FCO 21/875 Release of communist prisoners convicted for offences during confrontations

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FILE NO FEH

14/1

TITLE: RELEASE OF PRISONERS

(Part A)

CONVICTED FOR OFFENCES

I'L

DURING CONFRONTATION WITH COMMUNISTS 1967/68

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FCO 21/875

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Prisoners

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DRO.

(Part A ) Convicted for Offences

1967/68

Confrontation with. Community

REFER TO

TO SEE:

NAME

DATE

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NAME

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fand dept. when necessary) SEE:

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YEAR STAMP

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ካ

горо

Mr Wilford

Mr Logan

CONFIDENTIAL

M. Morgan 2498

ÅR

enteron fire.

SMA

REACTION IN HONG KONG TO THE RELEASE OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

1. Mr Royle enquired about the reaction in Hong Kong

to recent releases of confrontation prisoners.

A summary of press reactions to the release of 24

prisoners in February is contained in Hong Kong telegram

No. 156. In short, press coverage was restrained although

communist newspapers in the Colony made predictable demands

for the release of the remaining prisoners. Reactions

from the general public were equally muted (Mr Maddock's

letter of 29 March and enclosure). Such comment as there

was indicated that the releases were generally welcomed as

part of the process of détente. Misgivings were expressed

in some quarters that they indicated a willingness to bow to

Chinese pressure, but apart from this, there appears to

have been no significant public criticism.

The Hong Kong Prison Board of Review met on 18 March

to review the sentences for 11 further confrontation

prisoners. The meeting had an easy passage and reductions

in the sentences of 8 prisoners were accepted (Hong Kong

C (63) telegram No. 198). The first two prisoners were released

on 27 March and a third on 15 April. The remainder will be

released between the end of April and the end of May. The

Political Adviser has undertaken to let us have a report

น

- 1 -

CONFIDENTIAL

on the reactions in Hong Kong to this batch of releases.

3. The Board of Review will meet again in June to consider

the case of another 13 prisoners. Mr Maddocks has warned

us that this meeting may not be so readily agreeable to

further releases as that which met in March.

19 April 1971

SALMagan

JA L Morgan

༢༥

Far Eastern Department

Perhaps the Minister would

have a falka

Copy to:

Mr Laird Hong Kong Department

Like I have

falk about where

-go firm here. The verboject will

probably come up when waspecte

the Sofs

статорксова

21 April

2 -

CONFIDENTIAL

The

HOUSE

COMMONS

From: Miss Mary Holt M.P.

utary of

HKD).

8th April 1971;

✓ (79

bas rot reen

Hi. Rayle

Гон

Dear Sir Alec,

I enclose a letter from

one of the residents of Preston complaining about the release of Communist prisoners found guilty or bomb outrages in 1967.

May I add my complaints to

hers. If the rule of law and order is to operate fairly and justly fo reign and trade policy ought not to interfere with judicial sentences. In the circumstances I deplore the deci sion which has been tak en.

Yours sincerely,

Juni

Many

Mary Holt

The Right Hon. Sir Alec Louglas-Home M.P., Secretary of State for Foreign &

Commonwealth Affairs,

House of Commons,

London S.W.1.

нас

128 Luskech R

Ashton on Kibble..

6.4.71

Just a line the

Dean luis Holk,

drow your ・enclosed.

Vattention to Kei

Gwas

Quite honestly

I was horrificil when Lakad

have always looked upon

Conservatives as

as at least the luost Alristian panty. But, don't you

thinky kiss is going give the ok. Its go ahead

om Comms & fellow torielles with their refarious plans)

Even from

a material point of view it is shocking:

now

Secondly, I notice that the

heing gradually Grammar schools and quads ebralete. One of the planques of the Government was he Connoriation of our good Schools. In Aston- where we live no child is

to ait for a face Which I think is most conjust. I Grammar Raoul If poor people have sleves children he only way for them

allowed

Scholeiship to

to have

Welly

education is to either lay school fees or imcove out to the Counter

I will await

(Miss) An

with interest

yond

bey Youd

illary Skilgree.

THE SUNDAY EXPRESS March 28 1971

Ennipuire and OREIGN Hesk

HONGKONG ROW OVER DECISION

TO FREE REDS

ANGER is mounting over the decision, ol the Hongkong Government to free eight more Com- minist prisoners jailed for bomb oul Jages and olher offences in the 1967 riods.

The latest release-25 Reds

freed last were February-1s believed to be due to intense pressure by the British Govern- ment, which wants to

Sunday Express Reporter

HONGKONG

fuake a good will gesture to China..

Three of the eight prisoners were released im- The other five mediately will be freed by the end of May.

The more contes ilmast nu the eye of the Canton Trade Pair at winch Britain hopes to seal important trude déala with China. And Il comes only. a few days after Mr. Edward Heath spoke in near-glowing terms about the Chineis, to a German newspaper Die WEL

Mr. Heath is reported to have

Jakt Britain BOUL. CHas In The United Nations, 16 at mentioned 14 Botana ti me had developeu med vila China.

Among the esht ate polegasu hard-une Reda serving J refus di hezkeen amcn and H4 years. "The last 'was not due fa

releuse until 1977.

One la reported zo de Culati Shu-Man, sentenced to 14 venta for a bomh mitmer sch ch children. Three

T11 1907 TIOGA mund dentis.

Nomb attaci

Only hours releases

were

*.**

i Betish hero of the 1967 e

turoaness had ha right an blown off in 7 ACT DE outrage. He is Buprintenanc Norman Hill MBE, A456 Į chief ballaties officer of the | Hongkong PO"C".

A bomb would in bo Ba paper 1213 found Lo central Gorezima! While Hill, wie u due to retire soon, fun facing K there was an "Aplonon. Bà 12 senously in

The autmen han spark d ↑ fears of another "Lef -wag terror campo.jn.

FEAT.

CONFIDENTIAL

exth Tha

Office of the British Chargé d'Affaires

PEKING

13.4

26 March 1971

You vill wish to be aware that, as a result of further meeting of the irison Board of Xeview in llong Konɛ, a muber of reductions in the sentences of Chinese prisoners sentenced in 1967 have been made a

The remalt

of these decisions will be that two prisoners vill be released on 27 March, one of whom would have otherwise have been released not before 16 July 1974, and the other not before 15 March 1973. One further prizŭner will be released on 15 \pril, whose earliest relevso date would naye been 15 April 1977. The three remaining ferale prisoners will be released on 28 April. Their earliest release dates would have been one on 28 'ugust 1972, and

28 ugust 1972. two on 28 April 1973, One furkher prisoner will be released on 16 Hay, whose earliest zelenre doba wuld have been 16 Jarmary 1974, and one will be releksed on May, whose earliest release date would have been Leptember 1972, The process of review of sentences by the Frison Beard of Review will contimne, as will normal releures.

I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes.

"ang Ani-kuuang

Deputy Dirsatar

Atropean and American Department Ministry of Foreign ffai-s

People'ʼn Republic of China

cc JAL Morgan Esq FED, FCO

AP Maddocks Esq. HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

JB DemgoR

ховики

CONFIDENTIAL

5. H. A's assessment of public reaction

to the release of 24 confrontation

prisoners at the end of February, 1971.

(?)

There was little spontaneous comment, but what there was indicated for the most part that the development was welcomed as "part of a process of détente. We then made discreet enquiries

over a wide area. The results indicated no widespread interest but from the response of an educated or thinking minority who had studied press coverage and comment the following points emerged :-

(a) It is widely assumed that these are "political prisoners"

(b)

(c)

and different in some way from ordinary criminals. From this assumption some have drawn the conclusion that they should be more leniently treated and some the opposite conclusion.

The absence of Communist welcoming ceremonies has been noted and welcomed as indicating that the Communists have sought to make only limited propaganda capital from the releases.

In the case of more organized opinion, notably in the many associations (Kaifongs and the like) which came out strongly in support of the Hong Kong Government in 1967, misgivings have been expressed on the grounds that the release of such a large number of prisoners reflects a willingness on the part of H.M.G. in the United Kingdom to yield to Chinese pressure.

Secretariat for Home Affairs,

19th March, 1971.

CONFIDENTIAL]

•

C.S. 41A

2600077

10,000-6/70-874525

REF.SCR 7/3371/68 II

J AL Morgan Esq

FED

F CO

CONFIDENTIAL

cc Mh

Mh Wilfand

LONDON S W 1

し

Ah Land

Encer UM

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HON HONE

29 March, 1971.

Dear John

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

FEA

In our telegram No.156 to F.C.0. of 8 March we promised to send you an assessment of reactions other than press reactions to the releases of prisoners which took place at the end of February. I now enclose a copy of an assessment made by the Secretariat for Home Affairs on 18 March.

VIL

The release of 24 prisoners at the end of February caused little immediate comment but we cannot be sure that ve vill get away so easily with releases in future: and it is of course the long t

ich have most concerned us. A major point in our Favour was the fact that the releases were based upon recommendations made by the Board of Review. Releases outside the Board of Review procedure would be likely to arouse more opposition in Hong Kong. There is also the possibility that even releases through the Board of Review procedure might provoke more criticism than did these if the idea became current that we were embarking upon a regular series of releases leading to the very early release of them all.

We vill let you know about the reactions to the releases vhich were announced on 27 March.

Copied (with encl.) to:

J.B. Denson Esq, OBE Peking.

You

ever

Huthwa

(A.F. Maddocks)

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER CAT A

F: PEKING 310355Z

CONFIDENTIAL

FEA

TOP COPY

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 297 OF 31 HARCH INFO HONG KONG

MY TELNO 269: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

1. AT DINNER LAST NIGHT CHANG WEN-CHIN SAID THAT THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD NOTED THE COMMUNICATION I HAD SENT TO

T'ANG ABOUT RELEASES OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS. THEY WELCOMED

THIS FURTHER GESTURE GUT AS THE PREMIER HAD TOLD ME THEY

HOPED THAT ALL PRISONERS COULD SOON BE RELEASED. I REPLIED

THAT THE REVIEW PROCEDURE WOULD CONTINUE BUT I COULD GIVE

NO FORECASTS OR GUARANTEES ABOUT FURTHER RELEASES.

ра

CHANG ALSO REFERRED TO MY REQUEST TO CHOU FOR INFORMATION

ABOUT THE FOUR BRITISH SUBJECTS STILL DETAINED. HE SAID THAT

THIS HAD BEEN TRANSMITTED TO THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND

WHEN THERE WAS ANY INFORMATION WE WOULD BE INFORMED.

DENSON

PILES

FED

HKD

CONS DEPT

PS/MR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON

MR VILFORD

SIR L MONSON

CONFIDENTIAL

Passa taler

H.K..

to cover the sið undress (or address panel) and the date stamp when

sealing sa anvelope with this Labal.

Sit here

ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE

----

HONG KONG DEPT.,

ROOM NO.

272, Mr Lay Evy; set

Mr Affliger

KING CHARLES

Press Cuttings.

Code 7,29,

H tatt

271.

ig 7.

xiety at first before iring the day, and the street w taking no ith

any thing which tely like an explosiva Hongkong has been the weekend's bomb e anti-communist press the blame on

on local he Government is

as the rest of the it indirectly exonerated unists from suspicion with a strement that: "On avail- able evidence, no known group or organization" was developing a terrorist campaign.

Лежај Бит

ated yesterday by anouer vaina ties officer; but of the subjects of six alarms today five proved com- pletely harmless

The three stock markets showed

Frat 14/1

peri

Cutting dated

THE TIMES

.3.0.MAR 1971

----------|--------------

False bomb alarms set puzzle in Hongkong 7

From Lco Goodstadt Hongkong, March 29

Hongkong seacled nervously today after yesterday's newspapers were filled with dramatic pictures of Mr. Norman Hill; the British police ballistics expert,

expert, whose whose night hand was blown off by a bomb

Saturday explosion night. Since then the public has reported a total of seven suspected bombs.

One genuine bomb was deton- aled yesterday by another ballis- ties officer; but of the subjects of ax alarms today five proved com- pletely harmless

The three stock markets showed

signs of anxiety at first before steadying during the day, and the man in the street was taking no chances with

with anything which looked remotely like an explosive Hongkong has been device, baffled by the weekend's bomb incident. The anti-communist press local has put the blame on "reds". The Government is as mystified as the rest of the Colony, but indirectly exonerated the communists from suspicion with a statement that: "On avail. able evidence, no known group of organization was developing a terrorist campaign.

Frat 14/1

peri

!4k

FINANCIAL TIMES

cutting dated 30 MAR 19.71.... 19

Communists 'not behind

Hong Kong bomb attack

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

A WAVE of jittery selling brought prices down on Hong Kong's three stock exchanges to- day as Investors reacted sharply to a rash of bomb scares which were all too reminiscent of the Communist violence of 1967. Massive trading resulted in beavy turnover figures, and prices fell across the board, even the best known shares being

affected.

Eight more bombs or sus sus picious objects were reported to-day of which two at least were genuine. The only casualty so far has been police ballisties officer Normal Hill whose right band was blown off last Saturday evening wille he was attempting to disarm a bomb planted near the central Government offices. "Bomber" Bill was awarded the MBE for bis bravery in rendet ing dozens of bombs harmless during the riots of 1967.

Government sources deprecata | the panic selling on the ex- changes, arguing that the bombs

are not likely to prove the work of the Communists, since vio lenge is completely at variance with Peking's current policies in Hong Kong and elsewhere. Posters hung up near where bombs were found have called for Chinese to be made the off fiel language of Hong Kong, "A issue which the local Communist Press has completely ignored. The Hong Kong Government, by implication, exonerated Pcking's local representatives to-day with a statement that the bombs were not connected with any known organisation.

Officials believe that the oul-j rages were deliberately timed to coincide with the early release of seren

HONG KONG, March 29.

the work of the agents of Tal- wan's ruling Kuomintang. A few weeks ago a self-confessed Taiwan agent was convicted and Imprisoned for keeping a large cache of arms and explosives in a crowded residential building-- in preparation for guerilla raide across the border Into China.

Other theories bold that the

Imore

are:

bombs were planted by radical members of Hong Kong's "new left" students some of whom

• group of workers and

known to be in favour of the revolutionary methods pioneered on American and Euro- pean campuses and who have, heavily stressed the language; Imprisoned in issue. Other theories are that the connection with the 1967 disturb bombs are the work of a splinter: ances. which

Sentences of the group, group of " renegade reds "-1 included three bomb || leftists planters, had been reduced by a China's new moderate foreign!

who bitterly resent special review bourd. It is policies and who fear they may thought likely that the recent be made scapegoats for the scares represent

clumsy excesses of Nong Kong's attempt to incriminate the experience of the eultural Communists and could thus be revolution.

ра

حکم

SUNDAY EXPRESS

28 MAR 1971

Hong Kong row over decision 3 to free Reds

HONG KONG: Anger is mounting over the decl- sion of the Hong Kong Government to free cight more Communist prisoners jalled for bomb outrages and

and other offences in the 1967 rlots.

The latest release 25 Reds were freed last Febru-

ry- believed to be due to intense pressure by the British Government, which wants to make a goodwill gesture to China,

It comes almost on the ere

Sunday Express Reporter

of the Canton Trade Pair at which Britain hopes to seal important trade deals with Chinu. And it coines only a few days after Mr. Edward Heath spoke in pear-glowing terms about the Chinese to a German newspaper, De Well

Mr. Heath in rrugrted to have said Britain wants China in the United Nations and believes the Chinese prople should be incorporated in an in- creasing measure in the inter_ pational community.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that Britain's trade

had China.

developed well

with

Three of the eight prisoners were released immediately. The other fee will be freed by the end of May.

Among the elekt notorious hard-line Reta serving jaɑl lerms of between seven and 14 years. The last was not due for release untli 10977.

One is reported to be Chan Bha Jan, sentenced to 14 years for a bomb outrage Which killed two chlidren. Three are women,

The 1967 riots caused 52 deaths.

Only hours after the releases were announced, a British here of the 1967 disturbances had his right arm blown off in new bomb outrage. He 15 Super niendent Norman HEL MBE, aged 54, chief ballisles offer of the Hong Kong police and due to retire this year.

A bomb wrapped, brown paper

found in the central hovernment

While Hill was Inspecting it

there was an explosion. He is seriously til The outrage has sparked off tears of shother Jeft-wing terror campaign.

ра

H.K..

Plasus tajều care to cover the old védres (or address panel) and the date stamp when sealing an anvelope with this Label.

$lic ba

ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE

HONG KONG DEPT.,

ROOM NO.

M. Saminara

271,

KING CHARLES S 7.

1971

JLL-

Press Cuttings.

Code 7.29.

: his

min dis-

----ng & package found outside the central Government offices when it exploded, tearing away most of his hand.

He was taken to hospital where his arm had to be amputated Fin. below the elbow, but he was reported to be in no danger. Mr. Hill bas served as ballistics expert with the Hongkong police force since 1954. He was appointed M.BE in 1968 after dismantling many explosive devices.

He was called out last night to inspect a small package wrapped in white cloth discovered by a watchman. A Chinese poster near by, similar to those accompanying bombings during the 1967 riots, carried the warning: * Comps- triots keep clear".

НК

CHK

THE TIMES

Cutting dated

29 MAR 1971

riwarudiaHRRY---------

Hongkong bomb tears off policeman's hand

From Leo Goodstadt Hongkong, March 28

A British police officer lost his right hand in a bomb explosion in Hongkong last night. Mr. Norman Hill, from Birmingham, was dis- mantling a package found outside the central Government offices when it exploded, tearing away most of his hand.

He was taken to hospital where his arm bad to be amputated 7in. below the elbow, but he was reported to be in no danger. Mr. Hill has served as ballistics expert with the Hongkong police force since 1954. He was appointed M.B.E. in 1968 after dismantling many explosive devices.

EN CLAIR

F PNG KONG 32034. Z

UNCLASSIFIED

FECA

TOP COPY

TO ROUTINE F.C.0. TELEGRAM NUMBER 214 INFO PEKING.

[73

MY TELEGRAM NO. 213.

ри pon.

CLE

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ARTICLE, BEGINS:

"LONDON FRESSES HONG KONG GOVERNMENT O RELEASE REDS.

THE LATEST REDUCTION OF JAIL SENTENCES OF COMMUNIST TERRORISTS

WAS RELUCTANTLY AG FEED TO BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

AFTER ''CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE** HAD BEEN APPLIED BY LONDON.

A TOP GOVERNMENT SCURCE REVEALED THIS YESTERDAY AFTER THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID TRENCH, REDUCED THE JAIL TERMS OF EIGHT REDS AND A FORGER. THE SOURCE, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED, SAID THE BRITISH GOVERNVENT HAD PRESSED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE CONVICTED COMMUNISTS IN THE

INTERESTS OF IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH CHINA

THE GOVERNTENT ACCOUNCED THE REDUCTION OF SENTENCES AFTER THE FORGER

AID TWO REDS YERE RELEASED FROM STANLEY PRISON, DRIVEN TO VICTORIA REMAND CENTRE IN CENTRAL AND FREED.

THE OTHER SIX COMMUNISTS WILL BE FREED AT THE END OF THE MONTH. THE RELIABLE SOURCE SAID THE FOREIGN AND COLONIAL OFFICE HAD ASKED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE PRISONERS. IT WAS NOT KNOWN IF

THE CONVICTS WERE SPECIFICALLY NAMED OR IF THE RECUEST WAS MADE

IN GENERAL FORM.

SIR DAVID'S DECISION FOLLOWED RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE PRISON BLARD OF REVIEW, WHICH STUDIES INDIVIDUAL CASES AND MAKES REPORTS W WHETHER THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR REDUCTION OF SENTENCES.

ONCE AGAIN, THEY FOUND THERE WERE GROUNDS FOR RELEASING RED TERRORISTS - AND SIR DAVID GAVE HIS CONSENT.

THE CRIMINALS WERE SERVING JAIL TERMS RANGING FROM SEVEN TO

14 YEARS.

MOST WERE JAILED FOR BOMB CFFENCES OR OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES.

THREE VERE WOMEN'* ENDS.

/2. FOLLOWING IS

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF EDITORIAL. BEGINS.

** FREEING THE RED TEPRORISTS.

THE DECISION TO CUT THE JAIL TERMS IMPOSED GI: RED TERRORISTS DURING THE 1967 DISTURBANCES IS ONE WHICH MAY ATTRACT STRONG OPOSITION.

THE MEN AND WOMEN, DEDICATED TO THE OVERTHROW OF HONG KONG AUTHORITY BY FORCE, ARE NOW BEING FREED BEFORE THEY HAVE SERVED THE SENTENCES HANDET DOWN BY IMPARTIAL BRITISH COURTS.

THIS IS NO WAY TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT THEY VILL EE FACTECTED AGAINST CUTSIDE FORCES WHICH THREATEN THEIR WAY OF LIFE.

THESE REVOLUTIONARIES WERE SENTENCED TO LONG JAIL TERMS NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE VIOLENT CRIMINALS.

NOBOTY WILL BUY THE GOVERNMENT EXPLANATION THAT THESE MEN ARE TREATED LIKE OTHER CRIMINALS. IT IS OBVICUS THEY ARE NOT. IT IS CRVIGUS THEY ARE GETTING SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND THE IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA.

DO THEY DESERVE THESE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS?

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS BEING PRODDED TO RELEASE THESE TERRORISTS BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY LIES IN DOWNING STREET NOT IN ALBERT ROAD.

IT IS INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THE VIEWPOINT OF THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF HONG KONG WHO DEFIED THE RET, RIGTERS TO KEEP CUR SOCIETY FREE, AND HOW THEY WILL REGARD THE KID-GLOVE TREATMENT OF THESE MEN.

"ND THEIR OPINIONS ARE THE ONES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS BEING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OPINIONS OF THE MEN IN FEXING WHO MASTERMINDED THE UPHEAVAL AGAINST CUR GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES FIUR S-CRT YEARS GO''.

ENDS.

TRENCH

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

FED

HKD

PUSD

NEWS D

}

CYPHER CAT/A

FM HONG KONG 300345Z

SECRET

TOP ON

SECRET

Fax 14/

TO F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 213 OF 30 MARCH INFO PEKING.

MY TELEGRAM NO. 198 TO YOU: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

fre

MY TELEGRAM NO. 214 CONTAINS THE TEXT OF A REPORT WHICH APPEARED

IN THE HONG KONG STANDARD OF 28 MARCH WITHOUT A DATELINE OR A

SOURCE.

2. WE HAVE TRIED TO FIND OUT FROM THE STANDARD WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THIS REPORT BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO GIVE US ANY INFORMATION EXCEPT THAT THE 'TOP GOVERNMENT SCURCE' WAS '*OVER- SEAS''. THIS OF COURSE MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE: AND INDEED THE

AND STORY MAY HAVE BEEN FOUNDED ON SPECULATIONS ARISING FROM, FOLLOWING UP, SOMEWHAT SIMILAR STORIES PUBLISHED HERE EARLIER IN THE YEAR (MY TELEGRAM NO. 29 TO MONSCH REFERS).

3. MY TELEGRAM NO. 214 ALSO CARRIES THE TEXT OF THE LEADING ARTICLE IN THE SAME ISSUE OF THE STANDARD AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE DAMAGE TO CONFIDENCE IN HMG SUCH STORIES CAN DO. I SHALL BE REPORTING REACTIONS TO THE LATEST RELEASES MORE FULLY LATER, HOWEVER, AND AM CONCERNED HERE MORE WITH THE DISTURBING FACT THAT STORIES ON MATTERS AS DELICATE AS THIS CANNOT APPARENTLY BE AVOIDED.

4. I HAVE KEPT KNOWLEDGE OF THE TELEGRAMS EXCHANGED ON THIS SUBJECT TO A VERY SMALL (OFFICIAL) CIRCLE INDEED, BUT AM NEVERTHELESS EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY THAT A LEAK MAY HAVE CCCURRED IY HONG KONG. I SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ALSO MAKE ENQUIRIES AT YOUR END, PRINCIPALLY TO ENSURE THAT IF THERE HAVE BEEN BREACHES OF SECURITY THEY DO NOT CONTINUE TO OCCUR.

TRENCH

/REPEATED AS REQUESTED/

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HKD

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SECRET

PRIORISY

CONFIDENTIAL

FN PEKING 26082μZ

UNCLASS

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 275 OF 26 MARCH 1971 AND INFO TO

HONG KONG.

YOUR TEL NO 170.

ACTION TAK EN

DEN SON

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS]

DEFARADENTAL DISTRIBUZION

IR.

TED

HEND

FU.3D

CONFIDENCIAL

IMMEDIATE

AIR

FM F C O 2511127

UNCLASSIFIED

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

(FEDAHI

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 170 OF 25 MARCH INFO PRIORITY

HONG KONG.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 269. [CONFRONTATION PRISONERS/

WE AGREE.

DOUGLAS-HOME

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112

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

FEB

PRIORITY MARKINGS

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

(Date)

Despatched

Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(1)

117

➖➖➖ ➖➖ ➖➖-------

Irr?

HILL.' L.L ..

IMN FUNTE

TOPEX UNCLASSIFIED

25/1/22

--.

Secret

La pilule on Confluencial

251//22

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

Flash Immedines Priority Routine

[Security classification [Security_classification]

En Clair.

