fco-21-80-uk-consideration-of-actions-to-be-taken-against-chinese-mission-and-new-china-news-agency-(ncna)-in-london — Page 2

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(b) Thereafter the Chinese Mission in London should

be informed by Note. We should decide in the light

of Mr. Hopson's report of his démarche whether to

summon the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires to receive

the Note or simply send it round by hand.

(c) Cur publicity should be on the lines of the

attached draft telegram.

News Department concur.

/Background

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2

-

Background and Argument

2.

The background is set out in detail in my submission

of 2 November and summarised in the Secretary of State's H↑

Flag J3) minute to the Prime Minister of 7 November.

Flag

3. Given the temperament of Mr. Shen P'ing, the Chinese

Chargé d'Affaires here, he is unlikely to react with any

particular grace to a personal intimation that the restric-

tions are to be relaxed. It may be, however, that in the light

of Mr. Hopson's report of his démarche there will be points

A call by which we could usefully stress to the Chinese.

Mr. Shen P'ing would provide an opportunity.

that a decision on this should be postponed until after we

have had Kr. Hopson's report.

I think, however,

4. The Chargé d'Affaires in Peking has emphasised that the

relaxation of the restrictions should be done as quietly as

possible, since in this way there is the best hope of attracting a
corresponding gesture from the Chinese. Unfortunately there

is a Parliamentary Question down for answer on 13 November

about the prospects of improving our relations with China.

Any reference to the fact that we had informed the Chinese

of our decision to relax restrictions would certainly attract

publicity. It is best therefore to postpone Mr. Hopson's démarche until
14 November. It seems unlikely that the

Chinese on their side will make public our decision to relax

restrictions before it is put into effect. If they do, the

line in the second draft telegram should, I hope, still be

relevant. There is of course the horrid possibility that

/they

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3-

they might make it public in terms which indicated that

much more is expected of us, e.g. over Hong Kong, before

there could be any return to normal in our relations.

this is a risk we shall have to accept.

зари

Janne Munay.

(James Lurray)

10 November, 1967

But

E.f.delman

10/11

A copy of the submusion has now

to Mr Rodgers.

Алеми.

M+ Densonf Mr. Wilson. I

Enter

13

Sove

CONFIDENTIAL

FLAG A "13

SECRETARY OF STATE

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIVES No 51

1967

| Fc3/20

The Prime Minister has seen your minute of

7 November about the relaxation or restrictions on

Chinese in London and fully agrees with the proposal in that minute. He
assumes, (correctly) that the

Home Secretary would welcome some relief from the

burden placed upon the police.

117

2. On this assumption, the Prime Minister sees no

need to bring this matter berore your Cabinet colleagues

and suggests that we should now go ahead on the basis

set out in the minute.

3. There is therefore nothing in your Cabinet

folder on this item. The department will now set the

necessary wheels in motion.

allen

J).m.) ay

8 November, 1967.

See ili ilurray andersson of 10 November

pc.

13/

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116

X

PRIME

MINISTER

CONFIDENTIAL

Dear back,

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No 31

1 5NCV 1967

FC3/20

10 Downing Street Whitehall

November 8, 1967

As I told you, the Prime Minister has seen the Foreign Secretary's
minute PM/67/100 of November 7 about proposed relaxation of restrictions
on the Chinese Diplomatic Mission

in London.

He agrees with the action proposed by the Foreign Secretary. On the
assumption, which he draws from the final paragraph of Mr. Brown's

minute, that the Home Secretary is also in agreement, the Prime Minister
sees no need for Mr. Brown to put these views orally to Cabinet, as
proposed in paragraph 6 of his minute, unless he sees any compelling
reason to do só.

Чита

www.

سلام

Michael (PALLISER)

M. de la Mare. Gq/4

The

༥.

already met.

D. Day, Esq.,

Foreign Office. *

ahand

لله

ar

X

is I undstond

9 In rehnal

CIBAR,

Love

( See S. 45's comment

unmedeat & bakar).

вовать

1.) alu

cam

CONFIDENTIAL

+

VES

1(115

113

Secretary of State

Now se

Fe3/201

il Daiji

of 8. Nacubes.

p.a.

China: Lifting of Restrictions

13/

Following our discussion this morning

قامات

I asked Burke Trend what he thought would be

the best way for you to consult your colleagues.

He agreed that in view of likely criticism

in Parliament you should at least inform your

Cabinet colleagues. He thought the best way

might be to send a minute to the P.M. setting

out your proposal and suggesting, subject to his agreement, that you
raise this in Cabinet

on Thursday.

شيد

2. I attach a minute to the P.M. (I have

had it done in final form to save time but

please do not hesitate to change it if you

wish). If the P.M. agrees to this tomorrow,

we might circulate your minute to your Cabinet

colleagues for their information. You could

then raise the question orally at Thursday's

Cabinet.

