eastern Department
December, 1969
Mr. S.W Etharti (Personnel Ops)
minute
We have agreed - principle to the establishment of the China. Watcher
post i Hong Kong- and points : 8) and c) above have alwmp been
understood to apply, whatever was decided about the location of the.
office. But our agreement was dependant on an not be able to effort to
find compensatory savings elsewhere the conform our
most obvious place being Peking. We shall agreement until
2. I notice that the for Eastern Dept. paper of 25, that every effort
November below suggests that the Political Adviser's has been unde)
staff in Hong Kong are underemployed. Since they are to effect tike
on secondment to to H.K. Gout, there is to
we are convinced
savings.
interest
!
interest for tampare Section - this; but you many word to conside
whether the individuals tied up there could
not be used elsewhere.
W. Chantill
12412.
China Watcher
On further reflection, I fear I mut Cenfirm my unease
unease at this officer bring associated dividity with the Hary Kiry
Government. As such, be would be
of
a curstant object of suspicion to Unofficial thumbers, the Press and
perhaps the Chinese.
لله
2. 1
suggut
The
the following
solutur
officer to be called the (Foreign Office - or it, if preferred) Far East
Publications Qualypis officer.
Reasons:
ана
(of "For East." dissociates him from
Hny King
་་
(6) "Publicaturis Analysis.
I
(i) does not disguise that at least part of his job - & abrindly the
major part- is china watching
Игар
(ii) avoids the implication of
covert operations inherent wow
in wurd's like
Co-ordination.
to
"
་་
Research",
Liaison"
(ii) suggests to the Chirichs (in
видрий Publications") that be is Concerned with overt intelligence
only.
His salary, recurrent ete custo
4.
and
So
c
should be paid
directly by FCO
5.
We world encravant
lo
се
pride him with office space,
1
but there
may be of finding him space bere, and I would really paper he operated
from elsewhere. Personally, I would have Muught that if he had an
practical difficulties
жин
office in reasonably secure curtside Анимал
prendes leg a bank building) with
a safe for wildly classified
be
ma
еш
good energh on the understanding that
popers, this would
papus graded scout or
ск
over
(snoely be would not have many?
were kept in our Top Secret
алг
Maistry.
L
6. But if the is found
a
grunt
office, I would with a mutal to
ко
be paid for it - not for Masino of inmey hub so the Kigislative (& the
Auditor) could be satisfe that we were not spending
чила
HIL funds at
on
concone
who
лу
was nothing to do with us. ?. He will presumably sued an expatriate
Crifidential Recortary. This we could not cupply - we are instantly
under auspicion for employing expatriat Confidential stoff and posts
have to be rigoroundly Kypt down. We are therefor
short.
-x of
*
до
8. PA, if desired, could porsche buy gueral supenision
supenision & resiver course help quer ally - but this cametrin would
have to be kept covest. Hunch.
870
Sir S. Tomlinson
CONFIDENTIAL
I am afraid
we
Kis n't get far
this!
on
27/1
CONSULTATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
25 November, 1969
"China-Watching" in Hong Kong
I attach a paper about "China-watching" in Hong Kong.
A copy is going to the Governor,
2.
The paper itself summarises the background.
3.
The recommendation is:-
"We might therefore ask the Governor if he would be
prepared to enjoin on to the Political Adviser, for a
trial period, the additional responsibility of collating
information available in Hong Kong about affairs in
China and reporting to him periodically, copying his
reports as appropriate to the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office."
Copies to:
Sir L. Monson
Mr. Wilford
Mr. Carter
When
you
Ваши гласу
(James Murray)
25 November, 1969.
have had yo
yond four thous das urssion with the Sucuar about Misis,
soe might wild to Mr Maddocks
explaining has the unauthis stands.
CONFIDENTIAL
Mr. Rukay
5retwon the pps. as the Common has made some proposal, dinet
to Sur 5 Tomlinson which may
by
now have reached you.
Lose
Mr Carptes.
عدم
Nor.
Al
The new profurce in was Machine. At insider it will the cdown.
affelforate, put of a soft later to the Thave wody
26/11 departmenty work.
CONFIDENTIAL
ONSULTATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
25 November, 1969.
"China-Watching" in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is the best source of information outside
China about affairs in China. Our "China-watching" effort
in Hong Kong is however to some extent fragmented and lacks
co-ordination. We have considered therefore that there
might be a requirement for a "China-watcher", to co-ordinate
information from official sources as well as from non-
governmental organisations, specialist foreign journalists
and foreign missions concerned with 'China-watching" in Hong
Kong.
2. We were in principle ready to provide (and pay for)
an officer of First Secretary rank from the F.C.0. Chinese
cadre, supported by a P.A. to do the job, if this were
acceptable to the Hong Kong authorities.
3. It seemed to us that the best place from which to do the
job was the Office of the Political Adviser. The prestige
of the Political Adviser's office would assist in developing
contacts with non-official agencies, and the officer concerned
could provide a useful "China-watching" service for the Hong
Kong Government. He could, moreover, assist with the
staffing of that office when one of the two existing members
was on leave.
4.
