fco-40-45-kowloon-disturbances — Page 6

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Mr. de la Mare

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Mr. Foggon

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Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

B HWB

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

(Date) PRIORITY MARKINGS

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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15.5.67

18202

B

28

NIPS

Belling & Spore.

15.5' 67. 18402

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Flash

Secret

stricted

Prlocky Rama

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PRIVACY MARKING

Ta Confidence

En Clay.

Under

Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

Governor Hong

No. 91 ong

(Date)

And to:-

"Security classification"

[Secur

[ Privacy marking ]

any

[Codeword-if any]

Addressed to

telegram No..

And to.

RECEIV 1 6 MAY 1967-

In Tel

SECRET

Governor of Hong Kong

917 (date)...

repeated for information to

Kjo pappa

4.

(Immediate)

-----

......

p

HK 380

-------

L ----

--

Peking, and Polad Singapore Pricity

DAVALARMvkokukkunum AAAHANMANNEDYDATATAN SENTENTIAEIST

Saving to........

----------------------------kirkkok Medline 144 Peppa ATATATATAT

Repeat to:- Peking

Polad Singapore

Saving to:--

235

Distribution:-

H.K. W.I.D.

I.G.D.

J.I.C. External

Distribution

27

Your tel. No. 607

Kowloon Disturbances.

There are three alternatives:-

(a) Postponement for 48 hours;

(b) To start the trial as planned but

to seek an adjournment, perhaps

on grounds further evidence is

required, and to reoffer bail;

(c) To let the law take its course.

2. Our objection to (a) is that the Chinese will

take this as a sign of weakness and increase their

pressure and demands against us.

Departmental Dint 3. Copies to: - PK Weft 1030 ДК

Cabinet Office

D.I.O.(J.I.R. Mr. de la Mare Mr. Bolland Mr. Denson Mr. Wilson

Fagan

Our objection to (b) is that, unless there are

credible grounds for an adjournment, this also would

look like a sign of weakness.

14.

4

4.

We therefore conclude that, unless you see

objection, you should proceed as at (c). In

view of Peking statement this may appear provocative both there and in
Hong Kong and may lead to serious escalation. We must, however, expect
increasing pressure anyway and we think that this will be

less rather than greater if we do not appear to be backing
down immediately but take the position

that the law of the Colony must be upheld.

Could you draw public attention to

F ૩

paragraphs7 of your telegram 591 and publicly

offer services of your Labour Commissioner to

management and trade unions to discuss industrial

1575-

relations in the firm which were, though perhaps now lost sight of, the
original cause of the dispute. This follows up proposals in paragraph 4
of our

we are admitical..
telegram 910. The chances are slight but unless it would do harm it
would seem worth trying.

Combined with going ahead with trial and for the I (bufer M... F.
Takyon) time being ignoring M.F.A. statement it would not

ith

seem to suggest any weakening of our position.

(Passed to ASAO for Transmission

to Peking and PoLAD Fingapore

Į

(8430) Dd.033245 600m 9/66 G.W.B.Ltd. Gp.863

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

SECRET

OUTWARD TELEGRAM

FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)

TO HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)

Cypher

HWB

Sent 15th May, 1967.

1 820Z

FLASH SECRET No. 917

Draft Below

Addressed to Governor Hong Kong

Repeated for information IMMEDIATE to Peking

11

11

11

PRIORITY

28

POLAD Singapore.

2.

(27)

(a)

(b)

Your telegram No. 607.

Kowloon Disturbances.

There are three alternatives:-

Postponement for 48 hours;

to start the trial as planned but to seek an adjournment, perhaps on
grounds

further evidence is required, and to re-offer bail;

(c) to let the law take its course.

Our objection to (a) is that the Chinese will take this as a sign
of weakness and 'increase their pressure and demands against us.

3.

Our objection to (b) is that, unless there are credible grounds for an
adjournment, this also would look like a sign of weakness.

ㄩ。

We therefore conclude that, unless you see

objection, you should proceed as at (c). In view of Peking statement
this may appear provocative both there and in

We must,
however, Hong Kong and may lead to serious escalation. expect increasing
pressure anyway and we think that this will be less rather than greater
if we do not appear to be backing down immediately but take the position
that the law of the Colony must be upheld.

(Passed to D.S.A.0. for transmission to

Peking and POLAD Singapore)

Distribution H.K. .I.D. 'C'

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LJST

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Reply urgently required

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File No. Hv 3

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Repeated

No.

Mr.

Mr..

W. Carlin

Mr......

Mr........

Sir......

Permt. U.S. of S.

Parly. U.S. of S.

Minister of State

Secretary of State

ENCLOSURES

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16 MAY 1967,

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On...

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SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

235

DISTRIBUTION AND FURTHER ACTION

As for

freceding tel

lik.w...D.C`

My immediately & receding telegram

Kowloon Disturbances.

