fco-21-687-detention-of-british-subjects-in-china-mrs-constance-martin-and-mr-william-mcbain — Page 14

brs. Ü.lartin, (shɛndɛi)

▲ choula ve oollyed if you could let me know

if there 16 any further news of the bve mentioned leay who was frrested
by the Chinese Authorities in Shaughfl some tinc E¿0.

+

i am esking as I was resident in Senghɛl until

1952, na & close friend of Lrs. kertin.

L

Yours faitnruj

wo. Camington

#.V.Derrington.

2

1

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FE

CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BIG.

ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

EGRAM NUMBER GUIDANCE 4

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SUBJECT:

TO CERTAIN MISSIONS 6 JANUARY 1970

BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN CHINA MRS. MARTIN AND MR. MC BAIN.

WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEPLORABLE TREATMENT BY THE CHINESE OF TWO
ELDERLY BRITISH SUBJECTS, MRS. CONNIE MARTIN AND MR. WILLIAM MCBAIN, WHO
WERE ARRESTED BY THE SHANGHAI SECURITY AUTHORITIES IN OCTOBER 1969. SO
FAR THE CHINESE HAVE GIVEN US NO INFORMATION ON THEIR STATE OF HEALTH OR
THEIR WHERE ABOUTS, NOR HAVE WE BEEN ALLOWED CONSULAR ACCESS TO THEM. WE
THINK THAT THE BEST PROSPECTS OF SECURING THEIR RELEASE MAY NOW LIE IN
PUBLICITY WHICH CONCENTRATES ON THEIR OBVIOUS HARMLESSNESS, THEIR
ADVANCED AGE AND, IN THE CASE OF MR. MCBAIN, HIS POOR HEALTH, WE SHOULD
BE GRATEFUL, THEREFORE, IF POSTS, WHERE IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE, WOULD
CONSIDER WAYS OF STIMULATING PUBLICITY FOR THE RIGHT OF THESE TWO
PEOPLE. THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUND MAY BE

FREELY DRAWN UPON.

BACKGROUND.

2.

MRS. MARTIN IS 72 YEARS OLD AND IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SHANGHAI BRANCH OF
THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK. SHE HAS SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE IN
CHINA. MR. MCBAIN IS 78 YEARS OLD AND IS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE
TRADING COMPANY, MOELLERS. HE HAS AN ACUTE HEART CONDITION WHICH MAKES
HIM AN INVALID, AND UNTIL HIS ARREST HAD BEEN VERY LARGELY CONFINED TO
HIS APARTMENT. WE ARE PARTICULARLY ANXIOUS LEST IF HE IS DEPRIVED OF HIS
NORMAL MEDICAL TREATMENT, HIS HEALTH MAY DETERIORIATE FURTHER IN
DETENTION.

APPROACHES TO CHINESE.

3. WE HAVE MADE A SERIES OF APPROACHES TO THE CHINESE IN LONDON AND
PEKING TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT AN ACCESS TO THE TWO PEOPLE. THE LAST
OCCASIONS WERE ON 19 DECEMBER WHEN LORD SHEPHERD SUMMONED

/MR. MA

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MR. MA, THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, AND ON 22 DECEMBER WHEN MR.
DENSON HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. T'ANG OF THE WESTERN EUROPEAN

EPARTMENT OF THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. ON EACH OCCASION
THE CHINESE DECLINED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE TWO PEOPLE,
ALTHOUGH TWO MONTHS HAD ELAPSED SINCE THEIR ARREST. 4. WE HAVE SINCE
LEARNED THAT THE MANAGER OF THE SHANGHAI BRANCH

OF THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MRS. MARTIN ON
ABOUT 15 DECEMBER. THE LETTER WAS LUCID AND WRITTEN IN A FAIR HAND. THIS
WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF NEWS WE HAD HAD OF EITHER OF THE TWO PEOPLE SINCE
THEIR DETENTION. THE FAILURE OF THE

#INESE TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION AT THE TWO SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEWS IS
THEREFORE ALL THE MORE INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND INEXCUSABLE. OTHER BRITISH
SUBJECTS.