Alternative locations were open to objection:
the Regional
/ Information
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Information Office, because this would identify the work
of the "China-watcher" too closely with the propaganda rôle
of the R.I.O.; the Joint Services Intelligence Staff, because
too close an association with military intelligence might
prejudice relations with non-official "China-watching"
institutions; and the British Trade Commission, because the
appointment there of an officer with overt (and they would
have to be overt) political responsibilities might reinforce
the idea that the British Trade Commission was in some sense
a separate political instrument of Whitehall in Hong Kong.
5. The Hong Kong authorities have however represented to
us that the reinforcement of the Political Adviser's staff
by an extra officer would be bound to attract attention in
Hong Kong and might lead to undesirable speculation particu-
larly among unofficial members of the Executive and Legislative
Councils and from local journalists about the whole function
of the Political Adviser's Office.
6.
When we first went into the matter in 1968 we thought
that the Political Adviser himself and the Assistant Political
Adviser (a member of the F.C.0. Chinese cadre) were both too
occupied with the regular work of the office to undertake this
additional responsibility. Now that the situation is quieter
in Hong Kong this may no longer be the case.
7. We might therefore ask the Governor if he would be
prepared to enjoin on to the Political Adviser, for a trial
period, the additional responsibility of collating information
CONFIDENTIAL
- 2
/ available
[
[
CONFIDENTIAL
available in Hong Kong about affairs in China and reporting
to him periodically, copying his reports as appropriate to
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
After a period of, say, six months, a review could be
undertaken in consultation with the Political Adviser about
8.
the usefulness of the task, and what it involved. Renewed
considertation could if necessary be given then to the
reinforcement of the Folitical Adviser's staff, or other
means of coping with the matter.
Far Eastern Department,
25 November, 1969
CONFIDENTIAL
- 3-
Peronda Sewer
Der Michael.
Maanda
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
HONG KONG
Plagan speal
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дно
Leshi Misri
PERSONAL & SECRET
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
17 October, 1969.
Dear Leslie,
China-watching in Hong Kong
You will remember that Far Eastern Department promised to let you have a
background note on the question of establishing a China- watching unit
in Hong Kong. This is attached. You had kindly agreed to raise this
matter with Sir Hugh Norman-Walker during your visit. But it was felt
that until Personnel Department had given their approval in principle
for the establishment of the post it would be premature to raise the
matter. They have now done в0.
2. We realise that Sir Hugh will probably wish to discuss the proposal
with the Governor before making a final decision but we hope that he can
be persuaded to take a favourable view of it and to brief the Governor
accordingly so that we can discuss it with him when he comes to the
Office for discussions later during his leave.
3. In arguing the case with Sir Hugh Bunny Carter has suggested that the
points in paragraphs 5 (c) and (d) in the background note are likely to
carry the most weight with the Hong Kong Government, provided of course
that the general question of principle can be resolved. In
correspondence with the Political Adviser, Arthur Maddocks, we have
never obtained a precise statement of their objections to the idea
although we believe that paragraphs 6 and 7 of the background note are a
fairly accurate interpretation of Maddocks' feeling of "embarrassment".
It will be useful for our later discussions with the Governor if you
could get them to spell out any objections in greater detail.
4. I should perhaps add that this matter has only been presented to me
in detail with the arrival of this letter in draft. I must therefore
admit to you that I am not yet wholly convinced that there is a real
need for a China watcher of the kind proposed or, if there is, that the
task can be carried out by one officer. Nor am I wholly convinced that
the Secretariat would be the right place for him. In this perhaps my own
experience leads me to take Maddocks' expressed objections more
seriously than does everyone else. However it is obviously right that we
should take advantage of your presence in Hong Kong to discuss the issue
with the Colonial Secretary with a view to getting at least a statement
of no objection from him to the proposal that the man should be put in
the Secretariat if that is what we ultimately decide is the right
solution.
Sir Leslie Monson, KCMG, CB,
c/o Government House,
HONG KONG.
Yours ever,
Michael hilfig
PERSONAL & SECRET
(.. Wilford)
NFIDENTIAL
3ir S. Tomlins
; the 13/11
CONSULTATIONS LITH THE CO72503 (
25 Kovember. 1969
"China-Watching" in Hong Kong
I attach a paper about "China-watching" in Hong Kong.
▲ copy is going to the Governor.
2.
The paper itself summarises the background.
3.
The recommendation ist-
· Fe right therefore ask the Governor if he would be
prepared to enjoin on to the Political Adviser, for a trial period, the
additional responsibility of collating information available in Hong
Kong about affairs in China and reporting to him periodically, copying
his
reports as appropriate to the Foreign and Commonwealth
office.
Copier to: Sir L. Monson
Mr. #ilford
Mr. Carter
pla
INA 3/12
(James Kurray)
25 November, 1969.
CONFIDENTIAL
25.
CONFIDENTIAL
CAU CA KIT THE JOVEL:TOR 03 HONG KONG
25 November. 1969.
"China="atching" in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is the best source of information outside
China about affairs in China. Our "China-watching" effort
in Hong Kong is however to some extent fragmented and lacks
co-ordination. Te have considered therefore that there
might be a requirement for a "China-watcher", to co-ordinate
information from official sourose as well as from non-
governmental organisations, specialist foreign journalists and foreign
missions concerned with China-watching in Hong
Kong.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.