Minull

rand

to No. 10

.).) M11

+

J.m. Jay. (for fonald Martland)

7 November, 1967

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. de la Kare

CONFIDENTIAL

ARCHIVES NE !

TEADY 1987

FCM/1/20

1k+

Flag 9

112

CHINA : RELAXATION OF RESTRICTIONS

The Secretary of State has decided that he should

inform his colleagues about the recommendations for the

relaxation of restrictions on the Chinese officials in

this country.

2. The Secretary to the Cabinet has told the Private

Secretary that, in his view, the best way for the Secretary

of State to consult his colleagues would be by raising it

in Cabinet on 9 November; but that first the Secretary of

State should send a minute to the Prime Minister explaining

the proposal.

3. I attach a draft minute from the Secretary of State

to the Prime Kinister.

Imati semalam.

Now

luney

James T. Lumay

(James Kurray)

7 Noverber, 1967

A.f. de belan

See The Thailand

Mist of 7 Nm

p.a.

1.

15/1

76/41

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ELBİS 2 L..

PW/87/100

+

F23/1/201

CHINA:

FLEVIL

bokies save 10: -

7 An Rodgas

Pus

Ind Allen

F.E.D. cit

113

M

P.M. agreed.

pa.

13

hu ole la hare 5 head of Personnel Defoe. 6 Planing staff.

JAYAMION OF BESTRICTI NS

You wi'l recall that as a result of the sucking

of our office . 'eking list uust we imposed

aditional extrictions on the members of the

Chinese Miaciun here. They were forbidden to travel

mo. a thin 5 miles from Central London without

advance notifia.t.on,

N e uired (by an Order-in-

Council) to h ve xit poimils for leaving; the

country. These restrictions were enforced by police

-

surveillance. The inese, who even bufore the

8.ckin, of tiv. office nid by adrinistrative means

prevented som, of our people from leaving, riported

by confinin, our lesion to the very limited area

of their dwellin 8 and offices, and by : efusing exit

al

permits. Since then a schoulchildren and two

premart

ivor bv

by

been allowed out.

2. On 2ctober the Chinese inistry of Forei,n

'ffairs indicated to pur Char é d' ́ffaires,

T. H ̧son, that to me would be no easing of the

present Chinese restrict.ons until we had lifted

our suurt rertrictions, completely disregarding

/the suckin,

IHE

M

the sacking of cur 18816, they porversely a. ¿ued

that since we were tha irst to 1.pose widit.onal

restrictions, we ust be the first to relax them.

r.opron is convinced that the Chinese will not

tudge from this position and that the could not be

brought to negotiate a procedure of reciprocal

relavation18,

Jạ thinks, nowever, that if we were

to decide on a unilateral and substantial relaxation

and give the Chinese .dvw.ce notification, they

would respond with act.cn on their art; and that

this was wh. they were in off ct conveying to him.

3. Our &nctions squins: the hinese are not, and

ca.ot be, of such severity and eToctiveness as to

force a change in olity on the Chinese. They could

sit things out indefinitel.. Te cunot, he a not

reasonably ..ak our "ission to put up indefinitely

with their present trials. One of the wives has

already had a severe breakdown - and been refused

en exit urba oreover, as lon; s unis issue

persiɛts, we can ot hope to pro ress towards more

norwl dealin's with the lines on e.¿. trade,

I think, therfore, that we should now make some

relaxation of our restrictiune unil terally. Now

+

+

would seen a good time for un attempt towards a

Mutual Aismantling of restrictions: the "poderates*

seem to be gainin' control in "eking, and would

LJKITFAL

/presumably

bre....bly IC..

norality in bl...

opens on 15

Potum to

nton .r. Fir

5.1... ich

OVU.LGT.

"e sift clearl it....11.

I. reukiroment for

P

་་

oxit je pritr. we could, however, relax the travel

restrictions eluhr:

(5)

1. retumi.. to DIYe-'. ust Zilə

travel 11 it; or

(b) l kind

4

+

1 - le lit, this being the

Course (b) weil (avo u

DING WO ISTA, TOUT

J'UN irrion in Teking.

the satisfaction of

POÇ.

·

L

has pres .d stran 1, fo, coure (4), arguing that,

since courɛu (1) did not ra refent full return

to the mak 19, it would e milkely to elicit

a full ref rise from the

I

*AG UT!

L

'iteit reluctantly,

I have come to the lion t' t this is corr ct.

If we were to rei x UN

1

·

ti

+

21 tertrictions, "e

would alle uuspense in the

5.

unikuter 1 re

act of faith in d.

P

produce results f...

lice surveillance.