To

comade with trial

Cand

to it)

of that

Cetve

could

as counter-publiciting

you draw pubha attention

to paragraphs 7 and f

telegram 591

of your

and publicity 'ffer

services of your Labour Commmioner trade unions to

1.G.D.V

J.1.C. External Dust

Departmental Dist

WR 10:30

Les

to management and

Cabinet Office -D.10.J.ER.

FO. Mr de la Marer

Mr. Bolland

-

PRINT

ville. Denson My Wilson

(Delete whichever NO PRINTING Is Imappicable)

discuss industrial relations in the

firm which were, though perhaps how Lost sight of

the original cause of the

Pile

Referencea

dispete. This follows up proposals

in paragraph 4 of

No 910.

telegram O

The chances of any

useful outcome are

admittedly

slight but unless it would do

harm it

it warmped

Skinn

worth

trynig. Combined with

ahead with trial and for the time being ignoring Mack Teking statement
(but see my

minechately following Felegram), at would not seem to suggest

any

weakening of our position.

Эбро

(Pussed to

and PORAD

Enginpore)

for Pating

15/5

"Q1543) +9176/6177 2MP 2/61 AT65. 769

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

HWD / 12

SECRET

OUTWARD TELEGRAM

FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)

TO HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)

Cypher

FLASH SECRET No. 918

Sent 15th May, 1967.

HWB

1830Z

Addressed to Governor Hong Kong Repeated IMMEDIATE to (1) Peking

PRIORITY 2) POLAD Singapore.

12

29,

My immediately preceding telegram.

Kowloon Disturbances.

To coincide with trial (and perhaps serve as counter-publicity to it)
could you draw public attention to paragraphs 7 and 8 of your telegram
No. 591 and publicly offer services of your Labour Commissioner to
management and trade unions to discuss industrial relations in the firm
which were, though perhaps now lost sight of, the original cause of the
dispute. This follows up proposals in paragraph 4 of our telegram No.
910. The chances of any (21 useful outcome are admittedly slight but
unless it would do harm it would seen worth trying. Combined with going
ahead with trial and for the time being ignoring Peking statement (but
see my immediately following telegram), it would not seem to suggest any
weakening of our position.

(Passed to D.S.A.0. for Peking and POLAD Singapore)

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SECRET

En Clair

FLASH PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Telno. 478 15 Kay 1967

UNCLASSIFIED

до

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 478 of 15 May Repeated for
information Flash Hongkong, Immediate POLAD Singapore and Washington.

Kowloon Disturbances.

Vice-Minister Lo Kuci-po

summoned me early this morning

and handed me a copy of Chinese Foreign Kinistry statement which is
being published.

Following is final paragraph:

all

fr

'The Chinese Government hereby solemnly declares, the Chinese Government
and the 700,000,000 Chinese people firmly support their compatriots in
Hong kong in their heroic and just struggle and resolutely stand behind
them as their powerful backing. The Chinese Government demands in all
seriousness that the British Government instruct the British authorities
in Hong Kong as follows. Immediately sccept all the just demands put
forward by Chinese workers and residents in Hong Kong. Immediately stop
all Fascist measures. Immediately set

person includi free the renter, rer som drstne de porkersesponsible for
these sanguinary atrocities, offer apologies to the victims and
compensate for all their losses, and, guarantee against the occurrence
of similar incidents. The British Government and the British authorities
in Hong kong must immediately and unconditionally accept the above
mentioned solemn and just demands of the Chinese Government. The Chinese
Government and people are determined to carry the struggle through to
the end. Should the British Government. and the British authorities in
Hong Kong cling to their perverse course, they must be held responsible
for all the grave consequences arising therefrom."

Mr. Hopson

FO/CO/WH/DISTRIBUTION

Sent 01002/15 May Received 02432/15 May

ADVANCE COPIES SENT

F.E.D.

LAST

27

PPPPP

вать

Ꭵ! .

9/

En Clair

IMMEDIATE

PEKING

ΤΟ

FOREIGN OFFICE

nevo 479

"INCLASSIFIED

15 May, 1967

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 479 of 15 May, Repeated for
information Immediate Hong Kong, Priority POLAD Singapore and
Washington.

(30)

My telegram No. 478.

31

First part of Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement as follows:

2. "On the afternoon or 6 May 1967, Chinese workers of the Hong Kong
Sanpokong Artificial Plastic Flower Works launched a struggle against
intensified capitalist exploitation. To shield capital

and suppres labour, the British Authorities in Hong Kong brazenly turned
out on the same day more than two hundred armed policemen and "riot
police", sanguin rily suppressing the workers of the factory and other
Chinese residents, beating and wounding many of them and arresting
twentyone persons, afterwards, they also arrested the President of the
Federation of the Rubber and Plastic Trade Unions and Workers'
Representatives, who went to a Hong Kong police station to protest. On
the afternoon of the 11th, the British Authorities in Hong Kong carried
out another sanguinary suppression on an even bigger scale by turning
loose on the bare handed workers, representatives of various circles and
young students large numbers of armed troops, policemen and "riot
Police" totalling more than 1,000, who repeatedly attacked them with
clubs, riot guns and tear bombs and even turning out military vehicles
and helicopters.