[

Privacy marking -if any

[Codeword-if any]

BE WRITTEN IN THIS M

Corte Cyphax-

Draft Telegram to:-

Xpering 140

(Date)

IIMINNIIWELERS

And to:-

Repeat to:-

Pronty to X Hangkang

NOTHING

25/7/0/0

25/3

Saving to:-

Distribution:--

25/11

Деривате

PED

HK Ogr

Sir L Monson Copies to:-

-PULD⋅

יו

Addressed to

Pering

telegram No.

(date).

2875

And to

Hong Kong (Priority)

repeated for information to

Saving to

-----

Your telegram No. 269. [confrontation Prienes]

We agree.

IMA 25/3

CS. KA

2600077

10,000-6/70-87495

CONFIDENTIAL

REF. SCR 7/3371/68 II

J AL Morgan Esq FED

F CO

Dear John.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

24 March, 1971.

Copy to her. Witterd

|MAZ"/

I hope our telegram No.198 of 19 March gave you a pleasant surprise. In our earlier telegram No.108 of 19 February ve said in paragraph 7 that the Board of Review would meet on 18 March to consider about eight more confrontation prisoners "but they are more difficult cases than this batch and I do not expect the Board to recommend reductions in sentence in more than a proportion of them". We also warned that even if sentences vere reduced it did not necessarily mean very early release. I therefore ove you some explanation of how it was that the Board's meeting on 18 March did lead to the release of eight in the very near future.

It turned out that the Board of Review on 18 March had 11 confrontation prisoners to consider, not eight, because three cases came up for review in the ordinary course of business. Two of them were the life sentence prisoners. The Attorney General thought it reasonable to convert the life sentences into specific sentences but he encountered very strong opposition from Mrs. Ellen LI who was not in favour of any such change or, if reluctantly persuaded to agree, would have insisted on very long terms (in the 20 or 30 year category rather than in the 12 or 15 years). The Attorney General therefore abandoned that argument and got the Board to agree that they might consider the question at a future meeting.

It then turned out that Mrs. Ellen LI had vented all her feelings on the question of the two life prisoners and vas feeling much more sympathetic to the reduction of sentences on the others, They all went through without much difficulty. vere as surprised as you no doubt were.

In our telegram No.198 of 19 March we have again varned that the next meeting of the Board of Reviev may not be so productive. Once again ve mean it. We shall be lucky indeed if there is another accident in our favour of the kind we enjoyed on 18 March. At present we expect 13 confrontation prisoners to be considered at the June meeting but there may be one or two more that come up then in the ordinary course of business.

I enclose copies of the list of names promised in para- graph 3 of our telegram No.198.

Copied to: J_B. Denson Esq OBE

penson

{Peking)

ever

your

Mother!

(A.F. Maddocks)

CONFIDENTIAL

good.

MW.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS FOR RELEASE FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S DECISIONS AFTER BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING ON 18th MARCH, 1971.

(Hong Kong telegram No.198 of 19 March 1971 to F.C.O. and No.200 of 23 March to F.C.0.

Previous earliest date of discharge

Present release date

Name

Prison No.

Sentence

(years)

CHOW Wing-cheong

28850

15.3.73

27.3.71

LEE Man-vai

28849

16.7.74

27.3.71

CHAN Shu-nan

30694

15.4.77

15.4.71

CHAN Yuen-yu

F 383

28.8.72

28.4.71

LI Kvai-fong

F 382

28.4.73

28.4.71

KWAN King

F 384

28.4.73

28.4.71

CHAN Kwong-yan

29737

16.1.74

16.5.71

TAM Wai-ming

30199

25.9.72

25.5.71

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS FOR RELEASE FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S DECISIONS AFTER BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING ON 18th MARCH

1971..

(Hong Kong telegram No.198 of 19 March 1971 to F.C.0. and No.200 of 23 March to F.0.0.

Previous earliest date of discharge

Present release date

Nane

Prison No.

Sentence

(years)

CHOW Wing-cheong

28850

15.3.73

27.3.71

LEE Man-vai

28849

16.7.74

27.3.71

CHAN Shu-nam

30694

15.4.77

15.4.71

CHAN Yuen-yu

F 383

28.8.72

28.4.71

LI Kwai-fong

P 382

28.4.73

28.4.71

KWAN King

F 384

28.4.73

28.4.71

CHAN Kwong-yan

29737

16.1.74

16.5.71

TAM Wai-ming

30199

25.9.72

25.5.71

IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

CYTHER CAT/A

F HƯNG KONG 267137

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMEDIATE F.C.0. TELEGRAM NUMBER 227 OF 26 MARCH INFO PEKING.

PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 219 TO YOU: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

I WOULD MUCH PREFER CHARGE TO WRITE AS HE PROPOSES.

TRENCH

FILES

FED

HONG KONG D PS

PS TO MR ROYLE

PS TO PUS

SIR S TOMLINSON

SIR L MONSON KR WILFÖRD

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

UND

[

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM PEXING 250400Z

CNFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FEA

144

TOP COPY

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 269 OF 25 MARCH INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

HONG KONG TELNO 200: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

1. FOR TACTICAL REASONS I HAD THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER

FOR THERE TO BE SONE DELAY AFTER MY RETURN BEFORE INFORMING

THE CHINESE ABOUT THE NEXT BATCH OF RELEASES. AT THE SAME

TIME I HOPED FOLLOWING CHOU EN-LA!'S UNDERTAKING THAT SOME

INFORMATION MIGHT BE FORTHCOMONG ABOUT THE FOUR REMAINING

BRITISH SUBJECTS THOUGH I HAVE NO WISH TO LINK THIS WITH

HONG KONG PRISONERS. AT A DINNER ALLAN GAVE FOR THE CHINESE

CN 23 MARCH HE RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE FOUR BUT THE CHINESE

HAD NOTHING TO SAY AND AGAIN PRESSED HIM ABOUT PRISONERS.

SINCE YOU HAVE DECIDED TO SPEAK TO P'EI HIMSELF, I SHOULD

PREFER ON THIS OCCASION TO SEND A WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THUS AVOID FURTHER

EXPOSURE TO DEMANDS FOR THE RELEASE OF ALL PRISONERS. I

THINK THAT WE HERE WILL LOSE NOTHING BY ACTING IN' THIS WAY.

DO YOU AGREE QUERY.

DENSON

FILES

FED

HONG KONG D

PRIVATE SECRETARY

PS TO MR ROYLE

PS TO PUS

SIR S TOMLINSON

SIR L MONSON

MR WILFORD

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

UND

し

plc

تھا

I agree

pad-

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

Mr Morgan

THE 14/1 312 67

1431267

HONG KONG EMERGENCY LEGISLATION

Mr Wilford suggests that Chou En-lai may believe that some of the confrontation prisoners are still serving sentences under emergency legislation and that if the legislation were withdrawn prisoners would go free. This may well be Chou En-lai's impression. In fact, I understand that all the emergency legislation enacted during 1967 has now been withdrawn or, in ertain cases, incorporated into permanent legislation. 'ithout a detailed ched which might take some time, it is not possible to say for certain whether all the present confrontation prisoners were convicted under permanent legislation or whether some of them were sentenced for offences defined under emergency legislation.

In any case this is a somewhat academic question since even if some were convicted under emergency legislation, this would not mean that their sentences would be quashed upon the expiry of the legislation.

2. Alternatively, Chou En-lai may be under the mis- apprehension that there are still detainees in Hong Kong. If so, this is difficult to understand since we made clear to the Chinese many times that all the detainees were released long ago.

23 March 1971

infreeyond.

L V Appleyard

Mr. Willand

? Work carding a copy of this

minate to Passing to know

to how we

Chou's Phrase

and

inter poured

Mr2%.

SALMaga

sent 243%,

Mr Ackley Alchoso

S.M.

24.5

CONFIDENTIAL

23.3

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

RA HONG KONG 238402Z

CONFITENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

CONFIDENTIA REGISTRY NO.50

2.1.... 1971

FEH 14/1

14/1

TOP COPY

TO FRIORITY F.C.C. TELEGRAM NUMBER 203 OF 23 MARCH PRIORITY INFO

PEKING.

Gó

YOUR TELEGRAM 233 TO ME: CONFRONTATION FRISONERS.

IF YOU JUDGE IT NECESSARY TO SPEAK TO PEI RATHER THAN TO A MEMBER OF HIS STAFF, 1 THINK IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO REDUCE THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE COMMUNICATION TO THE CHINESE AND THE RELEASE OF THE FIRST PRISONERS IN ORDER TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS HERE WITH THE PRESS. I PROPOSE THEREFORE TO RELEASE THE FIRST TWO CONFRONTATION PRIS- CNERS AND THE FORGER ON MARCH 27 AND TO INFORM THE FRESS ON THAT

DAY OF THE DECISIONS SET CUT IN ARA. 2 OF MY TELEGRAM NO. 198 AS

#ENDER BY THIS TELEGRAM.

TRENCH

FILES

FED

HKD

PS TO MR ROYLE.

PS TO PUS

SIRS TOMLINSON

SIR L MONSON

ER WILFORD

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

UND

TOP' COPY

PRICHTLY

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER CAT A

(FE) 14

FM FCO 221135Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TEL:0. 233 OF 22/3 INFO PRIORITY PEKING.

YOUR TELHO. 108: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

1. WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD ROV LOVER THE LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION

FROM (114| STERIAL TO OFFICIAL. HOWEVER, P'EI WILL BE ON TOUR OUTSIDE LONDON FOR THE WHOLE OF THE WEEK BEGINNING 20 MARCH,

UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION WE SHOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO INFORM HIM

01 FRIDAY 26 MARCH AND SUGGEST THAT PEKING SHOULD ALSO ACT ON THAT

DAY. THIS NEED NOT AFFECT THE DATE ON WHICH YOU PLAN TO GIVE

THE INFORMATION TO THE PRESS IN HONG KONG,

DOUGLAS-HOME

IMID

F; TO IR ROYLE

13 70 PU;

SER 3 TOMLINSCH

BIR L NON SCH IR MILFURD

COPIES TC ប{})

(1)

CONTIDA

'IDEN

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

FED

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret 22/3

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

En Clair. Code Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

No.

TỔNG KONG

933

(Date) 29/3

And to:-

PRIORITY MARKINGS (Date)

Flash Immediate Priority.

Routine

[Secu

}

Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressccía).

Despatched

assification]

Security classification" -if any

[ Privacy marking

-if any

[Codeword-if any]

CONFIDENTIAL

2211352

Addressed to

HONG KONG

telegram No.

(date)

And to

repeated for information to

SAING (PRIORITY).

Repeat

PEKING

Saving to:-

Saving to......

Your tel No 198: Confrontation Prisoners.

1. We agree that we should now lower the level of

communication from ministerial to official. However,

P'ei will be on tour outside London for the week

beginning 29 March. Unless you see objection we should

therefore like to inform him on Friday 26 March and suggest that Peking should also act on that day. This

need not

affed the date

abente

2o2/5304

Distribution:-

FILES

FED HKD

PS PS TO PUS PS TO MR ROYLE SIR S TOMLINSON Copter 28%-

SIR 1 MONSON MR WILFORD

195072/2013 20

which

you plan

information to the press in Hong Kong.

Mr."

CONEDENTIAL

I give the

Mr Wilford

CONFIDENTIAL

Love

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

We spoke about Hong Kong telegram no 198. A draft on the lines agreed is submitted.

Hong Kong Department concur.

22 March 1971

Copy to: HKD (Mr Laird)

SALMagen

JA L Morgan

Far Eastern Department

Mo.23.

له

CONFIDENTIAL

pla

COMMENT

THE LAST two days have been excellent examples of the different faces that Government shows to the people it purports to protect and serve.

Firstly came the about face from the tough line it had originally taken on the Chong Hing building scandal affair,

CHINOS MAIL

After an initial attempt to wash its hands of the fate of those left in the unsafe building apart from telling them to get out there has now been a change of heart.

And the Government moved with uncharacteristic speed.

The day after the Colonial Secretary told the Legistative Council that resettlement facilities would be offered to those who wanted them Government officials started visiting the

THE

Saving face by about face?

luckless residents.

A court of inquiry into the affair is also being set up.

After the initial bleak Government reaction when this case first came to light, the latest moves are more than welcome.

But such changes of heart always leave an undercurrent of dissatisfaction.

How much of that said by official spokes- men can be accepted?

Another episode was the release yesterday of more than 20 Communist prisoners held in jail since the 1967 riots.

Officially these releases were not politically motivated.

But can we still be expected to accept that? In the past month there have been many reports that most of the 70 leftwing prisoners would be released as a goodwill gesture following the release of Britons by the Chinese.

Only hours before the release was made, the Chinese Charge d'Affaires in London was called to the Foreign Office.

Still we are asked to believe there is no connection.

Such moves strain even further the informa- tion gap.

And they make

chasm of the credibility gap that exists between the people and the administration,

Premature release

THE early release of another 25 convicts serving prison sentences in connection with crimes committed during the disturbances is not a good move.

These people are criminals arrested by police, charged under the law and convicted by impartial courts to terms of imprisonment.

That they should have been released because of! possible political considerations - and it seems certain this was at least partly the reason for the mass release is a decision to be argued against.

The Communists have repeatedly claimed these convicts were political prisoners, jailed because of their beliefs. This, of course, is nonsense, koerse

But there could have been no move, more › calculated to seemingly prove the Reds' propaganda campaign than the decision to release these men. The early release of determined

these revolutionaries who tried to terrorise the people of Hongkong can hardly be expected to instil in the public a sense of security and the belief that the Government is not bowing to Red demands.

Everybody in Hongkong wants better relations with our giant neighbour across the border, but good political relationships cannot be bought by a kid-glove treatment of thugs who have tried to hold the community to blackmail by violence.

HONG KONG STANDARD (27-2-71).

TA KUNG PO (26.2.71)

WEN WEI PO (26.2.71)

域

廿四位戰友光榮歸來

【親屬和工友熱烈歡迎

立場,透行了不屈不掉的鬥戰,扮

许了此人的我就改

各工工人在歎迎自己的氟龙头

嚴、捍衛毛泽宸息想而英勇鬥爭的精神-表扬他们在活乐指用毛溪東思想上所取得的成蚺,真心地去他們坐窗,向他們攻歌·收大們表示

光榮歸來之後,喜看國內外的一片大好形势和香港同胞從反帝門

他們嚴正要求港英卽釋獄中愛國同胞我的大形勢,一包,

·東、全、姚金胡、候迎週、吳瑞華、焦倩(女) 扭

廿四位爱期网

【本段訊】一批曾被撵英棠局由監蔡第三年以上的爱國同胞廿四

廿四位愛人,經過長絽的英勇的冂事,於昨ㄕㄨㄚ,摩托工人黄崗、太六七年間教禘英無理拘捕,强行時,

(廿五日光榮歸案。该选爱网古紆塢工人寨全光、陳振強、陳達入黑獄的,他们地然受到非常嚴重的要求,他們推出也是 - 五金工人林觀、陈景洪、斯-木匠工人渾成。樹瀑工人陈隆的迎賓海得,在飢寒傷送劉水果、醫保、菇海焘、異北遠裕,他们回到自己所膛工青单位" 下,身體健備受摧殘,但是

、盧腹、箕、林盛、何啟封、受到他们的想鳥和各工會工人的热

1站雅爱!

堅持鬥爭光榮出獄

廿四戰友受到歡迎

他們爲維護民族尊嚴,堅持不屈不撓的門

爭精神,受到工會和朋友的讚揚

素胡、黑毒、吳瑞书-琠S*(*》、鳳鳳葵【女】冫康托工人賁培,太古工人群文完、陳醫粜、改逐漸,宋匠工人成,對工人欣裕。他們国K自己所属工青年位

丁凡宸火義?智科光打成裕的立場,建行丁不以不拉的鬥特·扮养了敵人的秘慢斯洛。

懈,寫黃打散。出獄騰友们表示,許汝黑内外的一片上彭野和祈满材应里攝反鬥事

磨头有曾當局提出了』

保前逛完一如古代的村,

照

加緊亭間,在新的工作和鬥爭中,

其以自己的一切

EARLIEST DATE OF DISCHARGING "CONFRONTATION PRISONERS"

DATE STANLEY

↓

TLOW

TOTAL

DATE

STANLEY 10

TLCW

ROWA

1970

SEPT

1974

JAN.

Oct

FEB.

NOV. DEC.

.1971 JAN.

FEB

MAR.

APR.

MAY

JUNE

JULY

MAR.

AUG.

APR.

SEPT.

MAY.

OCA

NOV.

JUNE

JULY

DEC.

AUG. SEPT

1975

DEC.

4 OCT

NOV,

DEC.

**1972

1976

FEB.

MAR

MAY

JAN.

1977

TEB.

MAR APR.

APR.

LIFE IMPRISOM

MAY

JUNE

TOTALS 79

JULY

AUG.

SEPT. Oca.

Stanley:

DLCW:

Stanley Prison

Chi Ma Wan Prison

Pad Lam Contre for Women

NOV. DEO.

1973 JAN.

FEB.

LIVIN

PRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL

TUP COPY

}

CYPHER CAT/A

HỒNG KÔNG 1949552

CONFIDENTIAL

FEA 14 "

TO PRIORITY F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 198′ OF 19 MARCH PRIORITY INFO

FEKING.

MY TELEGRAM 188: CONFRONTATION FRISONERS.

THE PRISON BCARD OF REVIEW MET AGAIN ON 10 MARCH AND RECOMMENDED

REDUCTIONS IN THE SENTENCES OF 8 CONFRONTATION RISONERS. I HAVE

ACCEPTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

2, THE RESULT OF THESE DECISIONS IS THAT 2 PRISONERS WILL BE

RELEASED ON 33 MARCH, ONE OF WHOM WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN

RELEASED NOT BEFORE 16 JULY 1974 AND THE OTHER NOT BEFORE 15

MARCH 1973. ONE FURTHER PRISONER WILL BE RELEASED ON 15 APRIL

WISE EARLIEST RELEASE DATE WAS 15 APRIL 1977. THE 3 REMAINING

FEMALE PRISONERS VILL BE RELEASED ON 29 APRIL. THEIR EARLIEST

RELEASE DATES WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE ON 28 AUGUST, 1972 AND TWO CI 28 APRIL 1973. OF THE TWO MALES REMAINING, ONE WILL BE RELEASED

ON 16 MAY WHOSE EARLIEST RELEASE DATE WOULD HAVE BEEN 16 JANUARY

1974 AND CNE WILL BE RELEASED ON 25 MAY WHOSE EARLIEST RELEASE

BATE WOULD HAVE BEEN 25 SEPTEMBER 1972.

3. A LIST OF NAMES FOLLOWS BY BAG.

4. I SUGGEST THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THESE

[ECISIONS ON 29 MARCH, IT SEEMS ADVISABLE TO TRY TO REDUCE THE LEVEL AT WHICH WE MAKE THESE COMMUNICATIONS TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

THE MORE WE CAN TREAT THEM AS ROUTIENE EVENTS THE BETTER.

DENSON AGREES AND PROPOSES

THAT THE COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE MADE IN PEKING AT A FAIRLY

LOW LEVEL. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL AGREE NOT TO GIVE IT ANY GREATER

EMPHASIS IN LONDON. HAVING INFORMED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON

29 MARCH OF ALL THESE 8 RELEASES WE WOULD PROPOSE TO MAKE NO FURTHER

COMMUNICATION TO THEM AS THE INDIVIDUALS WERE RELEASED IN THE

FOLLOWING TWO MONTHS.

•

CONFIDENTIAL

/5.WE

CONFIDENTIAL

5+ WE SHOULD ALSO GIVE THE INFORMATION TO THE PRESS HERE ON TH

SAME LINES BUT ON 32 MARCH.

6. THE BOARD OF REVIEW WILL MEET AGAIN IN JUNE WHEN IT MAY HAVE

APCUT ANOTHER 6 CASES TO CONSIDER, THOUGH THESE WILL BE MUCH MORE MARGINAL.

7. IN ADDITION TO THE EIGHT CONFRONATION PRISONERS THE BOARD OF

REVIEW

ALSO RECOMMENDED THE REDUCTION OF SENTENCE OF A FORGER. HE WILL BE RELEASED ON MARCH 32 TOO.

TRENCH

FILES

F.E.D.

H.K.D.

PRIVATE SECRETARY

P.S. TO P.U.S.

P.S. TO HR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON

MR WILFORD

-2-

CONFIDENTIAL

$36

Mr Wilford

Sir S Tomlinson

CONFIDENTIAL

enter p.9

(M.

15.3

162

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

1. The summary of press reactions prepared in Hong Kong

is now attached. It reports a relaxed response and

concludes that the press interest has been small and is

less than in previous such releases.

The Governor has promised an "assessment of reactions

other than press". When this has been received I shall

submit further.

11 March 1971

Copies to: Sir L Monson

SALMorgan

J A L Morgan

Far Eastern Department

K 255

Wheat is particularly with emble

that no "wown wakowers iss

Er Laird (Hong Kong Dept) he been accosted KIE

released prissiers.

обриятиет

receptio

A low kary

is most mitable and live

with what we believe the Peking line

1 Час

Kun Wilfor

CONFIDENTIAL

1/3

***

rewith Summary of Press Response to Release of

oners, as requested.

With the Compliments

of the

Public Relations Division. Government Information Servicos.

Sutherland House, ish floor,

3, Chater Road, Hong Kong.

Press Response to the Release of Prisoners

Non-Communist Press

The first paper to report the issue was the Sing To Man Po (25.2.71). The report was quite prominent and was accompanied by a picture showing some of the prisoners getting into a taxi.

The tone of the report was quite sarcastic saying that there were no "comrades" outside to welcome the prisones with "red books" and happy shouts about their "glorious return". The only people waiting outside were a few photographers. Eventually they had to sneak away quietly with their "heads bowed low".

A reporter was quoted as saying that as far as he could remember, this was the most "neglected" group of released leftist prisoners.

The story was picked up the next morning (26.2.71) by Sing To Jih Po, Hong Kong Times, Kung Sheung Tat Po, Fai Po, Tin Tin Tat Po, Ming Po and Sing Po.

Tin Tin, Sing Fo, Ming Po and Sing To carried straight factual reporta about the release including (1) the names of the 24 prisoners, (2) the reasons for their arrests, and (3) the grounde for their early release.

Kung Sheung and Hong Kong Times devoted more space to the issue. In addition to the facts, they both emphasized the fact that there were no leftists at the scene to welcome them.

The most critical headline was found in Fai Po. It appeared in the form of a rhetorical question What is the price of glory?! It decribed the atmosphere at the scene of their release as "desolate" and "heart-chilling".

Communist Press

Coders

The release from prison of 24 comsades-in-arme was accorded moderate coverage in all of the major communist papers on 26th February, including the New Evening Post and Hong Kong Evening News on the day before.

Reports on this issue were almost identical in all of these papers. Besides giving the names and professions of the prisoners, they all stressed the following points :

(1) These men were unreasonably arrested by the Hong Kong British during

the 1967 disturbances;

(2) they were thrown into the "black" prisons and subjected to serious

"physical and mental tortures";

(3) they firmly maintained their "patriotism" and their "anti-imperialist"

attitude during their imprisonment;

(4) before leaving the prison, they demanded that the Hong Kong British

should:-

(a) promptly release the other patiotic compatriots,

guarantee their health and personal safety and

for their wrongful imprisonment.

(5) The prisoners vowed to unite more closely, learn more enthusiastically

and contribute all their efforts to their ideal in the future. (6) The prisoners were highly praised" given a warm welcome by their

family members, and workers of all trades.

CAFF

REA

1; 3༔

INWARD

ISTRY

LET

Editorials

So far, there have been only two editorials in the English language papers on this issue (see newspaper cuttings) and none in the Chinese language papers.

In general, the press interest in the release of these prisoners has been quite small and is certainly less than in previous such releases.

CYPHER CAT/A

CONFIDENTIAL

The Co

FM HONG KONG 780112Z

CHFIDENTIAL

TO ROUTINE F.C.O. TELEGRAM NO. 156 OF 8TH MARCH 1971 INFO

PEKING.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 177.

CONFRONTATION FRISONERS.

९

A SUMMARY OF PRESS REACTIONS HAS BEEN SENT TO THE DEPARTMENT

AND TO PEKING BY BAG THIS WEEK-END.

2. YOU WILL SEE THAT THE IMMEDIATE PRESS REACTION WAS ON

PREDICTABLE LINES. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAS MADE DEMANDS FOR

THE RELEASE OF THE REMAINING FRISONERS AND REFEATED THE USUAL

ACCUSATIONS ABOUT THE INJUSTICE AND BRUTALITY OF OUR PROCEDURES,

WHILST SOME OF THE NON-COMMUNIST PRESS HAVE QUESTIONED THE

WISDOM OF MAKING WHAT THEY REGARD AS POLITICAL CONCESSIONS.