+

P

+

14 of course be un

.t

+

0 rt it would

the unino: è side. ́ut standing

all not

L

...ter; and ' think

cu. C an wuld be folle tot in llament.

-

L

und eisowhere if we

auit ei ar that if there was

no ref

Lule there, we

/should

should again impose the restrictions. We might al80 say that our best
hope of settling other outstanding isɛus with the Chinese, e... the
detention of the keuters correspondent, lay in the general improvement
of atmo: here which a mutual relaxation of restrictions

might bring about.

6. If you agree, I propose to put there views

orally to my colleagues in Cabinet on 9 November, 7. The Home Secr try
has already drawn to my

attention the burden which surveillance of the

Chinese is "lacing on the

etropolitan Police Force

and expressed te hope that there will be some early

relief from the strain.

G. A. DROWN

7 Moverbor. 1967.

!

COFFIN MVIAL

|

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.

CONFIDENTIAL

Registry

No./67/100

Top Secret. Secret. Confidential

Restricted. Open.

Draft. Minute

Prime Minister

from

Secretary of

State.

Insert Telephone No. & Ext. when appropriate.

CHINA : RELAXATION OF RESTRICTIONS

You will recell that as a result of the

sacking of our Office in Peking last August

we imposed additional restrictions on the members

of the Chinese Kission here They were forbidden

(from Cental honoton >

to travel more than 5 miles sithout advance

notification, and required (by an Order-in-Council

to have exit permits for leaving the country.

These restrictions were enforced by police

surveillance.

The Chinese, who even before the

sacking of the Office had by administrative

means prevented some of our people from leaving,

riposted by confining our Kission to the very

limited area of their dwellings and offices,

and by refusing axit permits. Since then only

schoolchildren and two pregnant wives have been

allowed out.

2. On 20 October the Chinese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs indicated to our Chargé d'Affaires my_Hopton,

that there would be no essing of the present

Chinese restrictions until we had lifted our

August restrictions. Completely disregarding

the sacking of our Kission, they perversely

argued that since we were the first to impose

additional restrictions, we must be the first

to relax them. Kr. Hopson is convinced that

the Chinese will not budge from this position

and that they could not be brought to negotiate

/a

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CONFIDENTIAL

He

a procedure of reciprocal relaxations.

thinks, however that if we were to decide on a

unilateral and substantial relaxation and give

the Chinese advance notification, they would

respond with action on their part; and that this

Convert Lang

was what they were in affect seving to him.

1

3. Cur sanctions against the Chinese are not,

and cannot be, of such severity and effective-

ness as to force a change in policy on the

Chinese. They could sit things out indefinitely.

Te cannot. We cannot reasonably ask our Hission

to put up indefinitely with their present trials.

ne of the wives has already had a severe

breakdown and been refused an exit permit.

-

Koreover, as long as this issue persists, we

cannot hope to progress towards more normal

dealings with the Chinese on e.g. trade. I

think, therefore, that we should now make some

relaxation of our restrictions unilaterally.

Now would seem a good time for an attempt towards

a mutual diamantling of restrictions:

"moderates" seem to be gaining control in Peking,

and would presumably welcome some show of a

the

return to normality in time for the Canton Trade

новый трект

November. Fair

15

4. Te must olearly retain the requirement for

exit permits. We could, however, relax the

travel restrictions either;

(a) by returning to our pre-August 35-mile

travel limit; or

(b) by imposing a 12-mile limit, this

being the pre-August limit for our

Kission in Feking.

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/Course (b)

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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2

-

Course (b) Guld give us the satisfaction of

insisting on exact reciprocity. But Ir. Hopson

has pressed strongly for course (a), arguing

that, since course (b) would not represent a

full return to the status quo, it would be

unlikely to elicit full respnse from the

Chinese. Albeit reluctantly, I have come to

the conclusion that this is correct. I we

were to relax the travel restrictions, we would

also dispenso with the police surveillance.}

5. A unilateral relaxation would of course

be an act of faith as we cannot be sure that

it would produce results from the Chinese side.

But standing pat will not produce results

either; and I think our action would he

defensible both in Farliament and elsewhere

if we made it clear that if there was no respons

from Paking or more trouble there, we should

again impose the restrictions. We might also

say that our best hope of settling other out-

standing issues with the Chinese, e.g. the

detention of the Reuters correspondent, lay in

the general improvement of atmosphere which a

mutual relaxation of restrictions might bring

about.

6. If you agree,

propose to put these

views orally to my colleagues in Cabinet en

9 November.

7. The Hore Secretary has already drawn to

my attention the burden which surveillance of

the Chinese is placing on the Metropolitan

Police Force and expressed the hope that there

will he some early relief from the strain.

CONFIDENTIAL

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