On the

Many persons (including newsmen, cameramen and journalists) were
arrested. After the 12th the British Authorities in Hong Kong had
continued large scale arrests of the demonstrating masses. By the
morning of the 14th, more than 400 have been arrested. At present, the
situation is still being aggravated. It must be pointed out that these
large scale sanguinary atrocities perpetrated by the British Authorities
in Hong Kong are the result of long premeditation and are a component
part of the British Government's scheme of collusion with United States
imperialism against China. one hand, in coordination with the United
States imperialist war escalation in Viet Nam, the British Government is
continuing to [corrupt word the United States with Hong Kong as a base
for aggression against Viet lam in disregard of the repeated solemn
warnings of the Chinese Government and on the other, it is steadily
stepping up various hostile measures against China in Hong Kong.
Particularly since the unfolding of the great proletarian cultural
revolution in China. The British Authorities in Hong Kong have carried
out repeated military and police manoeuvres hostile to Chins and aimed
at the sanguinary suppression of Chinese residents in Hong Kong, vainly
attempting to exclude the great influence of China's great proletarian
cultural revolution by high handed tactics. persecution of Chinese
residents and workers by the British Authorities in Hong Kong by making
use of the labour capital dispute of the Artificial Plastic Flower Works
is big explosive of this criminal plan of sanguinary suppression. Their
Fascist atrocities have aroused boundless indignotion among the Chinese
residents in Hong Kong and the entire Chinese people, The-Chinese
Government hereby

/lodges

The

LAST

RIF

30

92957

I

Peking telegram No. 479 to Foreign Office

2

-

lodges the most urgent and strongest protest with the British Government
against these atrocities. The sanguinary atrocitie wholly perpetrated by
the British Authorities in Hong Kong show th they mortally fear and
bitterly hate China's great proletarian cultural revolution. This great
revolutionary movement which is without parallel in history has dealt a
telling blow to imperialism modern revisionism and world reaction,
completely shattered their dream of counter-revolutionary capitalist
restoration in China and greatly encouraged and impelled the liberation
struggles of the oppressed peopes and oppressed nations of the whole
world. In particular, this great revolutionary movement has caused our
Chinese co-patriots in Hong Kong to love still more ardently the thought
of Mao Tse-Tung, and they are vigorously unfolding the movement of
creative study and application of Chairman Mao's works.

Armed with

the ever victorious thought of Mao Tse-Tung, the masses of our patriotic
compatriots are more militant than ever in fighting imperialism
Frightened out of their wits by this, the British Authorities in Hong
Kong vainly attempted by violent suppression to restrict the influence
of Mao Tse-Tung's thought and to maintain their control, and thus
committed the barbarous Fascist atrocities. The Chinese Government must
sternly warn the British Government that in so doing you have completely
miscalculated and misjudged your opponent. Succeeding to the glorious
tradition of anti imperialist struggle of over a century, the Chinese
workers and residents in Hong Kong armed with lao Tse-Tung's thought are
neither to be cowed nor crushed. Holding high the great Red Banner of
Mao Tse-Tung's thought, they are resolved |?word omitted] no sacrifice
and are surmounting every difficulty to win victory in this struggle
against the atrocities committed by the British Authorities in Hong
Kong.

Heroic, staunch and unyielding, they have greatly developed the
glorious anti imperialist and patriotic tradition and are indeed fine
sons and daughters of the Chinese Nation. The British Authorities in
Hong Kong are blustering and baring their fangs, but as Chairman Mao,
the great leader of the Chinese people, has pointed out, "in the final
analysis, their persecution of the revolutionary people only serves to
accelerate the people's revolutions on a broader and more intense
scale". In sanguinary suppressing Chinese residents, the British
Authorities in Hong Kong can only end up like one "lifting a rock only
to drop it on one's own feet","

Mr. Hopson

Sent 0210 15 May

Recd 05452 15 May

FO/CO/WH DISTRIBUTION

NNNNN

F.E.D.

ADVANCE COPIES SENT

CONFIDENTIAL

Cypher/Cat.A

COMMON

FLASH PEKING ΤΟ

FOREIGN OFFICE

Jelno. 480

15 May 1967

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63

15 MAY 190/

32

HAP IN 7

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 480 of 15 May. Ropeated for
information to Hong Kong, Singapore and Washington.

My immediately preceding telegrams.

We must conclude from the Chinese Government statement that. they have
decided to risk a direct confrontation with us on Hong Kong. The fact
that they took a relatively long time to reach this decision and then
published it in the form of a statement instead of a diplomatic Note may
indicate that this decision was

reached with some reluctance.

2. On the other hand the Foreign Ministry official who was assisting the
Vice-Minister at our interview, when I suggested that a deterioration of
the situation in Hong Kong would be bad both for British and Chinese

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