3. ON THE WHOLE WE HAVE, SO FAR AS PRESS REACTIONS GO, GOT

AWAY WITH THIS PARTICULAR LARGE BUNCH OF RELEASES WITHOUT TOO

MUCH DAMAGE, THANKS TO THE USE OF THE NORMAL PROCEDURE OF THE

BOARD OF REVIEW. REACTIONS TO FURTHER RELEASES AND REDUCTIONS

OF SENTENCES.LATER MAY NOT NECESSARILY, HOWEVER, BE SIMILAR.

AN ASSESSMENT OF REACTIONS OTHER THAN PRESS REACTIONS IS BEING

PREPARED.

TRENCH

FILES

HKD

FED

SIR L MONSON

FR WILFORD

[REPEATED AS REUESTED]

CONFIDENTIAL

BV I wa

MAS

pla

171 3

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS HELD ON 26th FEBRUARY 1971

Name

Prison No.

Sentence

(years)

Expected date of discharge

CHAN Chin-fong

28330 X

5+8+8+2 concurrent

25.1.73

CHAN Choi

28491

8+8 concurrent

18.2.73

CHAN Hon

28490

8+2 concurrent

18.2.73

CHAN Kwong-yan

29737 Casas 14|||| 2+7 consecutive

16.1.74

CHAN Sang-cheung

29863

15.8.74

CHAN Shu-nam

30694

14+10+10+10 concurrent

15.4.77

CHAN Wing-cheung

28016

8+8 concurrent

13.1.73

CHAN Yik

28489 X

8+4 concurrent

3.2.73

CHAN Yuen-yu

F383 M 2441 7+7 concurrent

28.8.72

10.

CHAN Yuk-va

28754

10+10 concurrent

义

11.

CHAU Cheuk-kai

29000

12.

CHAU Sik-keung

27496 %

13.

CHAU Wing-cheung

28850

s. 8+8 concurrent

5+2+1+5 concurrent

8+8+4+8 concurrent

4.7.74 41.3.71 *

15.3.73

12.12.72

14. CHENG Yat-choi

28669 X

15.

CHU Ping-yin

29738

2+5 consecutive

17.3.73

2.5.71

16.

CHU Wing-chuen

28998

Life

17.

FUNG Man

27952 X

8+3+3 concurrent

6.1.73

18.

IP Sing

29884 X

9+9+5+9+9 concurrent

11.1.74

19.

IP Tat-shing

28999

10+5+Life+Life concurrent

20/

IP Yuen-kvan

28492 *

4.2.73

21.

KWAN Siu-king

F384 R5 4-1.

848 concurrent

28.4.73

22.

LAU Sze-kvan

23.

LAI Kvong

29600 ( 28329 ⭑

5+5 concurrent

21.4.71 ¥

548 concurrent

25.1.73

24.

LEUNG Pun

30412

5+5+8+5 concurrent

9.6.73

25.

LI Kvai-fong

F382 las 24/7

8+8 concurrent

28.4.73

26.

LI Man-vai

28849

562

16.7.74

27.

LING Suet-keung

27684

8+5 concurrent

20.12.72

28.

LO Lun

32869 x

29.

LO Shui-yan

30954

4+5 consecutive

12+12+12 concurrent

28.3.76

15.2.76

30.

LUX Nam

29279-

6.4.73

31.

MA Shu-keung

27994

32.

MOK Siu-kui

29736

441.

12.5.72 v

- 14.12.75

33.

NG Kin-piu

29702

34.

So Poon

27953

8+3+3+8 concurrent

: 35.

SZETO FOon

29281

36.

TAM Fat (alias WONG Yau) 28707.

10+5 concurrent

2.5.73

6.1.73

7.4.73

24.6.74

CONFIDENTIAL

Name

37.

38.

TAM Wai-ming

Frison No.

Sentence (years)

301.99 mare visp 7

Expected date of discharge

25.9.72

39.

TO Min

TONG Ching-ping

28906 *

16.3.73

27993 X

5+8 concurrent

10.1.73

40. TSANG Fai-ming

27495

8+8+4+9 concurrent

-.11.73

41.

TSANG Mui

42.

TSUI Chun

28834 £ 29882

16.11.73

9+9+5+9+9 concurrent

11.1.74

43.

WAN Kam-hung

28168 x

10+10+5 concurrent

11.1.74

44.

WAN Kei

28968 X

21.11.73

45.

WONG Chung

29282 X

6+5 concurrent

6.12.71 *

46.

WONG Ting-sau

28328

5+8+8 concurrent

25.1.73

47.

YAU Wai

29883

9+9+5+5 concurrent

25.1.74

48. YEUNG Nin-chi

49.

YIM Kun-sau

28619 X 30198

2.3.71 *

25.9.72✓

NOTE: "F" prefixed to the Prison No. denotes a female prisoner.

19th February, 1971.

CONFIDENTIAL

Name

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFRONTA SION PRISONERS POR RELEASE ON

TRUREN, PURIFERALPRIZE

(Hong Kong telegram No. 108 to F.C.0.)

Prison No.

Sentence (years)

Previous earFlest date of discharga

CHAN Chun-keung

27214

29.7.71

CHAN Kai-yu

28446

2.6.72

CHAN King-hung

27212

29.7.71

GAN rat

hong

27213

29.7.71

CHUN Van-po

27217

29.7.71

FUNG Chun-sing

32868

9.5.76

Hồ Lại chu

27205

5.8.71

IP Kam-fat

27207

29.7.71

LAM Evun-tak

27211

29.7.71

10.

LAM thing

27202

5.8.71

11.

LAU ving-ngan

27215

29.7.72

12.

LO Hing

27200

5.8.71

1..

LO Hop-tung

27209

29.7.71

14.

NG Pak-yuen

27216

29.7.71

15.

NO Sui-tai

27203

29.7.71

16.

NGAI $in-luen

1166

29.7.71

17.

TROK LÁB-Pun

27220

29.7.71

18.

T801 Sung-kvong

27219

29.7.71

19.

VAN Fung-kwai

7167

29.7.71

20.

VONG Pui-SUBJ

27218

29.7.71

21.

VONG sik-kei

27204

29.7.71

22.

WONG SUM

27201

29.7.71

23.

YIU KAN-WAL

27208

29.7.71

24.

YU Tung

27206

29.7.71

19th February, 1971.

CONFIDENTIAL

H.K.

Zase take care to cover the old sddress (or address pane!) and the date stamp when

sealing an envelope with this Label.

Si: here

ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE

HONG KONG DEPT.,

ROOM NO.` 271,

KING CHARLES ST.

Press Cuttings.

Code 7.29.

нк

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Cutting dated....2.6 FEB 1971

24 TERRORISTS

RELEASED BY

HONGKONG 4

By Our Staff Correspondent in Hongkong

The Hongkong Government released yesterday 24 Chinese terrorists held in prison slace the 1967 riots, in which 51 died. " Their sentences were reduced by from five to 18 months.

A 25th prisoner whose seni tence was also reduced will be released in May. This will leave 48 of the 2,000 arrested in the. riots still in prison.

A Government spokesman said the sentences were reduced * following

Dorns) procedures."

review

1967 OFFENCES

No link with Grey

Der Diplomatic Staff write: Those freed in Hongkong yes terday committed offences during the 1967 rints. They were not linked with eight Chinese Communist Journalists whose arrests were followed by the detention of Mr Anthony Grey, Resiter enrrespondent in Peking.

He was released in 1900 after All Chinese journalists then held in Hongkong had been freed.

ין

ि

Cutting dated

THE GUARDIAN

2 6 FEB 1971

ᅡ

Hongkong frees 24 from gaol

५

Hongkong. February 25

The Hongkong Government

today released 24 prisoners,

I gaoled during Jeft-wing nata in sfier reducing their

, 1987,

مطة

sentences. The sentence another

prisoner reduced and he will be freed in May.

This leaves 49 prisoners still serving terms of imprisonment in connection with riots which acquired when China's cultural revolution spread into British colony.

tha

The prisoners' release fol- lows recent Improvements in relations between China and Britain and demands for their freedom published in Hong- kong's left-wing newspapers in December.

But a Government spokes- тал avoided answering questions on Britain's role in the affair, merely saying: "All the releases were effected

according to established review 'procedures."

The releases

followed

meeting in London yesterday between the British Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Anthony Royle, and the Chinese chargé d'affairs.

Reuter.

Past

Day

FINANCIAL TIMES

2 6 FEB 1971

cutting dated

19.

Hong Kong frees 1967

riot prisoners

THE Hong Kong Government has released 34 of the 74 prisoners stil under detention for involve- ment in the riots of 1987, I was sapounced yesterday.

The prisoners have all had their sentence, shortened, und all but two were due out in July, so that the extent of the remis sion granted by the Hong Kong Government has been fairly modest. The remaining prisoners Include two under Ble sentences and one due for release in 1977.

There is no doubt at all that the decision to release the prisoners

by pressur

Government, which has la tuen been influenced by representa. tlons from Chion

The decision to release the Hong Kong prisoners was pre sumably communicated to the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London when be Law Mr. Anthony Royle, Parliamentary. Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at the Foreignį Offee on Wednesday. No com Armation of this, however, was i available yesterday either from the Foreign Oflee or from the Chinese Mission, which declined to comsient on the Hong Kong Government's action.

RESTRICTED

CYPHER CAT A -

TOP COPY

Fx 14/1

(HK)

FM FCO 261825Z

RESTRICTED

TO ROUTINE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 177 OF 26 FEBRUARY,

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 198.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

کیا

GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE BY BAG COPIES OF ANY REPORTS REFLECTING

REACTIONS IN LOCAL PRESS TO RELEASE OF PRISONERS.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

SKD

FED

SIR L MONSON

MR WILFORD

FFFFF

RESTRICTED

632

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Secre

Restricted

PRIVACY MARKING

Confalence

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)...

• Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressed(3)}.........

Immediate

Routine

[

Security classification Restricted 2610252

Privacy marking

if any

[Codeword-if any).

---------

}

IL.

Gode

Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

Addressed to

lovemar Hong Kong telegram No...

127. (Date) Nd2

No. 177

And to:-

Repeat to:-

Saving to:-

And to

repeated for information to

Saving to..

POJI

The Y

..(date)

Your tologram 108.

confrontation prisoners.

brateful to receive by bag copies of any

reports reflecting reactions in cocal release of prisoners.

press

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Distribution:-

Files

il 202

abhi

Copies to:-

HKD AED

GiL Momen

Mr. Wilford

M&B 24/2 тов

Mr Laard (Hong Kong Dept)

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS IN HONG KONG

Mr Royle mentioned to me yesterday that he would like an account of reaction in the Hong Kong press to the present releases.

SALMagen

J A L Morgan

Far Eastern Department

25 February 1971

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249

Written Answers

Enter ... SM 26 p

25 FEBRUARY 1971

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH

AFFAIRS

European Economic Community

85. Mr. Marten asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make it a condition of any agreement to enter the European Economic Community that Common- wealth citizens acquiring British citizen. ship shall have the same rights as other British citizens to enter the labour markets of the enlarged Community should Great Britain join the European Economic Community.

Mr. Rippon: We accept the Com- munity's policy on free movement of labour. We expect before long to clarify with the Communities the position of British citizens in relation to the Com munities' provisions on free movement of labour. In so doing we shall bear in mind the case of those who acquire British citizenship by registration.

Mr. Dormand asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has yet decided to issue a simplified guide to the political_and economic implications of joining the Com mon Market to be made widely available, free of charge, through post offices and other public agencies.

Mr. Rippon: No. Her Majesty's Government continue to keep under re- view the means of keeping the public informed on questions connected with our application for membership of the European Economic Community.

Hong Kong (Prison Sentences)

Mr. Blaker asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the arrangements in Hong Kong for the review of sentences of long-term prisoners.

Mr. Anthony Royle: It is normal for the sentences of all long-term prisoners in Hong Kong to be reviewed regularly by the Prison Board of Review which makes recommendations to the Governor. The prisoner's state of health and conduct in prison and the circumstances of his offence are all taken into account during this review together with any other relevant factors. At a recent meeting, for example. the Board recommended that the varying

10 U 11

26°2

Written Answers

RED

750

sentences passed on a number of prisoners for comparable offences should be brought into line. As a result some 24 prisoners are being released on 25th February in accordance with the Governor's instruc- tions.

British Embassies

Mr. William Elamilton asked the Sec- retary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs if he will initiate an independent inquiry into the staffing of all British overseas embassies.

Mr. Anthony Royle: No.

United Nations Disaster Agency

Mr. Leadbitter asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to begin discus- sions with other Governments on the establishment of an international organi- sation to deal with the problems of disaster, in particular where storm and flood involve large numbers of people and urgent problems of starvation and disease.

Mr. Kershaw: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 25th January, 1971, to the right hon. Mem. ber for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice). We shall shortly be submitting a memor andum to the United Nations Secretary- General on which we have consulted all the major donor Governments and voluntary agencies.-[Vol. 810, c. 10.]

WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA

Q7. Mr. Sillars asked the Prime Minister if, in his forthcoming official visit to Scotland, he will visit the West Central Scotland Special Development Area.

The Prime Minister: Yes.

HULL

Q10. Mr. James Johnson asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Hull.

The Prime Minister; I have at present no plans to do so.

DAT: 25 FEB 11.

CCL 249-250

VOL.

812.

•

CONFIDENTIAL

CALL ON MR ROYLE BY CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AT

11 am ON 24 FEBRUARY 1971

:D IN

ты

MAR

15.50

Those present:-

Mr Anthony Royle MP

Mr JA L Morgan

Mr L V Appleyard

FE H

the

Mr P'ei Chien-tsang Mr Chiang Mai

1. Mr Royle began by saying that he had asked Mr P'ei

to come in order to pass on an important piece of

information.

As a result of further study by the Hong

Kong Frison Board of Review, the Hong Kong Government

had decided to release 24 prisoners serving sentences for

offences committed in 1967 and 1968. The releases would

take place on 25 February.

would be released in May.

In addition one more prisoner

Mr Royle went on to say that he wished to emphasise

that all those 25 would be released in addition to the

steady rate of releases with full remission, which had

been taking place over the last three years.

3. Mr Royle said that this action by the Hong Kong

Government was welcome to the British Government.

stemmed from the normal humane procedures of the Hong Kong

Government in dealing with prisoners. He was sure Mr P'ei

would agree that this action by the Hong Kong Government

would help to remove some of the impediments to the

further improvement of Sino-British relations.

Mr Royle said that Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Mr Royle's

/ other

CONFIDENTIAL

-1-

CONFIDENTIAL

other Ministerial colleagues had stated many times that they

welcomed the improvement which had taken place in Sino-

British relations over the past year. This had required

efforts by both sides. He had noted the invitation issued

to the Hawker Siddley delegation to go to Peking early

next month. This was greatly appreciated. We hoped that

the visit would show positive results. When Mr Denson

had seen the new Minister of Foreign Trade on 5 February he

had outlined a whole series of ideas for improving commercial

relations. These had included an invitation to a Chinese

Kinister or Vice-Minister to lead a trade delegation to

this country. He hoped that the Chinese Government would

find it possible to accept the invitation. We looked forward

to receiving the delegation.

5. Hr Piel said that he welcomed the information which

Mr Royle had given him about the 25 patriotic compatriots

in Hong Kong who were to be released. There were still in

all over 70 patriotic competriots imprisoned in Hong Kong.

The Chinese Government hoped that they would be released

rapidly so as to remove a serious obstacle to a further

improvement in relations. Nevertheless he welcomed this

action. Even after the 25 patriotic compatriots had been

released, this would still leave over 40. He hoped the

British Government would quickly release all of them.

6. Mr Royle said that all the prisoners in Hong Kong had

been convicted in open court. They had been allowed to

defend themselves according to the due process of law.

The

CONFIDENTIAL

2 -

/ Rritish

CONFIDENTIAL

British Government did not decide upon the releases.

was done by the Hong Kong Government.

This

The Board of Review

met and made recommendations to the Governor; the decision

must remain their responsibility.

7. Mr P'ei said that, as Mr Royle knew, the question of

the guilt of prisoners was in dispute. The Chinese considered

the patriotic compatriots had not broken the law. They

were not guilty of offences and therefore they had been

unreasonably imprisoned. Nevertheless, he would agree with

Mr Royle that the release of the 25 patriotic compatriots

would remove an impediment to the further improvement of

relations. He would report Mr Royle's message to his

Government.

8. Mr Royle went on to say that when he had seen Mr P'ei

on 15 January he had formally proposed an exchange of

Ambassadors.

Mr P'ei had undertaken to pass on the proposal

to his Government.

It had been agreed that discussions

would take place in London. He would be grateful if

Mr P'ei would let him know whether he was in a position to

give us a reply from his Government.

9. Mr P'ei replied that he would first like to take up

some other points. The delegation from Hawker Siddley

would be going out to Peking to discuss the question of

aircraft. The delegation would include a technician from

Rolls Royce. He agreed that this would be a way of

improving commercial relations, though these naturally

depended on political relations. On the question of the

invitation to a Chinese Minister or Vice-Minister, the

CONFIDENTIAL

-3-

/Chinese

CONFIDENTIAL

Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade had said to Mr Denson

during his interview that this proposal would be studied.

This was the case. He had not been given any news about

the proposal to raise the level of diplomatic representation.

As soon as he had a reply he would let the British

Government know. As for the place where these negotiations

should take place, this could be discussed further.

10.

Mr Royle said that he would also like Mr P'ei's help

on one particular point. He was frequently asked in the House

of Commons about the 4 British subjects who were still

believed to be detained in China. Mr Royle read out the

names and asked whether Mr P'ei had any news. He did not

wish to make an issue of this, but he would like to have

some information.

11. During the exchange which followed Mr P'ei said that he

was not clear about the details of their cases, but he was

sure that their cases would be examined and decided

according to Chinese law and on their individual merits.

12. Mr P'ei then raised the question of the repair of

the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires' residence. He said that the

building was very old and leaked water. During the subsequent

exchange on this point, Mr Royle reminded Mr P'ei that

there were strict rules about the conservation of old

property. If Mr P'ei would write to Mr Morgan giving the

precise action which he would like Mr Morgan to take, he

was sure that we would like to do all we could to help.

/Mr Morgan

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Morgan confirmed that he had set out the position in

British law in a letter to Mr Ma and that we were now

awaiting a formal reply from Mr P'ei. Mr P'ei agreed to

let Mr Morgan have a formal reply and said that the question

could be discussed further at official level.

Far Eastern Department 24 February 1971

Copy to:-

Mr Logan

Mr Wilford

Sir S Tomlinson

Sir L Monson

Mr Laird Hong Kong Department Protocol and Conference Department Mr Denson Peking

Mr Maddocks Hong Kong

(134992) DA. 737|15 750w 4/70 Hw.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential,

Restricted

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT Record of Conversation

To:-

IMA

Type 1 +

From

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

CALL ON MR ROYLE BY CHINESE CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES

AT 11 am ON 24 FEPRUARY 1971

Those present:-

Mr Anthony Royle MP

Mr J AL Morgan

Mr L V Appleyard

Pei Chien-fsang Chang En-chu

1. Mr Royle began by saying that he had

asked Mr Pei to come in order to pass on an

important piece of information.

As a result

of further study by the Hong Kong Prison Board

of Review, the Hong Kong Government had decided

to release 2 prisoners serving sentences for

offences committed in 1967 and 1968. The releases

would take place on 25 February. In addition

one more/prisoner would be released in May.

2. Mr Royle went on to say that he wished to

emphasise that all those 25 would be released

in addition to the steady rate of releases with

full remission, which had been taking place

over the last three years.

Mr Royle said that this action by the

Hong Kong Government was welcome to the British

Government. It stemmed from the normal humane

CONFIDENTIAL

-1-

/ procedures

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

WBL 51-7406

CONFIDENTIAL

procedures of the Hong Kong Government

in dealing with prisoners, He was sure Mr

Fei would agree that this action by the Hong

Kong Government would help to remove some of

the impediments to the further improvement

of Sino-British relatione.

4. Mr Royle said that Sir Alec Douglas-

Home and Mr Royle's other Ministerial

colleagues had stated many times that they

welcomed the improvement which had taken place

in Sino-British relations over the past year.

This had required efforts by both sides, Не

had noted the invitation issued to the

Hawker Siddley delegation to go to Peking

early next month.

This was clearly greatly

appreciated. We hoped that the visit would

show positive results. When Mr Denson

had seen the new Minister of Foreign Trade

on 5 February he had outlined a whole series

ideas

of side for improving commercial relations.

These had included an invitation of a

Chinese Minister or Vice-Minister to lead a

trade delegation to this country. He hoped

that the Chinese Government would find it

possible to accept the invitation. We looked

forward to receiving the delegation.

Mr Fei said that he welcomed the

information which Mr Royle had given him about

the 25 patriotic compatriots in Hong Kong

who were to be released. There were still

in all over 70 patriotic compatriots imprisoned

in Hong Kong. The Chinese Government hoped

CONFIDENTIAL

-2--

/ that they

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

WELL SE-7400

CONFIDENTIAL

that they would be released rapidly so as to

remove a serious obstacle to a further

improvement in relations.

Nevertheless he

welcomed this action. Even after the 25

patriotic compatriota had been released, this

would still leave over 40. He hoped the

British Government would quickly release all

of them.

6. Mr Royle said that all the prisoners in

Hong Kong had been convicted in open court← They had committed crimes but They had been

allowed to defend themselves according to the

due procese of law. The British Government

did not decide upon the releases.

done by the Hong Kong Government.

remain in the hands of the Hong Keny

Government and the Beard of Review, The

to the hopemori

This was

This must

Board of Review met and made recommendations

and the decision must remain their responsibilit

Mr Pei said that, as Mr Royle knew,

the question of the guilt of prisoners was in

dispute. The Chinese considered that the

patriotic compatriote had not broken the

law. They were not guilty of offences and

therefore they had been unreasonably imprisoned.

Nevertheless, he would agree with Mr Royle

that the release of the 25 patriotic

compatriots would remove an impediment the

further improvement of relations. He would

report Mr Royle's message to his Government.

Royle went on to say that when he had seen

Mr Fei on 15 January he had formally proposed

an exchange of Ambassadors. Mr Pei had under-

taken to pass on the proposal to his

/Government

CONFIDENTIAL

- 3-

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

WIBIL 51-7406

CONFIDENTIAL

Government. It had been agreed that

discussions would take place in London. He

would be grateful if "r Pei would let him

know whether he was in a position to give ug

a reply from his Government.

Mr Fei replied that he would first like

to take up some other points. The delegation

from Hawker Siddley would be going out to

Peking to discuss the question of aircraft.

The delegation would include a technician

from Rolls Royce. He agreed that this would be

a way of improving commercial relations,

though these naturally depended on political

relatione.

On the question of the invitation

to a Chinese Minister or Vice Minister, the

Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade had said to

Mr Denson during his interview that this

proposal would be studied. This was the case.

He had not been given any news about the

proposal to raise the level of diplomatic

representation. As soon as he had a reply

he would let the British Government know.

As for the place where these negotiations

should take place, this could be discussed

further.

10. Mr Royle said that he would also like

Mr Phi's help on one particular point. He

was frequently asked in the House of Commons

about the 4 British subjects who were still

believed to be detained in China. Mr Royle

read out the names and asked whether Er Pai

had any news. Ho did not wish to make an

/ issue of

4 CONFIDENTIAL

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

WIDIL SI-206

CONFIDENTIAL

issue of this, but he would like to have

some information.

18. During the exchange which followed

Mr Fei said that he was not clear about the

details of their cases, but he was sure that

their cases would be examined and decided

according to Chinese law and on their

individual merits.

12.

Mr Pei then raised the question of the

repair of the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires'

residence.

He said that the building was very

old and leaked water. During the subsequent

exchange on this point, Mr Royle reminded

Mr Pai that there were strict rules about

the conservation of old property. If "'r Péi

would write to Mr Morgan giving the precise

action which he would like Mr Morgan to take,

he was sure that we would like to do all we

could to help. Mr Morgan confirmed that he

had set out the position in British

law in a letter to Mr P and that we were

now awaiting a formal regly from Mr Pei.

Mr Fei agreed to let Mr Morgan have a formal

reply and said that the question could be

discussed further at official level.

Mr. Ligan

Mr. Wilford Sirs Tumblrison

Sir LiMauron

Mr. Laina itt Depr.

Far Ealiem Department.

24 Kohmany 157).

Dept..

Dear Portrol and lowference

Ar. Denton Pening Jair. Maddouice Hong Kong

CONFIDENTIAL

- 5 -

FRICRITY

CY HER CAT A

FA HONG KONG 2578372

CONFIDENTIAL

'CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COP

TO PRIORITY F.C.C. TELNC. 129 OF 25 FEBRUARY 1971.

KLRITY INFC PEKING

Y UP TELEGRAM NC. -144 TO ME.

UNFRONTATION PRISONERS.

5; 1.