5. ALTOGETHER THERE ARE STILL NINE BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED OR BELIEVED
TO BE DETAINED IN CHINA. THESE ARE MR. GEORGE WATT, MR. D.C. JOHNSTON,
MR. P.D. CROUCH, MRS. E. EPSTEIN, MR. M. SHAPIRO, MR.D.CROCK, MRS.
GLADYS YANG, AS WELL AS MRS. MARTIN AND MR. MC BAIN. THE CHINESE HAVE
STILL NOT GIVEN ANY DETAILS OF THE CHARGES LAID AGAINST THESE PEOPLE
EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF MR. WATT, WHO WAS SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS'
IMPRISONMENT ON 15 MARCH, 1968 FOR ALLEGED ESPIONAGE. MOREOVER, THE
CHINESE HAVE NEVER GIVEN ANY INFORMATION ON THE WHEREABOUTS OR THE
HEALTH OF ANY OF THEM, AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN GRANTED CONSULAR ACCESS.
REFUSAL OF ACCESS.

6. WE DO NOT CHALLENGE THE RIGHT OF THE CHINESE TO DEAL WITH FOREIGN
NATIONALS IN THEIR TERRITORY IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHINESE LAW. WHAT WE
FIND REPREHENSIBLE IS THEIR CONTINUED REFUSAL TO GRANT ACCESS TO AND
INFORMATION ABOUT THESE PEOPLE. THE CHINESE SOMETIMES SEEK TO COMPARE
THE POSITION OF BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN CHINA WITH THAT OF
COMMUNIST PRISONERS CONVICTED

/DURING

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.0. NEL. NO. GUIDANCE ↳ TO CERTAIN MISSIONS

-3-

BING THE DISTURBANCES IN HONG KONG IN 1967. THIS COMPARISON IS

FALSE. THE COMMUNIST PRISONERS IN HONG KONG WERE CONVICTED

OF SPECIFIC OFFENCES IN OPEN COURT WHERE THEY WERE GIVEN AN

OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. APART FROM THE CASE OF MR. WATT, THE
CHINESE HAVE SIMPLY TOLD US THAT THE BRITISH SUBJECTS CONCERNED HAVE
BREACHED UNSPECIFIED CHINESE LAWS. MOREOVER, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE
CONVICTED DURING THE DISTURBANCES IN HONG

KONG IN 1967 HAVE BEEN RELEASED AFTER SERVING THEIR SENTENCES

WITH REMISSION. THOSE REMAINING, WHO WERE CONVICTED OF SERIOUS OFFENCES,
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REMISSION AND HAVE NORMAL FACILITIES FOR VISITS BY
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.

EFFECT ON ANGLO/CHINESE RELATIONS.

7. THERE HAS BEEN A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN RELATIONS WITH CHINA OVER

HE PAST YEAR, THOUGH THEY REMAIN POOR. TRADE IS RUNNING AT RECORD
LEVELS, AND THE TREATMENT OF OUR MISSION IN PEKING HAS IMPROVED. THE
RELEASE OF MR. ANTHONY GREY, THE GORDON FAMILY, CAPTAIN WILL AND MR.
BARRYMAINE IN EARLY OCTOBER, 1969 WAS A WELCOME

STEP BUT THIS WAS OFFSET BY THE ARREST SHORTLY THEREAFTER OF

MRS. MARTIN AND MR. MCBAIN. WE HAVE MADE CLEAR TO THE CHINESE ON

NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN BETTER RELATIONS. HOWEVER,
THE DEPLORABLE CHINESE BEHAVIOUR OF THE CHINESE IN THE MATTER OF BRITISH
SUBJECTS IN DETENTION IS A SERIOUS IMPEDIMENT

TO ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT,

STEWART

BY TELEGRAPH:

BRUSSELS

COPENHAGEN

THE HAGUE

O.LO

ROME

BERNE

DUBLIN

STOCKHOLM

NEW YORK (UKMIS) NEW YORK (BIS) VASHINGTON

AND SAVING TO CERTAIN OTHER POUTS

FCO/MII, DISTRIBUTION:

GUIDANCE DEPT.

DDDDD

BEIRUT RABAT

PRETORIA NEW DELHI

ADDIS ABABA MONROVIA

RAWALPINDI

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