But were no

THE NUMBER OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS HELD AT THE END OF 197) WAS ' 74. THIS FIGURE WAS CORRECTLY CITED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN PEKING (PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 843 OF 1973 TO YOU), AND BY LOCAL COMMUNISTS IN THEIR LETTER TO THE CULCHIAL SECRETARY OF 29TH

DECEMBER. THERE IS, HOWEVER, REASON TO DOUBT THAT THE COMMUNISTS

HAD AN ACCURATE INDEPENDENT LIST OF NAMES OF THEIR ON AND THEY

FR.3:BLY TOOK THE FIGURE OF 74 FROM GLEANINGS HERE OR IN LONDON,

ALL 41 NAMES ENCLOSED WITH THE COMMUNISTS' LETTER "F 29TH

TECEMBER TALLY WITH THE DETAILS OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS IN THE

LIST OF 74 WHICH THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT PREI ARED FOR ME IN

MID-DECEMBER.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CERTAIN THAT. THE REMAINING 33 NAMES ARE THE SAME IN THE COMMUNISTS' RECORDS AS IN OURS, SOME

D UBT ARISES BECAUSE 5 OR 6 OF THOSE ON OUR LIST CANNOT BE TRACED -

AMONG THE 95 NAMES WHICH WERE PUT TO THE MISSION IN FEKING IN JULY

197%. (DAVIES'S LETTER 31/6 OF 5 AUGUST TO ROBERTS).

3. IT IS THEREFORE POSSIBLE THAT THE CHINESE ARE WORKING FROM A

LIST OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE, AND THAT THEY COULD BECOME AWARE OF THIS DURING THE FORTHCOMING

RELEASES.

GIVEN THE DEPENDENCE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNISTS ON SECOND-HAND

INFORMATION FROM PRISON VISITS ETC., AND THE PREVALENCE OF ALIASES

INNOCENT OR OTHERWISE AMONG THE CONFRONTATION PRISONERS A DISCREPAN -

CY OF ABOUT HALF A DOZEN NAMES IS NOT SURPRISING, IT SEEMS

UNLIKELY TO CAUSE US EMBARRASSMENT AS THE LOCAL COMMUNISTS WILL BE

UNWILLING TO ADMIT, EVEN IMPLICITLY THAT THEIR LISTS WERE WRONG,

CR TO DRAV ATTENTION TO WHAT MIGHT DE REGARDED AS A FAILURE TO KEEP

TRACK OF THEIR OWN.

CONFIDENTIAL

/5. THE

CONFIDENTIAL

. THE RELEASE OF ONE YOUNG PRISONER ON 3RD FEBRUARY REDUCED THE NUMBER TO 73. A LIST OF THE 49 CONFRONTATION PRISONERS WHO KILL STILL BE HELD AFTER 25TH FEBRUARY FOLLOWS BY BAG.

TRENCH

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RM FCO 2415307

CONFIDENTIAL

(FE) &

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELNO 94 OF 24 FEB 71 INFO IMMEDIATE HONGKONG YOUR TELEGRAM NO 154: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

મર્ક

1. MR ROYLE SUMMONED P'EI ON 24 FEBRUARY P'EI WELCOMED THE RELEASES AND SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOPED

IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS

FROM MR ROYLE, HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT YET GIVE US A REPLY TO OUR PROPOSAL TO EXCHANGE AMBASSADORS NOR TO OUR INVITATION TO

SEND A TRADE DELEGATION HEADED BY A MINISTER OR VICE-MINISTER, MR ROYLE ALSO MENTIONED THE 4 DETAINED BRITISH SUBJECTS, BUT P'EI HAD NO FURTHER INFORMATION.

2. NEWS DEPARTMENT WILL SAY ON THE RECORD THAT THE CALL WAS AT MR ROYLE'S REQUEST TO CARRY FORWARD THE DISCUSSION WHICH TOOK PLACE WHEN MR PEI MADE HIS COURTESY CALL ON MR ROYLE ON 15 JANUARY. THE CONTENT OF THE DISCUSSION IS CONFIDENTIAL. IF ASKED WHETHER LAOS WAS DISCUSSED, NEWS DEPARTMENT WILL SAY

UNATTRIBUTABLY THAT IT WAS NOT.

DOUGLAS-HOME

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NEWEARCH D (FE SEC)

CONFIDENTIAL

है

で

44. 8

200th

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

Fださ

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secrec

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassifed

2415302

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

PRIORITY MARKINGS (Date)

Flash

Immediac

Routine

Despatched

Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressco(s).

--‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

CYPHE

MEDIATE.

2415382.

[Se

Security classification

if any

En Clair.

[

Privacy marking

if any

Códe

Cypher

Draft Telegram to:---

Fekipe

(6.

94 (Date) 24/~

And to:-

[Codeword-if any]

Addressed to

telegram No... --

And to

(date)

umumil

ILLLOLJI‒‒TILL‒‒J -‒‒M

repeated for information to INDEBATE TO Horia KONG

Saving to.......

FOUR TELEGRAM NO 154: CONFRONTATION, PRISONERS

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGHE

KATA KATA

Repeat_to:- INNEBATE

HONE

Hong Joon

1. Mr Royle summoned Plei

Plei welcomed

the releases and said that the Chinese Government hoped

the remainder would be released quickly.

In réponse

on 24 rebus or

Saving to:-

Distribution:-

Departmental

FED

HKD

PUSD

to questions from "r Royle, he said that he could not

yet give us a reply to our proposal to exchange

Ambasandor nor to our invitation to send a trade

delegation hende; by a Minister or Vice-Minister.

mantimed Royle also,

the amines the 4 detained British

subjects, but "'ei had no further information.

2. News Department will say on the record that the

jcall wan at ir Royle's request to carry forward the News Department discussion which took place when Mr Pei made his

Sir Monson

Copies to:-

Dell

2418102

180/27/2012~

courtesy call on Mr Royle on 15 January. The content

of the discussion is confidential.

If asked whether

nos mio discussed, a Department will any

june-hibutebly that it was not,

24,2

24th February 1971

Mr. Peter B1-ker (Blackpool, South): To ask the secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the arrangements in Hong Kong for the roview of sentences of long-term prisoners.

NO. 88W

MR. ANTHONY ROYLE

It is normal for the sentences of all long-term prisoners in Hong Kong to be reviewed regularly by the Prison Board of Review which makes recommendations to the Governor. The Frisoner's state of health and conduct in prison and the circumstances of his offence are all taken into account during this review together with any other relevant factors. At a recent meeting, for example, the Board recommended that the varying sentences passed on a number of prisoners for comparable offences should be brought into line. a result some 24 prisoners are being released on the 25th of February in accordance with the Governor's instructions.

24th February 1971

•

Lir. Peter 31sker (Blackpool, South): ask the Decrotary of State for Foreign and Jommonwealth Affeirs what er the arrangements in Hong Kong for the roview of sentences of long-term prisoners.

NO. 88W

MR. ANTHONY ROYLE

It is normal for the sentences of all long-term prisoners in Hong Kong to be reviewed regularly by the Prison Board of Review which makes recommendations to the Governor. The Prisoner's state of wwalth and conduct in prison and the circumstances of his offence are all taken into account during this review together with any other relevant factors. At a recent meeting, for example, the Board recommended that the varying senterces passed on a number of prisoners for comparable offences should be brought into line. a result some 24 prisoners are being released on the 25th of February in accordance with the Governor's instructions.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION

WRITTEN

for fix answer on...

February 1971

(7089). THEDI2852 Jm 2/47 Q-WBLA. Gp863

The draft reply should reach the Parliamentary Office through your Under-Secretary by

ден

U Mr Peter Blaker (Blackpool, South): To ask the Secretary of

State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what are the

arrangements in Hong Kong for the review of

long-term prisoners.

sentences of

Mr Anthony Royle

It is normal for the sentences of all long-term prisonere

in Hong Kong to be reviewed regularly by the Prison Board

of Review which

The Prisoner's state of health and conduct in prison and the

circumstances of his offence are all taken into account during

thes review ofcités verbones together with any other relevant

factors. At a recent meeting, for example, the Board

recommended that the varying sentences passed on a number of

prisoners for comparable offences should be brought into line.

As a result some 24 prisoners are being released on 25 February

in accordance with the Governor's instructions.

Mr Wilford

Mr Logan

Parliamentary Office

CONFIDENTIAL

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION: PRISONERS IN HONG KONG

Mr Blaker is being asked to put down an inspired Parliamentary

Question about the review of sentences of long-term prisoners

in Hong Kong for written rely on 25 February. The proposed

question and reply are submitted.

has agreed.

The Governor, Hong Kong

23 February 1971

Copies to:

Sir 3 Tomlinson

Six L Monson

Mr Laird (Hong Kong Department)

News Department (Mr Pendleton)

12.1. horson.

RB Crowson

Far Eastern Department

MA 50 K 258

This is as

kt.

agreed.

Kunhilford

As the question is

we have icluded

247

witte

1-the supp185

the text if the answe

CON PT DIRETAT,

--|

CONFIDI: TIAL

FEN 14/1

FA PERIA 2403352

CONFLUENTIAL

TO MEDIATE FCO TEL NO 155 CF 24 FEBRUANY INFO PRIORIT

MY TELKO 140.

18 FEC

TOP COPY

AFTER I HAD TOLD T'AM THIS MORTING ABOUT THE RELEASES OF

PRISAMIS IN HONG KU GIY 1.P.T.) HE WAS CALLED FROM THE

ROON. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONVERSATION AFTER HIS

RETURN! HE SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN ASKED BY VICE-MIN.STER CHIAO

KUAN-HUA TO THANK ME FOR MY INVITATION TO THE RECEPTION THIS

EVERING. UNFORTUNATELY HE WAS BUSY BUT OTHER QUOTE CHINESE

FRIENDS UPQUOTE LOULD ATTEND, THIS IS A MUST RENARKABLE

VOLTE FACE AND SHOWS YET AGAIN THE EXTENT TO WHICH POLITICS

ANE I CORMAND.

DENSON

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

FED

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1707 & CONF D

IRD

YEUG D

CONVIDENIAL

CONFIDENTIAL AMENDED DISTRIBUTION

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

PEKING 2403302

24 FEBRUARY 1971

TOP COPY

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 154 OF 24 FEBRUARY INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG.

Ju CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

I SAY T'ANG THIS MORNING AND SPOKE AS IN MY TELNO 135, TAKING INTO

ACCOUNT HONG KONG TELNO 114.

2. T'ANG WELCOMED THIS NEW EFFORT BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO

IMPROVE RELATIONS, BUT POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE STILL QUOTE AROUND 50 UNQUOTE QUOTE PATRIOTIC COMPATRIOTS UNQUOTE IN JAIL IN HONG KONG. HE URGED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE

SWIFT STEPS TO RELEASE THEM ALL.

те

3. 1 REPLIED THAT THERE WOULD, OF COURSE, BE NORMAL RELEASES.

THE BOARD OF REVIEW WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO MEET, AS WAS NORMAL. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WERE ANXIOUS TO REMOVE ALL IMPEDIMENTS TO

IMPROVING ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS, BUT THERE WERE PROBLEMS AND THEY

SHOULD BE TACKLED STEB BY STEP. WE REGARDED THIS STEP AS A SIGNIFICANT ONE. I EMPHASISED THAT THIS WAS NOT A SIMPLE MATTER.

THERE WAS A PROPER PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED IN HONG KONG, AND IT WOULD BE FOLLOWED. HE OBSERVED THAT THERE HAD BEEN IMPROVEMENTS

IN RELATIONS RECENTLY: AN AVIATION DELEGATION FROM BRITAIN

WAS DUE HERE SHORTLY. IMPEDIMENTS IN THE POLITICAL FIELD COULD HAVE

AN ADVERSE AFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS.

4. THE INTERVIEW WAS VERY RELAXED,

DENSON

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

FED

HKD

NEWS DEPT

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FFFFF

CONFIDENTIAL

}

CONFIDENTIAL

enterafer 262/

Mr Morgan

Fr Wilford

Mr Logan

Mr. Cuzzton

Aftlayard. SM

251

2.K

F.E.D.

25/V

Many thanks.

D. logu 25/2

FEX all well

CALL ON MR ROYLE BY CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AT 11 AM ON 24 FEBRUARY 1971

1. Mr Royle has summoned the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires, Mr P'ei, to call at 11 am tomorrow so that Mr Royle can inform him of the impending release on 25 February of 24 confrontation prisoners. Hong Kong telegram No 108 reporting the releases is attached. Mr Royle may also wish to refer to the cases of the ↳ British subjects still believed to be detained in China.

2. When Mr Royle last saw Mr P'ei on 15 January Mr Royle formally proposed an exchange of Ambassadors. Mr P'ei undertook to report back. Kr Royle may wish to ask Mr P'ei whether he can now let us have a reply.

Speaking Notes and background papers are submitted. Hong Kong Department concur.

4. Mr Morgan, who, will be back in the Office by then, would be glad to #epresent at the meeting if Mr Royle so wishes.

23 February 1971

Copy to:

Sir S Tomlinson

Sir L Monson

Mr Laird (Hong Kong Department)

1.6. horror.

RB Crowaon

Far Eastern Department

Reduften afte desinition with M. Wiffed Saltlagen

24~

CONFIDENTIAL

CALL ON MR ROYLE BY CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, MR P'EI,

AT 11 AM ON 24 FEBRUARY 1971

SPEAKING NOTES

RELEASE OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

I have asked you to come today to pass on an important

piece of information to you.

2. As a result of a further

e Hong Kong Government have decided to release

24 prisonera serving sentences of offences committed in

1967 and 1968. The releases will take place tomorrow,

25 February. In addition, one more prisoner will be

released in May.

3. I should emphasise that all those 25 to be released are

in addition to the steady rate of releases with full remission,

which has been taking place for the past three years.

4. This action by the Hong Kong Government is welcome to the

British Government. It stems from th

of the Hong Kong Government in dealing with prisoners.

5. This action by the Hong Kong Government will help to

remove one of the

Sino-British relations.

ht of

lucit to tranker fidely to

wisit Pelecy.

CONFIDENTIAL

-1-

CONFIDENTIAL

amerige couse of conversation

छ My colleagues and I have stated many times in Parliament and elsewhere that we welcome the improvement which has taken place in our relations over the past year. It has required efforts by both sides. We have noted the invitation issued to the Hawker Siddely delegation to go to Peking early next month for discussions. We hope that the visit will lead to positive results. When Mr Denson saw the new Minister of Foreign Trade on 5 February he outlined a whole series of

These practical measures to imerove our commercial relations. included an invitation to a Chinese Minister or Vice-Minister to lead a trade delegation to this country. It is our firm hope that the Chinese Government will accept this invitation, and we look forward to receiving the delegation.

7. Finally, I should like to ask you whether you are yet in a position to let us have some information about the four Eritish subjects still believed to be detained in China. are Mrs Epstein, Mrs Yang, Mr Shapiro and Mr Crook.

EXCHANGE OF AMBASSADORS

These

You

8. When I saw you on 15 January I proposed formally that our two countries should now proceed to exchange Ambassadors. undertook to pass on this proposal to your Government. agreed that discussion of this matter should take place in London. I should be grateful to know whether you can now let us have a reply on behalf of your Government.

DEFENSIVE SPEAKING NOTES

HONG KONG PRISONERS

All the prisoners in Hong Kong serving sentences for

in accordance offences committed in 1967 were tried in opta with the due process of law. They were given an opportunity to defend themselves in Court and are all eligible for normal remission of their sentences. Apart from one minor exception all the prisoners so far released have been granted remission of one-third of their sentence. All long-term prisoners have their sentences reviewed at regular intervals.

- 2 -

CONFIDENTIAL

CHINESE OBJECTIONS TO AN EXCHANGE OF AMBASSADORS

If Mr P'ei rejects an exchange of Ambassadors on the grounds of our vote on Chinese representation in the United Nations, the presence of our Consulate in Taiwan and our position on the

status of Taiwan

10. As you know, we have always advocated an unconditional exchange of Ambassadors between our two countries, ever since we first recognised the People's Republic of China. Moreover we have always voted for the Resolution calling for the occupation by the Chinese People's Republic of the China seat in the United Nations since the Resolution was first tabled. We shall study carefully your Government's reply.

11. We intend informing News Department of Mr P'ei's call in

the terms of the attached announcement.

- 3 -

CONFIDENTIAL

NOTE FOR NEWS DEPARTMENT

The Chinese Chorgé d'Affaires Mr P'ei called on Hr Royle at

11.00 am on 24 Febru^ry. The c-ll was at Mr Royle's request to

carry forward the discussion which took place when Mr P'el

made his courtesy call on Mr Royle on 15 January.

The content

of the discussion is confidential.

(If asked was the subject Laos discussed News Department will

say unattributably that it was not.]

Far Eastern Department

24 February 1971

CONFIDERIAL

INLEDIATE

A CLAIR

| CONFIDENTIAL)

TOP COPY

FM HONG KONG 230300Z

UNCLASSIFIED

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O. TELEGRAM NO. 118 OF 23 FEBRUARY INFO PEKING.

зь

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 163. [CONFRONTATION PRISONERS]

NO COMMENTS.

TRENCH

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

FED

HONG KONG D

PUSD

NEWS D

FEH

[CONFIDENTIAL]

COPY TO: UND (1)

ри

نامان

EN CLAIR

FM PEKING 230200Z

UNCLASSIFIED

FEH

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 148 OF 23 FEBRUARY 1971.

YOUR TELNO 86.

FOR WILFORD.

CALL POSTPONED.

DENSON

FILE S

FED

HONG KONG DEPT

SIR L MONSON HR "ILFORD SIR S TOMLINSON

pik

[

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL

KCH1 14/1

J B Denson Beq OBE PEKING

Eure

Deps (44:

23 February 1971

23/2

سلام

I apologise again for the confusion about the instructions to you for your talk with T'ang about the confrontation prisoners being released on 25 February, and despatched late on Friday afternoon before the receipt of your

Our telegram No. 155 was drafted telegram No. 135. This did not arrive until the Saturday and was dealt with by a duty officer. Unfortunately he does not seen to have been aware of the telegram which we sent off the previous day or I think he would have consulted me before agreeing that you should make your approach to the Chinese on a different date. Your choice of 23 February was natural enough given that the Governor had said that he did not object to the Chinese being told 48 hours in advance, On the other hand we had decided here that 24 hours warning was quite adequate and that was why our telegram No. 155 authorised you to speak on the same day as Mr. Royle would be seeing the Chargé here, Only on Monday morning did I see your telegram and our talegran No. 84 and that was why I had to ask you in a Flash telegram to try and delay your approach till 24 February I hope this was not too incomvenient and I am grateful to you for having done 80.

1340

2. As regards the Governor's telegram No. 116 complaining about what you were proposing to say, I hope you will agree that our reply was adequately firm!

KK Wilford

PERSONA & CONFIDENTIAL

(18281) D4. 391999- 1,500 2/69 Rw.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

..In Confidence

DRAFT

Personal a CCNFIDENTIAL

To:-

JB Denson Esq OBE PEKING

Type 1 +

From

Mr Wilforg

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

I apologise again for the confusion about the

instructions to you for your talk with T'ang about

the confrontation prisoners/being released on

25 February. Our telegram No, 155 was drafted and

despatched late on Friday afternoon before the receipt

of your telegram No.5. This did not arrive until

the Saturday and was dealt with by a duty officer.

Unfortunately he does not seem to have been aware of

the telegram which we sent off the previous day or I

Heat

think he would have consulted me before agreeing to a should make Your abbrone to the Chung the Bad different date for you to speak in Peking. Your

choice of 23 February was natural enough given that

hand

the Governor had said that he did not object to the

Chinese being told 48 hours in advance. On the other

hand He had decided here that 24 hours warning was

quite adequate and that was why our telegram No. 155

gáthorised you to speak on the same day as Er. Royle

would be seeing the Chargé here, Only on Monday

morning did I see your telegram and our telegram No. 84

and that was why I had to ask you in a Flash telegram

to try and delay your approach till 24 February. I

hope this was not too inconvenient and I am grateful

to you for having done so.

telegram No. 16 complaining

2. As regards the Governor's telegram No.

about what you were proposing to say, I hope you will

agree that our reply was adequately firm!

CONFIDENTIAL

nur 23/2

CYPHER CAT/A

A HONG KONG 238439Z

CONFIDENTIAL

EH 14

TO ROUTINE F.C.C. TELEGRAM NO. 119 OF 23 FEBRUARY

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 165: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

THANK YOU FOR THIS MESSAGE. I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF SHEWING IT TO ROBERTS, THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, WHO HAS THROUGHOUT BEEN OF THE GREATEST ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER,

TRENCH

FILES

DND

FED

PS 20 MR ROYLE

SIR L NOHSCH SIR 3 MILLJON Ik VELFORD

CONFIDENTIAL

Pla

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

RESTRICTED

(HK) En 14

14/

FM F.C.0. 221720Z

RESTRICTED.

TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 165 OF 22 FEBRUARY.

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

BEGINS.

''THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACCOUNT OF THE BOARD'S MEETING ON 18 FEBRUARY. YOU HAVE HANDLED THE MATTER OF THE PRISONERS WITH SKILL AND DISCRETION AND I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO YOU."

ENDS.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES:

HKD

FED

PS TO MR. ROYLE

SIR L. MONSON MR. WILFORD

SIR S. TOMLINSON

&&&&

RESTRICTED

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No. DEPARTMENT NX)

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

Tog-cret

Unclassifed

PRIVACY MARKING

PERSONAL

KXConfidence

Flach cfumadlare

Priority

Despatched

Security classification"

[Security_if any

En Clair

[

Privacy marking -if any

رب

Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addremoo(3).

2340

djkheden Hot

RESTRICTED. 22277202

Funda

Cypher

Draft Telegram te? Governor công

No. S

K Kong

(Date) 212

And to:-

[Codeword-if any]

.... -- J

Addressed to

GOVERNOR. HONG KONG

No........

165

.....(date)

telegram No.

And to

repeated for information to

22 February

uuTibot+=+=+=+

Repeat fo:-

Saving to...

Following is personal mexan for Governor,

Confrontation Prisoners.

Begins:

"Thank you for your account of the Board's

meeting on 18 February. You have handled the

Saving to:-

matter of the prisoners with skill and discretion

and I am most grateful to you."

Ends.

// 20

Distribution:-

Files

H.K Deft

FED

Copies to:

Sir L. Must

24/7/11 The Wilfert

P/S

2218002

P/S & M Royle

де

22 2

Mr. Wilford

345

FEH IL

The Secretary of State as the Governor of Hong Kong's telegram No. 108 and would like to send the attached personal message. Do you see any objection?

Grad.

ངམ་ཚིགན་

(J! A. N. Graham)

22 February, 1971.

objection

I hope however that

Copied to:

expect

the Sofs will not

Sir L. Monson

from

MV PX

Mogan SM. Ank

Mr. 17

242.

For now on 24/

Enter

gratitude

the Governor! Si L. Maram

اجد

Six L. Moom agress.

him half. 7

22 2. The Garan

24.2.71

14/2

ビ

24/~

Kr Wixford

CONFIDENTIAL

324

160

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

FEH 14/1

1. In FCO telegram No 155 we informed the Governor, Hong Kong, that we proposed to inspire a Parliamentary Question about the release of prisoners in Hong Kong

for reply on 25 February.

A draft telegram containing

the proposed question and answer together with

Supplementaries is submitted.

2. Hong Kong Department concur.

22 February 1971

Copies to:

Mr Logan

R.A. Govern

RB Crows on

Far Eastern Department

K 258

Shave

MA 50

FroTel 103

beluma

recast the question

and answer comes that. I feous

Sir S Tomlinson

Sir L Monson

Mr Laird

I can't find

place for

"but perhaps

(Hong Kong Dept)

"humans",

Hat will come i

to heat of

the authent

ant warg

Enter pre

|24/

CONFIDENTIAL

tím hilforw

Cleared with Sil Maand

устрачий ми гори

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT/A

FM HONG KONG 2235827

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O. TELEGRAM NO. 114 GF 22 FEBRUARY IMMEDIATE INFO

PEKING

MY TELEGRAM NO. 108: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

TWO POINTS OF CLARIFICATION ON PUBLICITY:

(A) GUR FUBLIC STATEMENTS WILL INCLUDE THE FACTS ABOUT THE PRISONER DUE UT ABOUT 2 MAY AS IN MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE, WITH THE SINGLE MODIFICATION THAT WE SHALL NOT GIVE THE EXACT DATE BUT WILL SAY ''IN MAY''.

(B) WE SHALL NOT VOLUNTEER THE INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD'S MEETING ON 18 FEBRUARY WAS ADDITIONAL BUT, IF ASKED, WILL SAY THAT IT WAS ADDITIONAL AND THAT IT IS THE BOARD'S PRACTICE TO MEET MORE THAN ONCE A CUARTER IF BUSINESS REQUIRES.

2. 1 THINK IT WOULD BE BEST TO FOLLOW THE SAME LINES IN ANYTHING SAID TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

TRENCH

FILES

FED

HKD

PS TO PUS

PS TO MR ROYLE SIR S TOMLINSON MR WILFORD

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

हु

CONFIDENTIAL

IMMEDIATE

RESTRICTED

TOP COPY

FEA

10/1

CYPHER CAT A

FM F C O 221100Z

RESTRICTED

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELNO 86 OF 22 FEBRUARY INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HỒNG KONG.

MY TELNO. 847

FOLLOWING FROM WILFORD.

I APOLOGISE FOR MUDDLE ABOUT TIMING DUE TO WEEKEND. I WOULD MUCH PREFER THAT YOU DID NOT, REPEAT NOT, SEE MFA, TILL 24 FEBRUARY.

DOUGLAS-HOME

Ꮀ

FILES

FED

HKD

MR WILFORD

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1085/7/2/22

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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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(Date)

* Date and time (@,M.T.) telegram should

FEMA IMMEDIAT Despatched

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Top Geogr

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reach addresse

POST BY #12301002

POSTBY

22/2

CYPH

Security classification -if any

[Codeword-if any]

RESTRICTED 22/1002

Draft Telegram to:-

Addressed to

Peking

telegram No.

And to

Peking 86

22/2

No.--

(Date)

And to:-

Repeat to:-

Saving to:-

Distribution:-

Fills

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Thr. Wolford

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repeated for information to....

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тет

(date) 22 Je

Jebruary

Gov. HK (immediate).

My tet No 84 Following from halford

I apologise for muddle about timing

I would much prefer

due to weekend

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CONFIDENTIAL

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(FE)

CYPHER/CAT A

FM FCQ 221742Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMEDIATE HONG KONG TELEGRAM Y90. 164 OF 22 FEBRUARY FO

IMMEDIATE PEKING.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 115 : CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

THE FACT IS THAT WHENEVER YE DISCUSS SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS

WITH THE CHINESE THEY INVARIABLY MENTION THE CONFRONTATION

PRISONERS. WHILE ME SHALL CERTAI ILY CONTINUE TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC LINKING OF THE WSĈUES, I THINK IT IS QUITE UNSEALISTIC

TO PRETEND, IN THE COURSE OF OUR OFFICIAL CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE, THAT THEY ARE WHOLLY UHRELATED, PENSON WILL BE SPEAKING TO T'ANC I CONFIDENCE AND I CAN SEE NO REASON PHEY HE SHOULD

'ST USE THE LANGUAGE HE HAS PROPOSED AND DOES NOT ME ANY WAY

SUGGEST WE HAVE RESPONDED TO CHINESE PRESSURE. WE HAVE SPOKEM SIMILARLY TO CHINESE CHARGES HERE IN THE PAST.

DOUGLAS HCME

DEPARATENTAL DISURIBUTION:

FOD HRD HEJS D.

COMP. DENTI AL

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

FED

• Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s)

--.-----.

22/2

2323

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION PRIORITY MARKINGS

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential Restriccio

"Mlaclassified-

Immediate

"Rousing-

(Date).

Despatched

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

EXOOX

07*XX Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

HONG KONG

[Security classification]

[

if any

Privacy marking ]

-if any

[Codeword-if any)]....

CONFIDENTIAL 221442 Z.

והו11 GI

(date)

22/9

----------------‒‒‒¬..........co➖▪

IMMEDIATE Peking

Addressed to

HONG KONG

telegram No.....

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(Date) 22/2

repeated for information to f

FALL JILL

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Saving to

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Your telegram No. 116

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CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

The fact is that whenever we discuss Sino-

Saving to:-

British relations with the Chinese they invariably

While we

Distribution-- Departmental

FED

HK Dept. News

Sir L Monson

Copies to:-

and does not in any way suggest

we have responded

to Chinen penna

shall certainly continue to avoid any public linking

of the issues, I think it is quite unrealistic to

pretend, in the course of our official contacts with

the Chinese, that they are wholly unrelated. Denson

will be speaking to T'ang in confidence and I can

see no reason why he should not use the language he

has proposed. We have spoken similarly to Chinese

-Tlarges

احبها در

$1800 Z

IN.433246

1/64 G.W.3 L&L Gp $43

Chargés here in the past

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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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CYPHER CAT A

F: F C O 221746Z

CONFIDENTIAL

(FE)

TOP

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TEL, NO 163 OF 22 FEBRUARY INFO PEKING.

なる

MY TELEGRAM NO 155: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

1. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE PROPOSED TEXTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY

QUESTION AND ANSWER TOGETHER WITH SUPPLEMENTARIES. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR URGENT COMMENTS.

QUESTION

TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

WAT ARE THE ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG FOR THE REVIEW OF THE

SENTENCES OF LONG-TERM PRISONERS.

IT IS NORMAL FOR THE SENTENCES OF ALL LONG-TERM PROSONERS IN

HONG KONG TO BE REVIEWED REGULARLY BY THE PRISON BOARD OF REVIEW WHICH MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR. AT A RECENT MEETING, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE VARYING SENTENCES PASSED

•ON A NUMBER OF PRISONERS FOR COMPARABLE OFFENCES SHOULD BE BROUGHT

NTO LINE. AS A RESULT SOME 24 PRISONERS ARE BEING RELEASED TODAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S INSTRUCTIONS. WHAT ARE THE USUAL CRITERIA?

THE PRISONER'S STATE OF HEALTH AND CONDUCT IN PRISON AND THE

CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS OFFENCE ARE ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT DURING THE

REVIEW OF HIS SENTENCE TOGETHER WITH ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS. LINK BETWEEN THE RELEASE OF PRISOMERS AND DETAINED BRITISH

SUBJECTS.

ALL THE RELEASES WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN

AUTHORISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED REVIEW PROCEDURE.

DOUGLAS-HONE

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION:

FED

HRD

FULD.

NEWS DEPT

&&&&

CONFIDENTIAL

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT ED

wilfered,

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

Jap-Ferre

-Emergency

ConBdential

Despatched

Uncisacifad

* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressce(s)

22/2

2336

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CONFIDENTIAL 12 1740 Z

Cypher

Draft Telegrafo:-

Security classification -if any

[Codeword-if any]

Addressed to VHONG KONG )( IMMEDIATE)

ILIJU

THONG

telegram No.

163.

No..

163

And to

(Date)

22/2

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....(date).....

22/2

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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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And 10:-

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PEKING

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News Dept.

Copies to

Sir L Monson

repeated for information to... PEKING ROUTINE

II. ME

Saving-10..

My telegram No. 155:

Confrontation Prisoners.

The following are the proposed texts of the

Parliamentary Question and answer together with

should be grateful for your

supplementaries.

urgent comments.

QUESTION

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and

What are

Commonwealth Affairs whethan be in satisfied with

the arrangements in Hong Kong for the review of the

sentences of long-term prisoners.

It is normal for the sentences of all

long-term prisoners in Hong Kong to be reviewed

regularly by the Prison Board of Review which makes

recommendations to the Governor. At a recent

meeting, for example, they recommended that the

varying sentences passed on a number of prisoners

for comparable offences should be brought into line,

As a result some 24 prisoners are being released

today in accordance with the Governor's instructions

WHAT ARE THE USUAL CRITERIA?

The prisoner's state of health and conduct in

prison and the circumstances of his offence are.

KANNTIAL

ken

CONFIDENTIAL

taken into account during the review of his sentence together with

any other relevant factors.

LINK BETWEEN THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS AND DETAINED BRITISH

SUBJECTS.

All the releases which have taken place in Hong Kong have been

authorised in accordance with established review procedure.

Send

22/2/2

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

mith in 2006 Muk! $15.

CONFIDENTIAL

•

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

FM HONG KONG 22353CZ

CONFIDENTIAL

FEA

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O. TELNO. 116 OF 22 FEBRUARY 1971

IMMET LATE INFO PEKING

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 84 TO PEKING

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 84 ARRIVED HERE BEFORE PEKING TELNO. 135 WAS RECEIVEL.

2. IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS A VIEW, I WOULD HAVE REQUESTED THAT CHARGE D'AFFAIRES MAKE NO REPEAT NO REFERENCE TO SINC-BRITISH RELATIONS. IN MY VIÊN THE SUGGESTED ADDITION TENDS

UNDESIRABLY TO CONNECT THE PRISONERS WITH POLITICAL GESTURES. STILL OF THIS CPINION.

I AM

3. GRATEFUL IF I MIGHT BE CONSULTED IN ALL CASES IN MATTERS SUCH AS THIS BEFORE DECISIONS ARE TAKEN.

FOO PASS PEKING.

TRENCH

REPEATED AS REQUESTED/

FILES

FED

HKD

PS TO PUS

PS TO MR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON... MR WILFORD

CONFIDENTIAL

ترة

IMMEDIATE

EN CLAIR

FK FCO 2011573

UNCLASSIFIED

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 84 OF 20 FEBRUARY INFO

HONGKONG.

YOUR TELNO 135.

WE AGREE TO YOUR PROPOSALS AND HAVE NOTHING TO ADD.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

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IR WILFORD

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34 A

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

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Restricted

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In Confidence

[Security

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[

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Security classification -if any

Privacy marking -if any

[Codercord-if any]

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Draft Telegram to:- PEKING $4

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* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

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Saving to....

Your telno 135.

HONG KONG

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Distribution: FED HKD Mr Wilford

Copies to:-

to your proposals and have

add.

Kull 20/2

(K. MANNING FED

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 2003152

CONFIDENTIAL

FEH 14/1

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 135 OF 20 FEBRUARY INFO HONG KONG,

HONG KONG TELNO 108 TO YOU: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

I SHOULD LIKE TO CALL ON T'ANG ON THE MORNING OF 23 FEBRUARY

TO INFORM HIM ABOUT THE RELEASES. I WOULD PROPOSE TO SPEAK IN THE

SENSE OF THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 5 OF THE TELEGRAM

UNDER REFERENCE AND TO SAY ALSO THAT WE HOPE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT

WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS, IS THERE

ANYTHING FURTHER WHICH SHOULD ADD?

2. GRATEFUL FOR REPLY BY Ø600 HOURS GĦT ON 22 FEBRUARY.

DENSON

FILES

FED

HKD

PS TO PUS

PS TO MR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON MR WILFORD

NNNNN

CONFIDENTIAL

1th

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FM FCO 191833Z

CONFIDENTIAL

(FED)

FEAT 14/1

TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 155 OF 19 FEBRUARY INFO PRIORITY PEKING.

YOUR TELNO 18.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

THIS IS VERY WELCOME, AND I NOTE THAT THE BOARD WILL MEET AGAIN IN A MONTHS TIME.

2. YOUR PROPOSALS ON TIMING ARE QUITE ACCEPTABLE. WE WOULD INVITE THE CHINESE CHARGE TO CALL ON 24 FEBRUARY TO SEE MR ROYLE AND MR DENISON WOULD BE ABLE TO WARN THE CHINESE IN PEKING THE SAME DAY AS PROPOSED IN PEKING TELNO 118, OR BY CALLING AT THE MFA IF HE PREFERRED THIS.

3. IN SPEAKING TO THE CHARGE MR ROYLE WILL USE THE FORMULATION IN PARA 6 OF YOUR TEL UNDER REFERENCE STRESSING THAT THE RELEASES STEM FROM THE NORMAL AND HUMANE PROCEDURES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN DEALING WITH PRISONERS. IT IS ALSO PROPOSED TO INSPIRE A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION IN GENERAL TERMS FOR ANSWER ORALLY ON 25 FEBRUARY WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO GET THE SAME FORMULA ON THE PUBLIC RECORD. THE QUESTION WOULD BE ANSWERED IN WRITTEN FORM IF NOT REACHED. TEXT OF QUESTION AND PROPOSED ANSWER WILL

BE TELEGRAPHED TO YOU IN ADVANCE.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES:

FED

HKD

NEWS D.

PS.

PS TO PUS

P3 TO MR ROYLE

SIR L MONSON

SIR S TULINSON

MR WILFORD

SIR J JUMISTON

CONFIDENTIAL.

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* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s)

IIII..

Temter.

Registry No. DEPARTMENT

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

ሰላ

1218

Top Spare

Confidential Kevricted

Chakerified

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1735

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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CONFIDENTIAL

- IM....-PIL. ..-'

1918302

ETC.

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Draft Telegram/fo:--

'Gov. Hangkang

155.

No.

(Date)

fand to:--

[Codeword-if any)

Addressed to

Gov. Hong Kong

15$ (date) 19/2

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telegram No...

19/2

And to

repeated for information to

Peking

Repeat to

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1/177

Saving 10

Your Fel N: 108 Confrontation prismers.

This is very welcome,

again

I note that the

month time.

Beard will meet

Saving to:-

2. Your proposals

on timing are

quite

kre world

invite the Chinese Charge to

acceptable.

call

Distribution:-

Files

FED

HKD

Neurs Dept

PS.

PS KRVS Capire spr

PS. ATH: Royle

Sir L. Monic

Sie S. This

24 February to see M: Royle and Mi

Denson would

be able to worm

proproed

to Chinam in

Pelzing

in Pekking Fel N. 118,

the same day or by calling at the M.F. A. if he preferred this.

3. In speaking to tho Charge M. Royle will

are the formentations in para 6 of your Fel

unter

reference stressing that the releases

stem from the normal

and humane procedures

of 15 Hong Kong gor! in reating with prismmers.

It is alan propraent to inspire

Question

a Parliamentary

orally

general

Free and four

which will enable

25 February which will

محمد

get

would be answered

the same formed on

the public record. The question

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of to question and propraco проброст

answer will be telegraphed to you

andrance.

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(83347) (2) 3obu 14% #1

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Mr Wilford

CONFIDENTIAL

132

314

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

1. A draft reply to Peking telegram No 118 is

submitted.

2. Hong Kong Department concur.

19 February 1971

SALMurgen

J A L Morgan

Fast 17/1

Far Eastern Department

We now have the Governor's tel

Copy to: Mr Laird (Hong Kong Dept)

No 108 which I have

discutent with M: Royle.

attach

draft Felegram

based

what

ple

agreed

Kun wit

with him

19/2

CONFIDENTIAL

BEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

P4 HONG KONG 1939102

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTJAL

TOP COPY

Ex 1/1

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.C. TELNO. 128 OF 19 FEBRUARY 1971

IMEDIATE INFO PEKING

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 123 TO ME: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

THE PRISON BOARD OF REVIEW, WHICH HET ON 18 FEBRUARY, RECOMMENDED TO ME

UNDER CONSIDERATION.

I HAVE ACCEPTED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

2. 22 OF THE PRISONERS WERE DUE FOR RELEASE ON 29 JULY THIS YEAR, ASSUMING REMISSION OF ONE -THIRD. THE BOARD OF REVIEW RECOMMENDED THAT THEIR SENTENCES OF SIX YEARS SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO LINE WITH SENTENCES OF FOUR AND FIVE YEARS PASSED ON OTHERS WHO HAD COMMITTED SIMILAR OFFENCES AND THAT THEY SHOULD THEREFORE BE RELEASED AS SOON AS CONVENIENT. THE BOARD ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT SENTENCES ON TWO OTHER PRISONERS DUE FOR RELEASE NOT EARLIER THAN 2 JUNE 1972 AND 2 SEPTEMBER 1972 SHOULD BE REDUCES

RESULTING

IN ONE BECOMING DUE FOR RELEASE IMMEDIATELY AND THE OTHER ON ABOUT 2 YAY.

IN ADDITION, AND QUITE SEFERATELY FROM THE BOARD OF REVIEW,

I HAVE TECIDED THAT FUNG CHUN-SING SHOULD BE RELEASED AT THE SAME TIME ON ERGUNDS OF UNDUE HARDSHIP IN PRISON RESULTING

FROM PARTIAL DISABLEMENT. HIS EARLIEST PELEASE DATE WOULD HAVE BEEN

9 MAY 1976.

40 IN SHORT, 24 CONFRONTATION PRISONERS WILL BE RELEASED NEXT THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY AND ONE OTHER ABOUT 2 MAY, APART FROM NORMAL RELEASES IN THE SAME PERIOD ON EXPIRY OF SENTENCE.

CONFIDENTIAL

/5. I HAVE

CONFIDENTIA L

I HAVE CHOSEN THIS DATE BECAUSE YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO M ARRANCEMENTS TO INFORM CHINESE GOVERNMENT OF THESE DECISIONS.

HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER 48 HOURS NOTICE TO THEM SUFFICIENT. IF WE GAVE THEM MORE WORD WOULD GET BACK TO THE COMMUNISTS HERE IN TIME FOR THEY CERTAINLY TO ORGANISE

DE'NSTATIONS, AND POSSIBLY TO MOUNT AN IMPRESSIVE AND PRIOR 'FREE

HE PRISONERS' CAMPAIGN TO WHICH THE ACTUAL RELEASE MIGHT BE

I HOPE YOU WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO AVOID

....SE.

ANY SUGGESTION THAT THESE RELEASES ARE MOTIVATED BY POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND WOULD STRESS THAT THEY FOLLOW FROM THE NORMAL

AND

6. WE SHALL AVOID PUBLICITY UNTIL THE RELEASES HAVE TAKEN PLACE. OUR INFORMATION SERVICES WILL THEN SAY THAT AS A RESULT OF AN ADEIT- IONAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF REVIEW, RECOMMENDATIONS HAD BEEN MADE AND ACCEPTED BY ME AS DESCRIBED IN PAPA, 2 ABOVE.

7. THE BOARD OF REVIEW WILL MEFT AGAIN ON 18 MARCH WHEN SO FAR ABOUT 8 MORE CONFRONTATION PRISONERS WILL BE CONSIDERED SEMICOLON BUT THEY ARE MORE DIFFICULT CASES THAN THIS BATCH AND I DO NOT EXPECT THE BOARD TO RECOMMEND REDUCTIONS IN SENTENCE IN MORE THAN A PROPORTION OF THEM. MOREOVER, REDUCTIONS OF SENTENCE WILL NOT NECESSARILY MEAN VERY EARLY RELEASE

STVERTED TO

FIXED TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT AS IS NOT UNUSUAL HERE ON REVIEW BY THE

BCARD.)

A LIST OF THE MANES OF THE PRISONERS TO BE RELEASED ON 25

FEBRUARY FOLLOWS BY BAG.

TRENCH

FILES

F.E.D.

H.K.D.

PRIVATE SECRETARY

P.S./P.U.S.

P.S./MR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON

MR WILFORD

-2-

CONFIDENTIAL

| г

SONATHAN FIND

CYPHER CAT A

SPY

FX PEKING 16030OZ

CONFIDENTIAL

TO ROUTINE F C O TELNO 118 OF 16 FEBRUARY INFO HONG KONG

CPERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR).

HONG KONG TELNO 61 TO F C OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

I AM HOLDING A RECEPTION ON 24 FEBRUARY TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE REPAIRED CHANCERY TO WHICH I AM INVITING SENIOR CHIMESE OFFICIALS AND IT WOULD ES FELICITOUS IF THE CHINESE COULD BE TOLD IN ADVANCE THAT SOME RELEASES WERE TO BE MADE IN HONG KONG. DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE COARD OF REVIEW, AND THE SUBSEQUENT PROCEDURES NECESSARY, I HOPE THAT YOU KAY FIND IT POSSIBLE TO

SEND ME INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE THAT DATE.

DEISON

FILES

TED

FID

TO 1-VS

F3 TO IR ROYLE SIR L HOMSON SIR 3 TOMLINSON HR WILFORD

Plan BWV 1986.

MAI?

*7337

CONFIDENTIAL

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

(24)

He Will and Mi72 Mr Link this

Sys

OFFICE OF THE BRITISAFFAIRSE Sou

PEKING

FEHMI

9 February 1971

J AL Morgan Esq

FED

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Dear John,

SALMAG-

Mr Appleyard.

16.2

Encerapka

тары

If as a result of the meeting of the Board of Review on 18 February (Hong Kong telegram no. 61) it is found possible to

it would be helpful

here if we could inform the Chinese in advance, or at least not later than the news becomes public (or known to the Communists in Hong Kong). This need not necessarily be done at a very high level, certainly not above T'ang.

Yours ever,

Jam

J B Dengon

cc AF Maddocks, Esq

HONG KONG

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

Cutting dated

THE PEOPLE

NO JAN ****

Sir Alec

in clash

People Diplomatta

Correspondent

ROW

between

Str

Alec Douglas-Home, Foreign Secretary, and Sir David French, Governor of Hong Fing, is holding up a gES- ture of friendship by Britain towards China.

Bir Alec wants the early release of the bulk of the 74 Chinese imprisoned in Hong Kong for their part In the June, 1968, riots.

But Sir Day'o, an old- style governor who believes leniency creates only more trouble, is prepared to free only a few prisoners whose sentences have almost pired

Behind Bir Alec's plan, put forward after China un- freed British expectedly

bank manager David John- son, la a desire to complete negotiations for trade deals worth millions of pounds.

Pla

Fest well

/28

پاستور

forsk

pait

Cutting dated

DAILY EXPRESS

23 DEC 1/ 19

FRIENDLY GESTURE:

IN another gesture

of friendliness to the West, China announces the release of Mr. David Johnston, a British bank manager who has been detained without trial for two and a half years. With his liberation all short-term British residents under arrest in China will have been freed.

This is a welcome sign of returning sanity after the excesses of the Red Guards.

It would be wrong to assume that China is going to behave with civilised restraint in future. But at least she deserves credit for rectifying some of the crimes of the past.

If she is sincerely trying to improve relations with the rest of the world we should move to meet her. And the best way to do that is to increase Anglo- Chinese trade.

FINANCIAL TIMES

23 DEC 1970

Cutting dated

China to release Briton arrested in 1968

BY CHARLES SMITH, FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT

CHINA is to release Me. D. Job th

who was arrested in August 1965, the Foreign Office was informed yesterday.

Royle. Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Foreign Office, with Mr. Ma Chia-Chun, the de parting Chargé d'Affaires in London, who was paying a fare well call Mr. M. however, is The release, coupled with Its believed to have had nothing tling just before Christmas, | new to say on the subject, and could prove to be a highly signifi- | it seems that the decision to cant development for Sino-British release Mr. Johnston has been relations.

taken in Peking independently of any moves recently made by Britain.

Mr. Johnston, although not the last British citizen to be held in China, is the only remaining one who was not a permanent resi- dent of China before his arrest. The Chinese note announcing his release which was handed yeater day to Mr. John Denson, the CAfire in Peking, said that Mr. Johnston will arrive in Hong Kong on Christmas Day.

British Chargé

The question of British de tainees in China was raised earlier this week by Mr. Anthony

The implication which follows is that the Chinese Government, which has previously tended to release British prisoners only in response to gestures made by the UK, is now attempting to take the inftiative in Stud Britsh reintiol saywallbe-hoping that Britain will respond by the release of Chinese prisoners who were arrested during the 1987 clots in Hong Kong.

There are believed to be be

৯

tween 60 and 70 Hong Kong prisoners whose sentences were directly connected with the 1987 riots and the last of them, under full remission, is not due to be released until 1974. However the Governor of Hong Kong has the right to declare an amnesty for any or all of the prisoners Small numbers

In addition, the Hong Kong Government das recently released small numbers of the prisoners

sentenced during 1967 on medical grounds. Four prisoners with serious illnesses were released in Hong Kong in October, a few days before China ended the de tendon of Mr Peter Crouch, a British merchant navy officer

who had been arrested in 1968 Since then a further small batch of Hong Kong prisoners bas come out of jail fagain on health grounds), but without provoking ang immediate response from Peking.

It remains highly uncertain whether the Hong Kong Govern- ment will release more of those arrested during the 1967 riots. especially since any step in this direction could lead to allegations within the Colony of discrimina. tion between one set of prisoners and another. However, there is Ilitle doubt that such a move would produce a further im- provement in Britain's relations with China.

These could be improved either by the raising of diplomatic re lations to ambassadorial level, or by a further increase in the volume of Sino-British trade. On the trade front Britain is already doing well having Increased its exports last year to over £50m. compared with the previous year's total of £28.5m. But it is known that China may be in the market for large purchases of capital goods and the UK is believed to be in the running for several major contracts.

Editorial comment Page 12

Peking frees

'Briton in

Christmas

gesture

By A. M. Rendel Diplomatic Correspondent

Cuiting dated

China has agreed to release Mr. David Johnston, the 56 1 year-old British manager of the Chartered Bank's branch in Shanghai, who was arrested at the height of the Cultural Revo- lution in August, 1968, and accused of spying. He is expec- ted to cross the frontier into Hongkong on Christmas Day.

Mr. John Denson, the British Chargé d'Affures in Peking, was called to the Foreign Ministry on Monday and told that Mr. Johnston was to be released today in Shanghai.

The Foreign Office spokesman said yesterday that everything possible was being done to assist Mrs. Johnston to fly to Hong. kong, to be there when her hus- band crosses the bridge at LowWU,

This is the latest in a series of signs that the Chinese Govern- ment now desire an improvement in relations with Britain. They would certainty iske an increase in trade and there are good pros pects for it in particular the Chinese need fertilizers and transport aircraft.

What is significant is that the Chinese have made this gesture at the Christmas season without putting forward say condition whatever, although they must have in mind that the Chinese New Year celebrated with an much enthusiasm as Christmas here-falls early in 1971 and that there are 74 Chinese subjects it prison in Hongkong convicted of grave crimes of violence dur- ing the Hongkong disturbances of June, 1968. Clea:ly some reciprocal gesture will be looked for, and the Hongkong Govern- ment is no doubt considering seriously what sort of response would be appropriate.

Mr. Juhaston's release leaves Do Brush subjects officially

THE TIMES

23 DEC 1970

Mes. Elizabeth Johnston celebrating her husband's release. She hopes to fly to Hongkong for his arrival on Christmas Day.

under arrest in China, but four are still believed to be detained.

They are Mrs. Gladys Yang, the British wife of a Chinese, who worked as a literary translator and is believed to have been in custody since July, 1968; Mrs Elsie Epstein, formerly Ehie Fairfax-Cholmondeley, arrested with her American husband, Mr. Israel Epstein: Mr. Michael Shapiro, aged 57, once a com- munist councillor at Stepney and Later a translator employed by the Government in Peking; and Mr. David Crook, who had also been

employed by the Chinese Gov- ernment. The last three are be lieved to have been detained since the end of 1967

A Staff Reporter writes: Mr. Johnston's wife said yesterday at her home in Bramhall, Cheshire: "It is the best Christmas present this family has ever had. We are overjoyed and very, very excited."

She added: "I have had an open booking for a fight to Hongkong and I think I shall have to fly out to see him as soon as it can be arranged.

IT! M) (UTR) E

115

FINANCIAL TIMES

Cutting dated

1579

29 DEC $572, 19

Plea for leftists held in Hong Kong riots

TWO left wing Hong Kong newspapers to-day published letters from relatives of people detained during the 1967 lefumi riots here demanding their imme- diate release.

The letters-published three days after the British banker, Mr. David Johnston, arrived here after 35 months' detention in China-claimed the detainees bad suffered severe izental and physical torture.

Over 70 people are still serving prison sentences out of about 1,000 arrested during the distur bances.

The letters appeared in thei Chinew-language Wen Wei Pao and Ta Kung Pao newspapers, Hoa: Kong's two main pro-Peking journals. The letters alleged that the detainees had been, arrested without reason and con-i victed na trumped-up charges. They have been victims of severi beatings, diseases, cold, -bunger and torture." the letter!

in the Wen Wel Pao said.

We demand that the Hong :Kang British authorities im- mediately release all our kith and kin and give them freedom." It added.

The letter in the Ta Kung Pao contained similar allegations of cruelty sad a **solemn demand *for the detainees' releases.

Mr. Johnston, the former man- ager of the Shangbai branch of the Chartered Bank, left for London to-night. Asked if he was feeling better after three days' rest in Hong Kong the 56- yearold banker told exporters:

A sort of reaction bas set in." His wife Elizabeth who flew here. from England to meet him at the] border, said: "We will feel much better on the plane."

Mr. Johnston looked relaxed as he walted for bis fight in the,

HONG KONG, Dec. 28.

VIP room on Hong Kong airport. Asked if he would give a Press conference

to I ondan. Mr. Johnston said: "1 do not want to talk about it at this montent," But the Hong Kong branch inanager of the Chartered Bank, ; Mr. David Müller said a Press conference had been scheduled in London.

Mr. Miller fended off further questions, saying Mr. Johnston bad already given a Press con- ference shortly after his arrival, Reuter

79/12

[

FINANCIAL TIMES

Cutting dated 23 DEC 1970 19 A Chinese gesture

THE RELEASE of Mr. D. C. Johnston, the former manager of the Chartered Bank in Shang- hai, which WES anzgunced yesterday by the Chinese Government, is an important step towards the normalisation of Sino-British relations, Mr. Johnston was the last British detainee In China who was not either employed by the Chinese before the Cultural Revolution or permanently resident in Chine for other reasons. It seems that Peking has taken the instrative in letting him out 10 time for Christmas Instead of having to be shamed into doing so by some previous initiative on the part of Britain. It re Kains to be asked what China expects by way of return for this gesture.

Hong Kong prisoners

The answer, almost certainly. de that China is trying to obtain the release of the Chinese prisoners in Hong Kong who were arrested during the 1967 riots and who, in some cases, are under sentences lasting until 1974. There is no doubt about the Involvement of any of the men stil! under arrest in the violence which swept the British colany during 1967 when the Cultural Revolution spilled over from China, and the Hong Kong Government deserves credit for already having gone a long way to minimise their sentences.

All the prisoners have received the maximum legal remission and several have bren released from jail on medical grounds. But it still within the Governor's power to cut short the remaining sentences_hy special amnesty if he feels that It would be safe in the CONGRE of Hong Kong's internal situa- tlon for him to do so.

If such a move were made in Hong Kong (ideally in time for the Chinese New Year which falls at the beginning of Febru- ary) there can be no doubt that the fect on Britain's relations with bung Wold be very

marked Indeed. China has just appointed 17 Bew Chargé d'Affaires to its mission in Lon- don, replacing a stiplnant who has been in Britain for the past seven years and there can be little doubt that the new man will be better placed than hir predecessor to pursue a positive line of action

China's trade with Britain. which has tended to stagnate this year anter very rapid expan- sion in 1949, may also be on the verge of a new take-off. But the Chinese are not above hint- ing that any purchase of British capital goods (or of sirereft In. which the UK appears to be very de#nitely making the running) could be dependent on a satisfactory solution to political problems.

The remaining sphere in which Britain's relations with China conto be improved is that of diplomatic representation. China insists on keeping its mission in London at the level of Arting Chargé d'Affaires de spite the fact that it has pow exchanged ambassadors with many countries in the West. including France, Italy and Canada. In order to induce the Chinese to accept a British Ambassador in Peking, the U.K would probably have to do more than speed up the release of prisoners in Hong Kong.

Taiwan problem

It would need also (according te indications from Peking) to withdraw the present British Consul from Tamsul, the provin- cial capita' of Taiwan, and to abandon its frequently stated position that the international status of Taiwan 1s undeter- mined." But even if the Govern ment feels unable to go as far as this in the tramediate future there is no doubt that scope does exist to achieve an impor tant improvement in relations. with China. For once the Chipere-hext takes dhe inISIN tive in making a gesture towards Britain. It would be a mistake for Britain bot la respond.

بے

Cutting dated

THE PEOPLE

10 JAN ****

Sir Alec

in clash

People Diplomatie Correspondent

SIT

ROW belween Alec Douglas-Home, Poreign Becretary, and Sir David Trench, Governor of Hong Fang, is holding up a ges ture of friendship by Britain towards China,

Sir Alec wants the early release of the bulk of the 74 Chinese imprisoned Hong Kong for their paTİ in the June, 1968, riots.

But Su David, an old- style governor who believes leniency creates only more trouble, is prepared to trea only a few prisoners whose sentences have almost ex pied.

Behind Sir Alec's plan, put forward after China un- freed British expectedly

bank manager David John- son, is a desire to complete pegollations for trade deals worth millions of pounds.

そ

コ

יו

LONDRES, HG.~ NORMALISATION (UN) (SIGNE GEORGES HORIAT)

LA GRANDE BRETAGNE ET LA CHINE FRANCHIRONT DANS QUELQUES JOURS UNE NOUVELLE ETAPE DANS LA NORMALISATION DE LEURS RELATIONS DIPLOM- ATIQUES, APPREND-ON. DE BONNE SOURCE. . JOHN DENSON, ACTUELLEMENT CHARGE D'AFFAIRES

PAR INTERIM'' A PEKIN, DEVIENDRA CHARGE D'AFFAIR- ES ''EN TITRE"! ET IL EST PROBABLE QUE SON HOMOLOGUE CHINOIS A LONDRES, M. P'El CHIEN TCHING, ASSUMERA LE MEME RANG.

A ON APPREND EN OUTRE QUE LES AUTORITES BRITANNIQUES DE HONG KONG

- A L'OCCASION DU NOUVEL AN CHINOIS PROCEDERONT PROCHAINEMENT UNE LARGE AMNISTIE DONT BENEFICIERONT LES DETENUS CHINOIS CONDAMNES A DES PEINES DE PRISON A LA SUITE DES TROUBLES QUI ONT EU LIEU DANS 'LA COLONIE PENDANT LA REVOLUTION CULTURELLE.

-- - - --

7" Jan, 1971.

}

EXTRACT

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

9/1/20

8- S.C.M. POST, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 11

South China Morning Post No amnesty for 1967 prisoners

news

'N our late news column fomented riots, de or 23who in yesterday published threw bombe

a cable report from London other ways did their best-

to destroy the peace of the community.

It difficult to see what

to the effect that a number of prisoners jailed during the 1907 disturbances justification there can be would be given angesties moreover, for a partial or by the Hongkong verb

wholesale amnesty on the ment this

grounds that the political under

climata between Clan and Britain is changing. Here in Hongkong we are faced relslode with a serious uprave in

repor report esvil vielence and it in dife denied et to see how the Courts

la impose.

for

with

mment

VIT

Luina. The has since been

and

though the Prisons Board of Review could reduce tences if a numbs_im-: sentences because of good posed during a period of behaviour' or for humani-

violence three years ago tarian reasons because of re to be Arminated pre- age or severe Piness. In- deed

a number have al

ready be released for these reasons alreadyì

beauce.

But even if there were DO crime wave

Long-

It cannot be stressed too kong, the principle would often that the men con- be the same. What argu- cerned are по different ment can be adduced for from any other prison in- leniency towards one group mate. They were tried and of criminals and not an- sentenced not because of other? What Te the their political beliefs but confrontation criminals because Di individual done to warrant special criminal acts. Some had treatment? And the fact no affinities with the left remains that if the pual- ista and were recruited tive aspect of imprison- only to make trouble. But ment retaine any validity whether leftists, or triads then this group of leon- or criminals who decided era

made to to throw in their lot with serve out their terms to the leftists, they knew the demonstrate that activities risks and there can be no of this kind will not be sympathy for those who tolerated,

mp4/1

14/1

Mr. Magar torce bust

Ettracts

EXTRACT

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

9/1/11

Amnesty

prospects

ruled out

BY JOE VEIO ARM

There will be no amnesty for the 74 peopła who

were jailed after they were tried and convicted of Amnesty

offences committed during the 1967 rlots.

It was learned from au- thoritative sources yesterday that if any of them are in fac released

released before their priso terme expire it will be either because of good conduct or for humanitarian reasons, such as ill health.

Persons detained for poli- tical reasons under Emer- gency Regulations were all released many months ago, Those still in jail are those who broke the law, many

violently, the sources pointed out.

Fifty-one people died in the 1967 Hots. Filter of them were killed by bomb axplosions, ¿- including members of the Police Force, two

an Army sergeant and oficer of the Fire Services. Eight police officers

were killed in other incidents.

The 1,936 people arrested were convicted of such crimes

POETSESION ot bombs, explosives and offen- sive weapons, assault, rioting and causing grievous Bodily harm.

Of the 74 still in prison the Last s due for release · six years from now.

Indication

Periodicalić, relally have asked the zulborilled for early release of the prisoners, but observers noted yesterday that they had not been sup- ported by any wider outery.

"This is, perhaps an indi- cation that even the com- munists may bë drawing

drawing a distinction between the pre- sent prisoners and the politi- cal group whose detention aroused their ire as well as that of Peking" an observer said.

prospects

(Continued from Page 1)

They said it was inconcely.

arnment would interfere with able that any British Gov-

the due processes of law and justice.

"Even Bernadette Deviln

in the 1980 Londonderry riotą, was imprisoned for her part

two months She was freed

sentence was served, but this before her full six months

was for good conduct and not because Government "în

Inter- yened although i vu a Member of Parliament," # was pointed eat,

Asked *lier It was pos→ sible that, in reviewing cases, the Prison authorities would the long sentences which some take into special confideration

official said: of the 74 are serving, a semi-

hippo

"I do," think so. In first place, redtiction of * tences is a matter for the courts. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that long sen- tences actually indicate the scriouem of the offencem commited."

A Government issued last night said:

tatement

"There no change in the present pokles, regarding the release of prisoners serving sentences for offences mixed during the P87 diz- turbances.

Most political analysis in Hongkong do not believe it is true that there has been "strong pressure from Lon- don" for an amnesty hecOUSS "The Prison Board of Re of a desire to improve Bino- | view examines all Jong-term British relations, as reported | sentences regularly. All pri- " in some quarters,

ormal re

› ] (Comid on Back Fagn, Col. ) Press reports of an i

mission for good behaving.

for confrontation prisoners are completely untrue."

Mr. Royle

CONFIDENTIAL

H.R

In the light of your meeting this morning and the measure

of agreement reached amongst all of us present, I submit two

draft telegrams to the Governor of Hong Kong as agreed. The

texts have been discussed between myself and Mr. Morgan, but I

have not been able to clear them, owing to pressure of time,

with either Sir L. Monson or Sir S. Tomlinson.

sent copies to them.

and Sir D. Greenhill.

I have, however,

I have also sent copies to Private Secretary

27 January 1971

Wilford

Now redrafted at Soft's neety

Mrz

CONFIDENTIAL

CO "OLAD SINGAPORE

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CONFIDENTIAL

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refering the Pretting tet No42 relianing sune punschers now.

Afte

TC FLASH EHC SINGAPORE TELEGRAM NO 339 OF 22 JAN INFO TO

IMEDIATE PHNOM PENH, SAIGON, VIENTIANE, WASHINGTON, MOSCOW, PARIS, SANGKOK, DJAKARTA, POLAD SINGAPORE INFO SAVING TO HANO1.

23/1,

FOP GRAHAM.

CAMBODIA: ATTACK ON PHNOM PENH AIRPORT.

LETS DEPARTMENT ARE TAKING THE FOLLOWING LINE UNATTRIBUTAELY:

(1) VESTERDAY'S ATTACK APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DIRECTED MAINLY AGAINST

PHNOM PENH AIRPORT AND NAVAL INSTALLATIONS, AND TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED CLT DY ROCKETS AND MORTARS.

(^) WE HAVE NO REPORT OF BRITISH CASUALTIES.

L - +

(2) THIS LATEST ATTACK SHOULD BE SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WAR IN

INDO-CHINA,

(4) THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE IN CAMBODIA (AS ALSO IN SOUTH VIETIAM AND LAOS) IS THE ILLEGAL PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY OF LARGE

BERS OF NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS, WHO ARE CLEARLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACK.

(B) ALL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE NUMBER OF CAMBODIANS FIGHTING

ON THE COMMUNIST SIDE IS VERY SMALL.

2. 1 ANSWER TO QUESTIONS ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF ACTION BY BRITAIN

THEY WILL SAY ON THE RECORD:

ALCE HYG HAVE ALREADY MADE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR ON REPEATED OCCASIONS THEIR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ANY ACTION, EITHER AS GENEVA CO-CHAIRMAN CR IN ANY OTHER WAY, WHICH MIGHT HELP END THE WAR IN INDO-CHINA.

UNFORTUNATELY THE RUSSIAN CO-CHAIRMAN HAS NEVER SO FAR SHOWN ANY

WILL IGNESS TO AGREE TO JOINT ACTION. UNQUCTE

CLAC-HOME

CONFIDENTIAL

KONG PRISONERS]

The Private Jecretary huu uaid the Secretary of Stale wishes to discuss this subject at 4.15 p.m. on Wednesday, 27th.

2. I supported the general proposition behind the Secretary of State's telegram No.24 that a substantial gesture to the Chinese in these matters was in the long-term interests of Hong Kong and I had hoped that by private consultation with the Governor we

could bring him to see that.

3. As things have developed since however I have grave doubta whether such a geajfure still remains in the long-term interoute the Colony. refer to the ill-timed Press speculation on the subject and the self-generited mood of approhension and opposition

In the that have been created in Hong Kong by thin speculation.

circus tunces wholemule releanos could easily turn anpr-hong isa into panic and in that event it is almost inconceivable that the 0.P.G. would not stir up the troubled pot to secure what must be their most desirable policy aim to reduce Hon" Kong to the

same state of puppet-like impotenes na Macao. It in one thing for the Hong Kong Becurity forces to contain communiut disturbances (as they did in 1967) when the population has rallied behind them: it would be quite a different matter if the population were in

a state of panic and anxiously hedging their bets.

4. If however this view is not accepted, I do not think that the revised draft is calculated to bring the Governor round to the

contrary view: there is much in it which he will with pronter or leus reuton regent especially the statement that the question

498| Pinangra, met bo danid with with thự Truno

of Britain's relations with China. It must be remembered that

he has been "conditioned"

CONFIDENTIAL

/(1)

CONFIDENTIAL

(1)

by ten years' experience as a Colonial Governor in which he has been accustomed to exercise the delegated power of pardon "in his own deliberate judgment" against the back round of the general policy, stated in Purliumont in 1947 and followed since that "inter- vention by Her Majesty on the advice of the Secretary of State... would seriously impair the administration of justice in the Colonies" (Mr. Creach Jones in the Commons 11 August 1947); and

(11) by his own views ne to the responsibilities of a

Governor of Hong Kong in briefing us on the qualities of a Governor against the background of choosing a successor to himself ho set high on the lot of priorities that a Governor should be Buon to be

defending the interests of Hong Kong against all-corners including and perhaps specially the United Kingdom.

I would prefer to nue 3something on the lines of the original draft mont with a view to influencing the Governor'o jutment towards more and move apody releason, It could be strengthored by the arguments in the revised draft to the effect that we cannot rely on the Chinese taking a rebuff lying down and therefore a situation very different from 1967 in on the cards. But on the other hand the draft does not take account of the weakness in our position caused by the

reaction to the Proun spegulation,

6. In short my usressment is that whatever we do we run a risk of serious trouble but our chances of containing it are that much better if the bulk of the people of Hong Kong reckém we are standing firm and have not persuaded themselves that we shall rive way to pressure. I do not believe that there in any simificent "middle

/ground"

CONFIDENTIAL

12.

CONFIDENTIAL

ground" of opinion that can be rallied to us. The bulk of the

people will back whom they think is the winner and are likely

in that case to determine the issue of the conflict.

25 January 1971

Copies to:

Wind/mem

(L. Mondon)

P.U.S. (with copy of original submission and drufts)

Sir S. Tomlinson

Mr. Wilford

Mr. Laird

Mr. Leahy (as for P.U.S.)

Mr. J.A.1. Morgan

BOLFIDENTIAL

PRIORITY

CYTHER/CAT A

FM PEKING 0603452

TRICTED.

RESTRICTED

FEA 14/1

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 93 OF 6 FEBRUARY INFO HONG KONG.

TOP CO:

I CALLED ON THE DEPUTY-DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, WANG

CHUNG-LI, THIS MORNING TO INTRODUCE GALSWORTHY AS THE NEW CONSUL.

AFTER DISCUSSION ON SOME ROUTINE CONSULAR BUSINESS WANG RAISED

THE QUESTION OF THE MEMORANDUM WHICH HAD BEEN DELIVERED WHEN THEY

HAD INFORMED US OF JOHNSTON'S RELEASE. HE SAID THAT THE CHINESE

HOPED FOR

RELEASE OF CHINESE PRISONERS IN JAIL IN

HONG KONG: THIS WAS EXTREMELY

MENT OF RELATIONS.

IMPORTANT FOR THE CONTINUED IMPROVE-

2. I REPLIED THAT THE NOTE WAS BEING ACTIVELY STUDIED IN LONDON.

I SAID THAT I WAS NOT IN A POSITON TO MAKE ANY STATEMENT AT

PRESENT BUT THAT I WAS AWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH THE

CHINESE REGARDED THIS MATTER. I REAFFIRMED THAT IT REMAINED H M G'S

DESIRE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS AND TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO SUCH

IMPROVEMENT.

3. I THEN RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE FOUR BRITISH SUBJECTS

BELIEVED TO BE DETAINED IN CHINA AND SAID I HOPED THAT THEY WOULD

SOON BE RELEASED, OR THAT WE SHOULD RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

WANG INDICATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THESE CASES BUT HAD NOTHING TO

SAY ABOUT THEM.

DENSON

DEPARIMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

FED

HKD

CONSULAR D

NEWS D

IRD

20D (PES)

RESTRICTED

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

7:г.c.o. 6439257.

CONFIDENTIAL.

CONFIDENTIAL ́

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 183 OF 4 FEBRUARY INFO PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON).

咆

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 611 PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR, CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

Бен

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT FEEL ABLE TO ADVANCE THE MEETING OF THE BOARD-

OF REVIEW I AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE

TO TAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THIS MONTH. YOU KNOW

FROM PARAGRAPH 5 OF MY TELEGRAM NO 82 THE SORT OF NUMBERS I HAVE

IN MIND AND HOW KEEN I AM TO REACH THEM. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS

VERY RECENTLY TOLD ME THAT HE WANTS TO SEE RESULTS ON SEVERAL

ISSUES AFFECTING SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS WHICH INCLUDE RELEASES OF

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS,

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

WED

HKD

PUS

PB TO MR ROYLE

SIR L MONSON SIR S TOMLINSON MR VILFORD

CONFIDENTIAL

11/

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No. DEPARTMENT FE

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

Despatched

* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s)

512

0012

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Top Secret Secret Confidential

"Restricted

Unchained

Emergency Immediate

En Clair. Code

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CONFIDENTI L. Ottoq25

04:0925

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Draft Telegram'to:-

Addressed to HONG KONG

No.

(Date)

HONG KONG

103

telegram No.

103

み

.....(date)....

# FEBY

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repeated for information to PEKING (Personal for Denson).

And to:-

Saving 10

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PEKING (Personl

for Denson)

Saving to:-

Your telegram No. 61: Personal for Governor

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS,

Although you do not feel able to

ية وصول)

advance the meeting of the Board of Review/you are

confident that you will be able to take decisions

on their recommendations this month. You know from

paragraph 5 of my telegram No. 82 the sort of

numbers I have in mind and how keen I am to reach

The Prime Minister has very recently told

results

them.

me that he wants to see

s on several

issues affecting Sino-British relations which

include releases of confrontation prisoners.

Distribution:--

Files

RED RKD

Private Secretary

PS to PUB

PS to Mr. Royle

Coplest oc-

Sir L Коnson

Sir Tomlinsor Wr. filford

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EXAMINED AT 09

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CONFIDENTIAL

enter p.4.5M 6.2 26

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was no time. He les sommel

приставки apes with the Telegra

Sir S Toml

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Private Secretary

1:31

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

FE H 14/1

Sedanighr

3/2

pl-

The

Tels

bakind.

The Governor has sent a reply to the Secretary of State's

two telegrams Nos 82 and 83, which I must admit strikes me as some-

what discourteous in that it makes no attempt to explain why he

cannot call together the Board of Review earlier than 18 February.

The Board's membership consists

(Mrs. Lee and Kr. Fung), and there seems no reason why they should

not start work forthwith as the Secretary of State asked.

However,

the Governor does predict confidently that he will be able to take

decisions on the Board's recommendations this month.

2. The questionmow arises whether we accept the Governor's position

by saying nothing, or whether we seek to keep him up to the mark by

making some reply which shows that we are not wholly satisfied with

what he has said. If we send no reply the danger is that at the end

of February we may find the Board working to rule and the Governor

taking refuge behind them. If we then complain he will say that we

tacitly accepted the proposal in his telegram No 61 and moroever that

he had not promised anything. Against this we do not wish to provoke

On the whole I believe that the

advantage lies in the despatch of a telegram on the lines of the

attached draft. I do not think it can be said to be provocative

in any way and it permits the Secretary of State to have the last

word, as indeed he should.

CONFIDENTIAL

13.

CCFIDENTIAL

3. The draft telegram has been seen by Mr. Royle, who had been

hoping to discuss it with the Secretary of State this morning.

agrees with it.

Km halfin

#Ilford

3 February 1971

- 2

CONFIDENTIAL

Tomlinson

3/4

H.K. Dept ome of M. Stevenson's

remosas really are wother

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Ref. Hong Kong telegram to London No.33

19/1/71

му

Mr Jatt ford

With the Compliments of the

Political Adviser

C: WSW Simban

Hong Kong Mihaird

Muzz

Interview given by Mr. Michael Stevenson, Deputy

Director of Information Services Mr. Warren Rooke, Radio H.K.

Friday, 8th January,

: - TEA IN

14.

1971.

ROOKE:

STEVENSON:

ROOKE:

STEVENSON:

ROOKE:

STEVENSON:

To first newspaper reports, said to be from London, that suggested some people serving prison terms for criminal charges at the time of the 1967 disturbances might be released in some form of an amnesty, a Government spokessan today flatly denied that the release of convicted criminals, as some sort of a geature, would even be considered. I talked a short while ago to Michael Stevenson, the Deputy Director for the Information Services Department.

Mr. Stevenson, there has been another report speculating that people being held as a result of the 1967 disturbances may be released in some form of an amnesty.

There is no truth in this. There is no change at all in the situation. I think, perhaps, a clue to how these things come to be said, is in the phrasing of your own question, if I may say so. You used the phrase "about people being held as a result of the 1967 disturbances". Now let's make it quite clear we have no one in the prison being held as a result of the 1967 disturbances. We have people in prison who were charged with criminal offences, tried and sentenced to terms of imprisonment, that's all.

Of these people, is there any chance that their sentences might be reduced?

They have the same chance as other long-term prisoners. There is a Prisons Board of Review which meets regularly to consider all long-term prison sentences.

Have any people, where offences did take place in 1967, benefitted from this type of review?

Yes, in the past, together with other prisoners, their cases have been reviewed and in one or two cases, they have benefitted.

ROOKE:

STEVENSON:

Tell us how many people are being held as a result of 1967 and how long some of these prison sentences are likely to go.

At the present moment, about 74 people are still in prison serving sentences imposed for crimes committed in 1967.

та

ROOKE:

STEVENSON:

FOOKE:

What do you think could possibly be the basis for this speculation suggesting an amnesty that these people could be released?

Well, I think it is significant that the reports I have seen just over Christmas and repeated again today have all come from abroad, and this suggests to me that they are based on a complete misunderstanding of the situation. It may well be that the people who make this sort of speculation think that we are holding people in some other way than under the normal operation of the law. One thing I am quite sure of, that these people who make this kind of speculation would not dream of making the same kind of speculation in their own country, in Britain, for example, about people who have committed crimes.

They wouldn't suggest that they should be released as some sort of a gesture.

I was speaking just now with Michael Stevenson.

Interview ends.

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FM HONG KONG #15213Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

TC PRIORITY F.C.0, TELNO. 61 OF 1 FEBRUARY 1971 PRIORITY INFO PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON)

YOUR TELEGRAMS NOS. 82 AND 83.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY INDICATED, THE BOARD OF REVIEW IS HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 18TH, WHICH IS AS SOON AS IT CAN BE CONVENED, BEARING IN MIND THAT

ARE INVOLVED

AND THAT THEY WILL DESIRE TO SEE THE FULL NORMAL DOCUMENTATION.

I CONFIDENTLY EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR

RECOMMENDATIONS THIS MONTH.

2. I BELIEVE THIS IN FACT MEETS THE IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENTS OF YOUR TELEGRAMS UNDER REFERENCE. THE BOARD WILL BE MEETING AGAIN

TO CONSIDER FUTHER CASES IN MARCH.

SIR D.TRENCH

FILES

F.E.D.

[REPEATED TO PEKING]

H.K.D.

PRIVATE SECRETARY

P.S. TO P.U.S.

P.S. TO MR ROYLE

SIR L MONSON

SIR S TOMLINSON

MR WILFORD

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION U.N.D. (4)

Any further action? Mr. Muyer. Tel sent

اپنی

4.2 plc

CONFIDENTIAL

會

ILMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

PLFCO 281100Z

CONFIDENTIAL

(F3)

TOP COPY

FEH WI Ен

ple

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 83 OF 28 JANUARY

INFO PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON).

MY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING TELEGRAM.

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

1. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND ON THE ARGUMENT IN THE FIRST PART OF PARAGRAPH 1 OF MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. I HOPE THAT I MAY

HAVE CONVINCED YOU THAT THE ACTION | PROPOSE IS NOT DICTATED BY THE NARROW INTERESTS OF HMG, BUT IS IN OUR VIEW IN THE LONG- TERM INTEREST OF HONG KONG ALSO. WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS HONG KONG IS A CROWN COLONY WHICH HAS

NO STATUS AT ALL VIS-A-VIS CHINA EXCEPT AS A DEPENDENCY OF BRITAIN. RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA ARE THEREFORE

AN INTEGRAL PART OF BRITAIN'S RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE CANNOT SEPARATE THE QUESTION OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS FROM THE BROADER FRAMEWORK. I THINK THAT YOU RECOGNISE THIS IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO 36, AND, AS YOU SAY, THE MORE THOUGHTFUL RESIDENTS OF THE COLONY SEE IT TOO.

2. SECONDLY, I AM CONCERNED AT WHAT YOU DESCRIBE AS THE VIRTUALLY

UNANIMOUS VIEW OF ALL STRATA OF PUBLIC OPINION WHICH SEEMS TO REFLECT A NARROWER VIEW OF THE HONG KONG INTEREST, WHICH I BELIEVE

CARRIES GREAT DANGER FOR THE COLONY, HOW CAN THE WIDER VIEW BE! PUT ACROSS? AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG YOU HAVE FAITHFULLY REFLECTED

TO ME THE VIEWS OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF HER MAJESTY YOU MUST BE THE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH THE VIEWS CF HMG ARE REPRESENTED HOT ONLY TO YOUR OFFICIAL ADVISERS, BUT TO HONG KONG OPINION AS A WHOLE, THE PROBLEM, IF WE ARE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS IN THE WAY I SUGGEST, IS THEREFORE TO PUT ACROSS OUR POINT OF VIEW TO THOSE WHO HELP TO FORM PUBLIC OPINION. OUR TASK IS TO DO THIS IN SUCH A WAY AS TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THE ACTION WHICH WE ARE TAKING IS IN HONG KONG'S AS WELL AS IN BRITAIN'S BEST INTEREST. WE MUST

CONFIDENTIAL

/EXPECT

COMFIDENTIAL

EXPECT THAT SOME PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND PERHAPS EVEN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MAY WISH TO REPRESENT OUR ACTION AS SOME SORT OF CAPITULATION TO CHINESE PRESSURE. HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE AND WHAT WE MUST SEEK TO PROCLAIM PUBLICLY, AND TO CONVINCE THE RESIDENTS OF THE COLONY OF, IS THE PLAIN FACT THAT HMG HAVE MADE HO DEAL, WHETHER EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED, WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE MATTER OF PRISONERS.

3. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO FALL IN WITH THE PROPOSALS MADE IN MY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING TELEGRAM I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY IDEAS YOU MAY HAVE FOR DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM OF COMMUNICATION.

I SHOULD, OF COURSE, BE READY TO GIVE YOU ANY HELP WHICH I CAN.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

C. KONG Đ

PRIVATE SECRETARY SIR L MONISON

SIR S TOMLINSON

ER WILJORD

PS TO IR ROYLE

PS TO PUS

- 2 -

CONFIDENTIAL

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret Spefor

Confidential

Restricted Upclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

PRIORITY MARKINGS

lash Immediate

Prom

Koutina

}

メ

(Date)

Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s)

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[Security_classification]

En Clair.

[

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... ~ ..

ייי

CONFIDENTIAL

Дазу

2811002

Qode Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

Hong Kong

(Date)

Addressed to..

[Codeword-if any]

HONG KONG (IMMEDIATE)

-FI-ים.

telegram No...

....

(date)

ו.י

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28/1

repeated for information to

PEKING(PERSONAL FOR DENSON)

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Repeat to: Paking

(Personal for

Denson)

Saving to:-

My immediately preceding telegram.

Personal for Governor.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

I would like to expand on the argument in the

first part of paragraph 1 of my telegram under

reference. I hope that I may have convinced you that

the action I propose is not dictated by the narrow

interests of HMG, but is in our view in the long-term

interest of Hong Kong also. We must not forget that

Distribution-

Files

FED

HKD

Sir L Monson Sir S Tomlinson

Copies to:-

Mr Wilford

PS to Mr Royle PS to PUS

み

$47220718

which has no status at all vis-à-vis China except as

in. Relations between Hong

Kong and China are therefore an integral part of

Britain's relations with China and it is for this

reason that I believe that we cannot separate the

framework. I think that you recognise this in

- 1

рата

1.171

paragraph 2 of your telegram No 36, and, as you say,

the more thoughtful residents of the Coony see it

too.

Secondly, I am concerned at what you describe

as the virtually unanimous view of all strata of

public opinion which seens

Fest, which I believe

carries great danger for the Colony. How can the

wider view be put across? As Governor of Hong Kong

you have faithfully reflected to me the views of the

local people, but at the same time as the representa-

tive of Her Majesty you must be the channel through which the views of HMG are represented not only to

your official advisers, but to Hong Kong opinion as

a whole. The problem, if we are to resolve the

issue of confrontation prisoners in the way I

suggest, is therefore to put across out-padn

on.

task is to do this in such a way 98 to convince

them that the action which we are taking is in

Hong Kong's

Our

We must expect that some people in Hong Kong and

perhaps even the Chinese Government pay wish to

represent our action as some sort of capitulation to

Chinese pressure,

However, we know that this is

not the case and what we must seek to proclaim

publicly, and to convince the residents of the

Colony of, is the plain fact that HMG have made no

deal, whether explicit or implied, with the Chinese

Government on the matter of prisoners.

CONFIDENTIAL

#10382) D.3920

"154m (77 sortud 1/4/C W.B.LM. Ox14

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

WIBIL S1-740E

CONFIDENTIAL

3. If you are able to fall in with the

proposals made in my immediately preceding

telegram I should be grateful for any ideas

you may have for dealing with this problem

of communication. I should, of course, be

ready to give you any help which I can.

3 CONFIDENTIAL

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM FCO 281100Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

(FE)

Kuma

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 82 OF 28 JANUARY

INFO PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON).

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

1. ON MY RETURN FROM SINGAPORE I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RE-CONSIDER THIS

QUESTION ON THE BASIS OF THE VALUABLE ADVICE CONTAINED IN YOUR

TELEGRAMS NOS. 13, 17 AND 36 AND PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 42,

SHOULD

LIKE YOU TO BE IN NO DOUBT THAT I DO NOT SEE SINO-BRITISH

RELATIONS IN ISOLATION FROM THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AND THAT

IT WAS PRIMARILY MY ESTIMATE OF THE LONG-TERM INTEREST OF HONG

KONG WHICH PROMPTED MY TELEGRAM NO. 24. I SHOULD ALSO LIKE TO

ASSURE YOU THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION WHATEVER OF OUR BEING UNDER

SOME SORT OF AN OBLIGATION TO THE CHINESE TO DO A DEAL ABOUT THE

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS. THE CHINESE HAVE PERSISTENTLY SOUGHT TO

CONNECT THIS ISSUE WITH THE RELEASE OF BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED

IN CHINA, WE, HAVE, HOWEVER, RETAINED AND STILL DO RETAIN COMPLETE

FREEDOM OF ACTION.

2. OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT

IS BASED ON EVIDENCE FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES AND IS REINFORCED

BY MR. DENSON'S TELEGRAM NO. 42. THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY IN THESE

MATTERS, BUT THERE IS A REAL RISK THAT IF THERE IS NO SIGN OF

MOVEMENT IN REGARD TO THE CONFRONTATION PRISONERS THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT WILL SOONER OR LATER (AND PROBABLY SOONER) BEGIN TO

CAUSE TROUBLE AND IN THIS CONTEXT TROUBLE MEANS IN THE FIRST

PLACE TROUBLE FOR HONG KONG. AT THE SAME TIME, THE INDICATIONS

ARE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WANT TO LIQUIDATE THIS ISSUE

COKET PEALE AL

/RATHER

CONFIDENTI AL

RATHER THAN TO MAKE PUBLIC CAPITAL OUT OF IT AND ARE THEREFORE

UNLIKELY TO CROW UNDULY ABOUT IT AND PERHAPS EVEN TO DISCOURAGE

THEIR ADHERENTS IN HONG KONG FROM DOING SO IF WE DO DECIDE THAT

IT IS IN OUR OWN BEST INTEREST TO GO SOME WAY TO MEET THEM. THIS

IS BORNE OUT BY THE UNOBTRUSIVE WAY IN WHICH THEY HAVE MADE THEIR

REPRESENTATIONS IN HONG KONG, COUPLED WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH

THEY HAVE SPOKEN TO US BOTH HERE AND IN PEKING,

3. I AM, OF COURSE, GIVING THE MOST SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE

VIEWS WHICH YOU HAVE URGED UPON ME ABOUT THE DANGER TO THE SECURITY

OF THE COLONY AND THE STRENGTH OF FEELING OF QUOTE ALL STRATA OF

PUBLIC OPINION UNQUOTE IF YOU WERE TO PURSUE THE COURSE SET OUT

IN MY TELEGRAM NO. 24.

4. AT THE SAME TIME I CANNOT BUT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE THREAT

WHICH THE CHINESE COULD, AND IN MY VIEW MIGHT WELL, POSE TO THE

COLONY IF WE SHOW THAT WE ARE UNWILLING TO MOVE OTHER THAN AT A

VERY SLOW PACE. YOU SAY IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 17

THAT QUOTE OUR ONLY REAL DEFENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO SHOW CLEARLY

THAT THE COMMUNISTS CANNOT USURP OUR ESSENTIAL AUTHORITY EXCEPT BY

THE USE OF A DEGREE OF VIOLENCE WHICH WILL RUIN HONG KONG'S

USEFULNESS TO THEM UNQUOTE, BUT MUST WE NOT RECOGNISE THAT THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD PUT HONG KONG TO A VERY CONSIDERABLE DEGREE

OF INCONVENIENCE WITHOUT NECESSARILY TAKING MATTERS TO EXTREMES?

WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THAT IN 1967/68 THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

BENEFITTED FROM THE FACT THAT THE TROUBLE-MAKERS ENJOYED LITTLE

PRACTICAL SUPPORT OR ENCOURAGEMENT FROM PEKING BEYOND NEWSPAPER

ARTICLES AND BROADCASTS. ALL-OUT PEKING SUPPORT, OR INDEED

INSPIRATION, OF DISORDERS FOLLOWING ON REJECTION OF THEIR PRESENT

OVERTURES WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS OF A VERY DIFFERENT MAGNITUDE.

5. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

CONTAINED IN YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 39 FOR RE-CONSIDERATION BY THE

BOARD OF REVIEW OF SENTENCES. WE HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE SPRING

FESTIVAL DATE, BUT COULD THE BOARD NOT GET DOWN TO BUSINESS /FORT!WITH

CONFIDENTIAL

FORTHWITH WITHOUT VIOLATING YOUR CRITERIA OF RELEASES AT OUR OWN

RACE AND FOR OUR OWN DELIBERATE AND EXPLAINABLE REASONS? IF THEY

DID I WOULD HOPE THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO TAKE

DECISIONS WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, WHICH WOULD EFFECT THE RELEASE

OF AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OF THE 24 YOU MENTION AS BEING UNDER

CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THEIR SENTENCES MAY HAVE INCLUDED AN

EXEMPLARY ASPECT, PLUS PERHAPS THE FEMALE PRISONERS, PLUS THE ONE OR TWO WHO ARE DUE OUT ANYHOW. I HOPE THAT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT

PARAGRAPH 4 ABOVE YOU WILL FEEL ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS. THE CHINESE

WILL BE LOOKING CLOSELY AT OUR ACTIONS AND THE ABSENCE OF ANY

RESPONSE BY US AT THE TIME OF THE SPRING FESTIVAL MIGHT WELL MAKE

IT HARDER FOR THE CALMER COUNSELS AT PRESENT IN EVIDENCE IN PEKING

TO PREVAIL. YOU MIGHT PERHAPS SEE ADVANTAGE IN ARRANGING YOUR

REVIEW PROCEDURE IN SUCH A WAY THAT PRISONERS WOULD BE RELEASED

IN A STEADY STREAM AS THEIR CASES WERE DEALT WITH BY THE BOARD.

THIS WOULD HELP US TO PLAY THE CHINESE ALONG, AND TO KEEP THE TEMPERATURE DOWN, AND GIVE TIME FOR FULLER CONSIDERATION OF THE

FUTURE PROGRAMME OF RELEASES.

6. | RECOGNISE THAT YOU MAY FEEL THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE YOUR

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WITH YOU ON THIS, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT BY USING

MY ARGUMENTS YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THE ACTION

I PROPOSE WOULD IN THE LONG-TERM AND WIDER CONTEXT BE OF GREATER

VALUE TO THE COLONY THAN KEEPING THESE PEOPLE LOCKED UP.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

HKD

PRIVATE SECRETARY

SIR L MONSON

SIR S TOMLINSON

MR WILFORD

PS TO MR ROYLE FS TO PUS

CONFIDEFTI, AL

FFFFF

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Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION. PRIORITY MARKINGS

Top Secret

Secret

Restricted Unafasified

fair.

En Clair. Obde

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Draft Telegram to:-

HONG KONG

No..

(Date)

And to:-

82.

* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s)

(Date)

Despatched

Emergency Immediate j

Routine

24/1/21

6137:

Security classification | CONFIDENTIAL 8 11002

-if any

[Codeword-if any).

Addressed to HONG KONG (Immediate)

.....(date).............

יו

.....

L...

telegram No..

28/1

And to.......

repeated for information to

PEKING (Personal for Denson)

-4

-...

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Saving to.......

...

- L

TILL

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יוייײ

Repeat to:-

PEKING

Saving to:-

Distribution:-

Flex FED H.K.D.

SSL.Main

Sa Sīmlen

Copies to: -

P.S.

P.S, KM: Rayle PS. KP.U.S.

Personal for Governor,

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

On my return from Singapore I have been able

to re-consider this question on the basis of the

valuable advice contained in your telegrams Nos. 13,

17 and 36 and Peking telegram No. 42. I should

like you to be in no doubt that I do not see Sino-

British relations in isolation from the interests

of Hong Kong and that it was primarily my estimate

of the long-term interest of Hong Kong which prompted

my telegram No. 24. I should also like to assure

you that there is no question whatever of our being

under some sort of an obligation to the Chinese to

do a deal about the confrontation prisoners. The

Chinese have persistently sought to connect this

issue with the release of British subjects detained

in China. Fe have, however, retained and still do

retain complete freedom of action.

2. Our assessment of the present attitude of the

Chinese Government is based on evidence from a

variety of sources and is reinforced by Mr. Denson's

telegram No. 42. There can be no certainty in

CONFIDENTIAL

/these

CONFIDENTIAL

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

these matters, but there is a real risk that if there is no sign

of movement in regard to the confrontation prisoners the Chinese Government will sooner or later (and probably sooner) begin to

cause trouble and in this context trouble means in the first

place trouble for Hong Kong. At the same time, the indications are

that the Chinese Government want to liquidate this issue rather

than to make public capital out of it and are therefore unlikely to

crow unduly about it and perhaps even to discourage their adherents

in Hong Kong from doing so if we do decide that it is in our own

best interest to go some way to meet them. This is borne out by

the unobtrusive way in which they have made their representations in Hong xong, coupled with the manner in which they have spoken to us

both here and in Peking.

3. I am

I am, of course, giving the most serious consideration to the

views which you have urged upon me about the danger to the security of the Colony and the strength of feeling of "all strata of public

opinion" if you were to pursue the course set out in my telegram

No. 24.

At the same time I cannot but be concerned about the threat

which the Chinese could, and in my view might well, pose to the

Colony if we show that we are unwilling to move other than at a

very slow pace. You say in paragraph 2 of your telegram No. 17

that "our only real defence has always been to show clearly that the

Communiste cannot usurp our essential authority except by the use

of a degree of violence which will ruin Hong Kong's usefulness to

then" But must we not recognise that the Chinese Government could

put Hong Kong to a very considerable degree of inconvenience without

necessarily taking matters to extremes?

We must also remember

that in 1967/68 the Hon. Kong Government benefitted from the fact

that the trouble-makers enjoyed little practical support or encouragement from Peking beyond newspaper articles and broadcasts. All-out Peking support, or indeed inspiration, of disorders following on rejection of their present overtures would cause

problems of

ery different magnitude.

offvery

15.

IDAS $.$

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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

CONFIDENTIAL

5. Against this background I am concerned about

the programme contained in your telegram No. 30

for re-consideration by the Board of Review of

sentences. We have already passed the Spring

Festival date, but could the Board not get down

to business forthwith without violating your

criteria of releases at our own pace and for our

own deliberate and explainable reasons? If they

did I would hope that it might be possible for

you to take decisions within the next month,

which would effect the release of as many as pos8- ible of the 24 you mention as being under conside

ration because their sentences may have included

an exemplary aspect, plus perhaps the female

prisoners, plus the one or two who are due out

anyhow. If this could be acipleved I would hop

that we would thereafter be able to maintain the

resentus of Récelonated releases. I very much

hope that taking into account paragraph 4 above

you will feel able to achieve this. The Chinese

will be looking closely at our actions and the

absence of any response by us at the time of the

Spring Festival might well make it harder for the

calmer counsels at present in evidence in Peking

to prevail. You might perhaps see advantage

in arranging your Review Procedure in such a way

that prisoners would be released in a steady

stream as their cases were dealt with by the Board. This would help us to play the Chinese along, and

to keep the temperature down, and give time for fuller consideration of the futura programme if releases 6. I recognise that you may feel that you will have to take your Executive Council with you on this, but I would hope that by using my arguments you would be able to convince them that the

CONFIDENTIAL

/action

CONFIDENTIAL

action I propose would in the long-term and wider

context be of greater value to the Colony than

keeping these people locked up.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Far Eastern Department

SECRET

FED

239 19

pw.

interpa

261

Hong Kong Prisoners

The Secretary of State has minuted on Peking telegram No. 42 of 16 January as follows:

"I would like a word about this in the Office. I am inclined to think that the balance of interest lies in releasing some prisoners now. A.D.H. 23/1"

I believe that a submission is on its way to the Secretary of State about this. Provisionally we could have a meeting at 4.15 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 January. I should be grateful if recipients of this minute could attend in the Secretary of State's room at the House of Commons.

c.c.

P.S. to Mr. Royle P.U.S.,

Sir S. Tomlinson

Sir L. Monson

Grall

(J. A. N. Graham)

25 January, 1971

pla

Mr. Wilford

Mr. Leahy

Hong Kong Department

I submit two draft telegrams in the light of the Secretary of State's meeting. They have been agreed with Sir L Konson, Sir S Tomlinson and Mr Morgan.

Kim halford

K M Wilford

27 January 1971

Telegrams 1/28/1

sayed

Mr. Legen Private Secretary

Copies to:

PUS

SECRET

Sir S Tomlinson Sir L Monson Mr Leahy

Mr Morgan (FED)

Hong Kong Dept

FRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

P HONG KONG 262913Z

CONFIDENTIAL◄

10P COPY

من

CONFIDENTIAL

FEH 14/1

TO PRIORITY F.C.0. TELNO. 54 OF 26 JANUARY 1971

ROUTINE INFO PEKING

PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 58 TO YOU.

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS: LUNAR NEW YEAR.

pl.

A SECOND LETTER FROM '* FAMILY REPRESENTATIVES OF PATRIOTIC

COMPATRIOTS IN JAIL? WAS DELIVERED AS UNOBTRUSIVELY AS THE FIRST (KY TELEGRAM NO. 89% OF 1972) AT THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT ON

25 JANUARY. IT ASKS FOR THE 'RELEASE OF CUR KIN STILL IN PRISON SO THAT THEY MAY RE-UNITE WITH THEIR FAMILIES TO CELEBRATE THE FESTIVAL.''

2. THE PRESS HERE HAVE GOT WIND CF ENQUIRIES MADE BY PROBATION OFFICERS ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS BEING

CONSIDERED FOR RELEASE. TODAY'S UNDERLINE NEXT THREE WORDS

HONG KONG STANDARD REPORTS THAT TWO DOZEN CASES WILL BE SURVITTED

TO THE PRISONS BOARD OF REVIEW NEXT MONTH. THE LOCAL COMMUNISTS WILL PROBABLY DEDUCE CORRECTLY FROM THIS, AND MAY REPORT TO PEKING,

THAT SOMETHING IS MOVING BUT THAT RELEASES CANNOT BE EXPECTED

BEFORE LUNAR NEW YEAR WHICH IS CELEBRATED ON 27 JANUARY.

TRENCH

FILES

FED

HKD

GIPD

IRD

PUSD

NEWS DEPT

FRIVATE SECRETARY

PUS

PS TO MR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON.

STR L MONSON MR WILFORD

FFFFF

REPEATED AS REQUESTED_7

CONFIDENTIAL

IMEDIATE

SECRET

CYPHER CAT A

TOP COPY

FM PEKING 2263267.

SECRET

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 58 OF 22 JANUARY INFO PRIORITY HONG

KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR).

HONG KONG TELNO 36 TO F C 0.

کا

AT A RECEPTION LAST NIGHT I WAS TACKLED BY T'ANG HAI-

KUANG ABOUT HONG KONG PRISONERS. HE SAID THAT THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT HOPED THAT WE WOULD FIND IT POSSIBLE FOR SOME OF THEM

TO BE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR, 1 MADE

A NONCOMMITAL RESPONSE AND SOUGHT TO TERMINATE THE CONVERSATION.

BUT T'ANG PURSUED THE QUESTION WITH CONSIDERABLE TENACITY AND

IT WAS CLEAR THAT WHAT HE WISHED TO CONVEY WAS THAT WE SHOULD

MATCH THE CHINESE GESTURE OF RELEASING JOHNSTON BEFORE CHRISTMAS

WITH SOME GESTURE IN HONG KONG, AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THERE

MAY WELL BE DIFFERENCES WITHIN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE

CONDUCT OF RELATIONS WITH US IN PARTICULAR OVER HONG KONG AND THAT

THOSE WHO FAVOUR A POLICY OF DETENTE MAY BE UNDER PRESSURE FROM

THOSE WHO WANT GREATER TOUGHNESS. T'ANG'S INITIATIVE SEEMS

TO SUPPORT THIS VIEW, AND ARGUES IN FAVOUR OF A POLICY OF

GRADUATED RELAXATION.

DENSON

7ILES:

\TED AS REQUESTED).

FED

HKD

GIPD

IRD.

FUSD

NEWS DETT

IR G. ORAL FORD PS/R. ROYLE

SIR S. TOMLINSON

MIR L. NONSON

MR. WILFORD

SECRET

26/

Kr Wilford

Sir S Tomlingón

Sir L Mopson

Mr Løg an

Priv

Private Secretary

COVERING SECRET

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS IN HONG KONG

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1. The Governor's reactions to the Secretary of State's

telegram No 24 have now been received (Hong Kong Teb Nos 13,

17 and 36). We also have the views of Peking

(Peking Tel No 42).

2. This Department's considered assessment remains, now

firmly supported by Mr Denson, as in the Secretary of State's

telegram (my submission of 31 December) that it is in the long-

term interests of Hong Kong for a gesture now to be made to

the Chinese. From Hong Kong Tel No 30 it appears that the

moves the Governor contemplates taking would not constitute an

adequate gesture. Indeed from his figures it seems that there

would be only 2 "exemplary" cases who would qualify for more

than a few months' remission. The Chinese have made it clear

that an "adequate" gesture would be the release of 41 of the

remaining 73.

3. The Governor clearly needs some reassurance that the

action we have suggested is based on our assessment of the

long-term interests of Hong Kong and that we do not see

CONFIDENTIAL

COVERING SECRET

1 -

CONFIDENTIAL

Sino-British relations in isolation from those interests.

The Governor has asked for consultation and I recommend

that we discover what he has in mind. I have misgivings

about this proposal as it could result in further speculation

about "rifts" between HMG and the Hong Kong Government.

5. I recommend that we accept the Governor's general

conclusion (paragraph 5 of his Tel No 36) that we should

"aim for releases at our own pace and for our own deliberate

and explainable reasons". I would hope nevertheless that

the Secretary of State would agree to express the hope that

the careful scrutiny the Governor is personally giving would

result in the numbers eligible for release being nearer to

those the Secretary of State mentioned in his original

telegram.

6. A draft telegram in this sense is submitted.

await the Secretary of State's return.

It can

شا

SALMugen

J AL Morgan

Far Eastern Department K 255

19 January 1971

Copy to: Hong Kong Dept (Mr Laird)

CONFIDENTIAL

- 2.

/The Governor's

CONFIDENTIAL

1. The Governor's telegrams Nos. 13 and 17, the latter in

particular, use some extremely strong language. I am, however,

very loath to accept his argumentation, particularly in view of

the reiterated position of Mr. Denson, which supports the views

expressed by the Secretary of State in FCO telegram No. 24. If

the Governor gets his way the result is almost certain to be that

virtually none of the prisoners in jail will be released more

than a month or two ahead of their normal release date if they

earn full remission. We shall get no credit for this from the

Chinese and there remains the serious risk that the Chinese will

stir up trouble of some kind in Hong Kong. Once that occurs it

will be much more difficult to arrange accelerated releases.

2. I agree therefore with Mr. Morgan that we should go back to

the Governor, but I have prepared a rather longer draft telegram

than the one originally submitted by him. He has seen this and

the text is agreed between us.

him. hiffão

K.M. Wilford

To Cousinson

"25/1

22 January 1971

CONFIDENTIAL

The Private Secretary has said the Secretary of State

wishes to discuss this subject at 4.15 p.m. on Wednesday, 27th.

2. I supported the general proposition behind the Secretary of

State's telegram No.24 that a substantial gesture to the Chinese

in these matters was in the long-term interests of Hong Kong and

I had hoped that by private consultation with the Governor we

could bring him to see that.

3. As things have developed since however I have grave doubts

whether such a gesture still remains in the long-term interests of

the Colony. I refer to the ill-timed Press speculation on the

subject and the self-generated mood of apprehension and opposition

that have been created in Hong Kong by this speculation. In the

circumstances wholesale releases could easily turn apprehension

into panic and in that event it is almost inconceivable that the

C.P.G. would not stir up the troubled pot to secure what must be

their most desirable policy aim to reduce Hong Kong to the

same state of puppet-like impotenõe ав Масао. It is one thing

for the Hong Kong security forces to contain communist disturbances

(as they did in 1967) when the population has rallied behind them:

it would be quite a different matter if the population were in

a state of panic and anxiously hedging their bets.

4. If however this view is not accepted, I do not think that

the revised draft is calculated to bring the Governor round to the

contrary view: there is much in it which he will with greater

or less reason resent

especially the statement that the question

of confrontation prisoners must be dealt with with the framework

of Britain's relations with China. It must be remembered that

he has been "conditioned"

CONFIDENTIAL

/(1)

CONFIDENTIAL

(1) by ten years' experience as a Colonial Governor in

which he has been accustomed to exercise the delegated power of pardon "in his own deliberate judgment" against the background of the general policy, stated in Parliament in 1947 and followed since that "inter- vention by Her Majesty on the advice of the Secretary of State... would seriously impair the administration of justice in the Colonies" (Mr. Creach Jones in the Commons 11 August 1947); and

(11)

by his own views as to the responsibilities of a Governor of Hong Kong in briefing us on the qualities

of a Governor against the background of choosing a successor to himself he set high on the list of priorities that a Governor should be seen to be

defending the interests of Hong Kong against all-corners including and perhaps specially the United Kingdom,

I would prefer to see something on the lines of the original

draft sent with a view to influencing the Governor's judgment towards

more and more speedy releases. It could be strengthened by the

arguments in the revised draft to the effect that we cannot rely on

the Chinese taking a rebuff lying down and therefore a situation very

different from 1967 is on the cards. But on the other hand the draft

does not take account of the weakness in our position caused by the

reaction to the Press speculation.

6. In short my assessment is that whatever we do we run a risk of

serious trouble but our chances of containing it are that much

better if the bulk of the people of Hong Kong reckon we are standing

firm and have not persuaded themselves that we shall give way to

pressure.

I do not believe that there is any significant "middle

CONFIDENTIAL

/ground"

CONFIDENTIAL

ground" of opinion that can be rallied to us. The bulk of the

people will back whom they think is the winner and are likely

in that case to determine the issue of the conflict.

25 January 1971

Copies to:

wind 7 mem

(L. Monson)

P.U.S. (with copy of original submission and drafts)

Sir S. Tomlinson

Mr. Wilford

Mr. Laird

Mr. Leahy (as for P.U.S.)

CONFIDENTIAL

Peking(Priority)

(Pervome), for

O METSENTIAL

WONG KONG (IKITOKATE)

KITS (PRIORITY) (PERSONAL FOR IR AMSON)

Piles

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Mår 3 Temi inn Sir i. Memben Keilford

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you

KWAL FOR GOVERNOR PHDH KRONETARY OF STATE.

I am grateful to you for your thoughtful commenta resting with your tel le 935 and I hova given careful consideretion to the points you make. I should like

in no doubt that it was primiriky xy se of the lengutem interests of Hong Kong that sted ny bol Xe 24. Indeed, I would not like you

in to think that I see Bino-zritish relations is isolation from the interesis of Hong Kong. Ou contrary, Sang Tang munt be the next laportant ement of Sino-british relations es a wholei

2. La moon here, va mast balanes the risks in giving boo little boo late against those of giving bes unch too soon, The Chinese are oleariy most anxio.Ja

to improve their laternational imago nad in sur judgment they do not si presmi visk te be foroed into a position where they will feel obliged to take

OMPETENTIAL

aotion in oupport of their competrists in the

Colony. He that erbent I believe vo aze ia

Té

position of strength but I agree with you that

mass mulatsin our sathority

shatever we

in the Osleny.

As you may in paragraph 5 of your vel no 17, petition so far presented is, by Chinese standards, moderately purused,

By assesment to that it osatnina the

impliâstion that if the Hong Kong Goverment wishell be release these prioeners, then the local Communiste do not intend reeking the best by muggesting that this was really a politicel

coneess Loca

Kevertňelase, the Chinese have non put

on notice that they are initiating a sampaige (the referense do Aritish banks in Shanghai is in paraguayh 6 of Madéoska1 Letter of 10 December te Tenson). There can be no

certainty that the calmer counsels at present in evidence in Peking would prevail. It would even be that by failing to respond to the present relatively mated approaches,

stali

suoemrage the mess hand-line elementa in the Mineen leadership to ado ̧t tougher polisies towerða Hong Kong, 1 sooryt the analysis set out in paragraph 4 of Me Demoon's telegraa

Xo 42.

proposals sosinined in pour telegram He 30 would, I fear, net sonstitim what the Osiness would regard sa an adequate gesture,

ONFIDENTIAL

OCHFERISPELAL

Indeed it seems that there would be only two

'emmaplary" esses she would qualify for more

Shan a few months' remission. In paragraph 8

of your tel Re 24 you soked for further

DOMSLISɔRİCE in Hong Kong. I should

grateful to iman what form yen would like this

esconltation to take. There is a risk that

fer no not to send an officiel from here for

this par son could foster sỹegulation of the kind you repert in your bal To 29.

5. To memarise my own feeling 1 "sosph entirely your general somoinsion (paregrupė 5 of your telegram ne 36). I agree that we should

ain for releases at our own pace und fer our

deliberate and explainable reasons, I

would hope nevertheless that the careful meriting that you are personally giving would result in the amchers eligible for relevat in this outegory being nearer to those I had

în mînă án u telogram no 24.

DORFEUENTIAL

Mr Wilford

bir 8 Tomlinson

Sir L Men S OR

Mr Legan

Private Secretary

COVERING JRORIT

CONFIDENTIAL

COMFBORTATION PRISONERS IN HONG KONG

ست نداریم

O & D

The Governor's resations to the Secretary of state

telegram Xo 24 have now been received (Hong Kang Tel Nos 13, (S17 and 36).) To also have the views of Peking

(Peking Tel No 42).

2. This Department's considered assessment remains, now

firmly supported by ir Denson, as in the Secretary of State's

talogram (ny submission of 31 December) that it is in the long-

tern interests of Hong Kong for a goature new to be made to

the Chinese, Fren Hong Kong Tel Xo 30 it appears that the

moves the Governer contemplates taking would met constitute

adequate gesture.

would be only 2

Indeed from his figures it seans that there

zeaplazy" cases who would qualify for sere

than a few months' remission. The Chinese have nad it clear

that an "adequate" gesture would be the release of 42 of the

remaining 73.

3. The Governor clearly needs some reassuranes that the

action we have suggested is based on our assessment of

long-term interests of Hong Kong and that we do not see

ple

OOKP ZIMUT KAL

COVERING SECRET

- 1 -

CONFIDENTIAL

Sino-British relations in isolation from those interests,

The Governor has asked for consultation and I recommend

I have nisgivings

that ve discover what he has in sind.

about this proposal as it could result in further speculation

about "rifta" between HG and the Hong Kong Goverment.

5. I res

I recommend that we accept the Governor's general

conelusion (paragraph 3 of his Tel No 36) that we should

"aim for releases at our own pace and for our own deliberate

sad explainable reasons". I would hope nevertheless that

the Secretary of state would agree to express the hope that

the sareful sorutiny the Jovernor is personally giving would

result in the numbers eligiblə fer release being nearer te

those the begrotary of State mentioned in his originai

telegram.

6. A draft telegram in this sense in submitted.

await the Secretary of State's return.

It an

J A L Hergan

Far Eastern Department E 255

19 January 1971

Copy to: Hong Kong Dept (Er Lairi)

CONFIDENTIAL

CYBER/ONG A

FROM HONG KONG 1934452

SECRET

TOP COPY

TO PRIORITY F.C.0. TELNO 36 OF 19 JANUARY REPEATED INFO PRIORITY

PEKING.

PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 42: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS,

WHEN RISKS TO THE SECURITY OF HONG KONG ARE BALANCED AGAINST THE CHANCES OF IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH CHINA IT IS PROBABLE THAT

ANY GOVERNOR WILL SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY FROM ANY CHARGE.

HOWEVER, THINK THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE UNDERESTIMATES THE

RISKS AND OVERESTIMATES THE CHANCES OF BETTER RELATIONS.

I po,

2. REF. PARAGRAPH 3. MORE THOUGHTFUL RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG WILL SEE THAT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG CANNOT BE WHOLLY DIVORCED FROM THE STATE OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS GENERALLY BUT IT IS

PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONVINCE MANY THAT THE WHOLESALE AND

SPEEDY RELEASE OF THE REMAINING CONFRONTATION PRISONERS WILL BENEFIT HONG KONG. IT IS ONLY TOO OBVIOUS THAT THE MORALE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNISTS WOULD BE RAISED AND THE DETERMINATION

OF THIS GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE ATS AUTHORITY BROUGHT INTO DOUBT. THE DIFFICULTIES OF DEALING WITH ANOTHER LOCAL COMMUNIST RESORT TO VIOLENCE OR INDEED DEALING WITH THEM ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS AS WE HAVE TO DO, WOULD BE INCREASED,

FOR MOST RESIDENTS, HONG KONG IS THEIR ONLY SAFE HAVEN AND THEY WOULD INEVITABLY RE VERY QUICK TO FEEL A WEAKENING AT THE TOP. FURTHERMORE, THE PRESS ARE ONLY TOO LIKELY, TO DO FURTHER DAMAGE BY REPRESENTING ANY CONCESSION AS SOMETHING FORCED ON HONG KONG BY LONDON, WITH HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AN INCONSIDERABLE ELEMENT

IN THE SITUATION.

3. ALTHOUGH THE SUBJECT CERTAINLY BELONGS MORE TO THE CHARGE

THAN TO ME I CAN RECALL NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT A BELIEF THAT

ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN RELATIONS WITH CHINA ACHIEVED BY AN

AMNESTY WOULD BE EITHER SUBSTANTIAL OR LASTING. RELATIONS

HAVE EASED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WITHOUT AN AMNESTY, AND

THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES HERE TO WHICH THE CHINESE ARE EQUALLY,

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/ OR HORE,

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OR MORE, SENSITIVE E.G. THEIR PRESS AND SCHOOLS. IT IS THEREFORE DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT A SETTLEMENT OF THE PRISONER ISSUE UNLOCK THE DOOR TO A TROUBLE-FREE ERA. THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE IS THAT THE LONG TERM POLICY OF CHINA TOWARDS HONG KONG WOULD BE UNAFFECTED AND THAT AT THE BEST THE SHORT TERM POLICY COULD LEAD TO SOME INCONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT HERE, BUT IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT EVEN THE SHORT TERM POLICY WOULD WORSEN IF SUCH AN IMPORTANT DELIBERATE CONCESSION BY US ENCOURAGED PEKING TO THINK MORE COULD EASILY BE HAD,

REMAIN APPREHENSIVE OVER

4. OF COURSE I AGREE, AS I HAVE STATED IN EARLIER TELEGRAMS (E.G. MY TELEGRAM NO. 13) THAT THE EXISTING PROCEDURE OF THE PRISON BOARD OF REVIEW SHOULD BE FULLY USED. I HOPE THAT IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS OR SO THERE WILL BE SOME RESULTS TO SHOW ON THE LESS SERIOUS CASES ALTHOUGH THE BOARD'S REACTIONS. MOREOVER, I AM MYSELF READING THROUGH THE ENTIRE AVAILABLE COURT RECORDS OF EVERY SERIOUS CASE AND WILL ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER RELEASING OR REDUCING THE SENTENCES OF AS MANY AS WE SAFELY CAN THROUGH THIS PROCEDURE, WHERE THERE IS ANY JUSTIFICATION FOR IT. IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE THEN TO LET THE CHINESE ASSUME THAT WE HAVE RESPONDED TO THEIR GESTURE OVER JOHNSTON, ALTHOUGH TO SAY SO TOO EXPLICITLY STILL SEEMS TO ME TO HAVE GRAVE DANGERS. RELEASES BY CHINESE NEW YEAR NEXT WEEK HOWEVER ARE PROCEDURALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

5. IN SHORT, IT IS AMNESTIES AS A PURE POLITICAL MANOUEVRE WHICH I MOST SINCERELY FEAR: NOT RELEASES AT OUR OWN PACE AND FOR OWN DELIBERATE AND EXPLAINABLE REASONS.

SIR D.TRENCH

FILES:

FED

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NEUS DEPT 13

EIR S. CRAWFORD P3 TO MR. ROYLE

SIR S. TOMLINSON SIR L. MONSON NR. VILFORD

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PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM PEKING 1603+ØZ(SIC)

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TOP COPT COFI

SECRET

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 42 OF 16 JANUARY INFO PRIORITY HONG

KONG CPERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR).

YOUR TELNO 24 AND HONG KONG TELNOS 13 AND 14 TO YOU.

1. I AGREE THAT A MOST IMPORTANT STAGE HAS BEEN REACHED

IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS, THE CHINESE ARE LOOKING FOR

NORMALISATION AND IMPROVEMENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR

RELATIONS AND HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WISH TO SEE AN END TO

THE SITUATION CREATED BY THE EVENTS OF 1967. IN

THIS THEY WILL REGARD THE ACTIONS OF HER MAJESTY'S

GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AS

INDIVISIBLE AS THEY HAVE ALL ALONG. IT IS ROUND

THIS QUESTION THAT THE COMMENTS WHICH FOLLOW

MAINLY REVOLVE.

2. IN MY VIEW THE LINK BETWEEN BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN

CHINA AND CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

IN HONG KONG HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPLICIT IN CHINESE THINKING.

CARRYING OUT A GRADUAL PROCESS OF RELAXATION WITHOUT

THEY DID NOT AT FIRST MAKE IT EXPLICIT BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY

HOPED THAT BY NOT DOING SO WE SHOULD BE ASSISTED IN

рі

SPECIFIC TERMS BEING STATED. BUT AFTER GREY'S RELEASE THEY

MADE THE LINK QUITE CLEAR AND IT WAS EMPHASISED DURING WILFORD'S

VISIT LAST APRIL.

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13. I FIND

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3. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY IF THE MATTER WERE SUITABLY

EXPLAINED, PEOPLE IN HONG WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT

THEY OWED SOMETHING TO BRITAIN AND TO BRITISH SUBJECTS IN

CHINA WHO HAD SUFFERED IN THE INTERESTS OF MAINTAINING LAW AND

ORDER IN THE COLONY AND HENCE THAT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE THERE

COULD BE NO COMPLETE DIVORCE BETWEEN

THEIR INTEREST AND WIDER SINO BRITISH INTERESTS

4. THE PRESENT IMPROVEMENT IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS IS

PART OF A GENERAL IMPROVMENT IN RELATIONS BETWEEN

CHINA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD FROM WHICH WE MAY BENEFIT TO SOME

DEGREE EVEN IF PROBLEMS IN HONG KONG REMAIN UNRESOLVED.

I THINK, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS UNWISE TO ASSUME THAT THERE IS

UNANIMITY WITHIN THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH

RELATIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. THERE

ARE REPORTS THAT THERE HAS BEEN DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE RECENT

CHINESE CONDEMNATION OF EVENTS IN POLAND WHICH IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN

OPPOSED BY THOSE IN FAVOUR OF BETTER BILATERAL RELATIONS AND

CHAMPIONED BY THOSE WISHING TO GIVE ALL-OUT SUPPORT TO QUOTE

REVOLUTION UNQUOTE. THE POSITION OF HONG KONG IS SUI GENERIS

SINCE THE CHINESE CONSIDER IT PART OF CHINA. FOR THIS REASON

A POLICY OF NO CHANGE THERE MUST BE CORRESPONDINGLY MORE

DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN AND JUSTIFY. FROM ALL AVAILABLE

EVIDENCE IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE INSTRUCTED

THEIR SUPPORTERS IN HONG KONG NOT TO MAKE TROUBLE AND HAVE

CRITICISED THEIR HANDLING OF EVENTS IN 1967 SINCE

THE OUTCOME SHOWED THEY DID NOT ENJOY POPULAR SUPPORT.

THE PRESENT POLICY IS TO TRY SLOWLY TO BUILD UP SUCH SUPPORT. WHILE

I, OF COURSE, DEFER TO THE GOVERNOR'S

ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT SITUATION AND THE REACTION OF

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/NON-COMMUNIST

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NON-COMMUNIST OPINION TO FURTHER RELEASES, I

SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE RISK OF FURTHER COMMUNIST

RECOURSE TO VIOLENCE OR OTHER ACTION WHICH WOULD CONSTITUTE A

THREAT TO SECURITY WOULD BE LESS RATHER THAN

MORE AT A TIME WHEN THEY HAD OBTAINED SOME SATISFACTION FOR THEIR

AMOUR PROPRE AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND

CHINA WERE SEEN TO BE GETTING BETTER. THERE WOULD NO DOUBT BE SOME

CROWING BUT I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD RECEIVE PARTICULAR ENCOURAGEMENTS

FROM HERE. THE GREATER DANGER SEEMS TO ME TO LIE IN A

SITUATION WHERE LOCAL ACTIVISTS BECOME TOTALLY

FRUSTRATED AND CLAMOUR TO BE LET OFF THE LEASH. IN THESE

CIRCUMSTANCES THE MORE MODERATE ELEMENTS IN THE

PEKING LEADERSHIP WILL NOT BE WELL PLACED TO

COUNSEL CAUTION AND IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER OUTBURST

OF VIOLENCE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MAY NOT BE ABLE COR PERHAPS

WILLING TO TRY TO CONTROL IT.

Ꮀ

5. IF WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW OFFERED, I DO NOT,

REPEAT NOT, THINK THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL REGARD IT AS A

SIGN OF WEAKNESS BUT RATHER OF POLITICAL SAGACITY, PROGRESS

WITH RELEASE OF PRISONERS WOULD IN MY VIEW BE SIGNIFICANT

NOT ONLY IN THE SHORT TERM BUT ALSO IN THE LONGER TERM WHEN

THE ATTITUDE OF THE PEKING GOVERNMENT WILL BE DECISIVE.

PER CONTRA A TOTALLY UNYIELDING ATTITUDE NOW COULD

MAKE MATTERS MORE DIFFICULT AT SUCH TIME AS THE FUTURE OF

THE COLONY BECOMES A SUBJECT WHICH HAS TO BE RAISED.

-3-

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/6. I VERY

■

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6. I VERY MUCH HOPE THEREFORE THAT IT WILL BE FOUND POSSIBLE

TO CONTINUE TO MAKE AT ANY RATE SOME FURTHER RELEASES AND THAT

AS HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THE FIRST GROUP MIGHT BE LET OUT FOR THE

CHINESE NEW YEAR.

DENSON

FILES

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SIR S CRAWFORD

P.S./MR ROYLE

SIR S TOMLINSON

MR WILFORD

SIR L MONSON

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•

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FROM HONG KONG 1815/Z

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T. IMMEDIATE F.C.0. TELEGRAM NO. 33 CF 19 JANUARY 1971 INFO HMEDIATE : EKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON).

FR MONSCH FROM GL VERNOR.

TELEGRAM NO. 33 PARACRAPH 3.

PEPLIES TO PRESS QUERIES ON CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN ASKED A NUMBER OF

DESTIONS CCCASIONED BY PRESS REPORTS REACHING HUNG KONG FROM

LONDON IN RECENT WEEKS.

2. ON 23 DECEMBER VE COMMENTED IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS ON A REUTERS REPORT WHICH WAS BASED ON AN EDITORIAL IN THE FINANCIAL TIES": BUTE DURING THE PERIOD OF CONFRONTATION AND RIOTS OF 1947, A T TAL OF 1,936 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED, TRIED IN THE COURTS AND CONVICTED OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES. OF THIS NUMBER, ONLY 74 ARE STILL IN PRISON: THEY WERE CONVICTED OF SUCH CRIMES AS THE FOSSESSION OF BOMBS, EXPLOSIVES AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS, OF ASSAULT, PICTING AND CAUSING GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM. IT IS TO BE STRESSET THAT THESE FRISCNEPS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES AND THAT NO POLITICAL PRISONERS ARE DETAINED ANY HERE IN THE COLONY. THERE IS A RECOGNISED PROCEDURE, THROUGH THE PRISONS BOARD OF REVIEW, FOR PERIODIC RECONSIDERATION CF SENTENCES: THE BOARD NEFTS EVERY THREE MONTHS. WE HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT TO MAKE ON THE SPECULATIVE EDITORIAL IN TODAY'S 'FINANCIAL TIMES'' PENTITLED IN A REUTER REPORT TC WHICH YOU REFERRED. UNQUOTE. 3. THIS LINE WAS FOLLOWED CLOSELY IN COMMENT BY INFORMATION SERVICES IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS. I REGRET THAT A TRANSCRIPT OF THE GPCADCAST REFERRED TO IN MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE HAS AT, UNTIL NOW, BEEN AVAILABLE. TEXT FOLLOWS THE SAME LINES AND

IS BEING FORWARDED BY BAG.

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14 ON

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4, ON 7 JANUARY THE PRESS HERE WAS TOLD THAT THE FINDINGS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PRISONS BOARD OF REVIEW COULD NOT BE

MITICIPATER. ON 8 JANUARY, HEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON REPORTS FROM

LINEON THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD AMNESTY THE REMAINING

PRISONERS, LE SAID: CUGTE THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE FRESENT

POLICY REGARDING THE RELEASE OF RISONERS SERVING SENTENCES FOR

OFFENCES COMMITTED DURING THE 19/7 DISTURBANCES. THE PRISONS

BOART OF REVIEW EXAMINES ALL LONG-TERM SENTENCES REGULARLY.

ALL RISONER CAN EARN A NORMAL REMISSION FOR GOOD BEHAVIOUR.

PRESS REPORTS OF AN 'AMNESTY FOR CONFRONTATION PRISONERS' ARE

COMPLETELY UNTRUE. UNGULTE.

TRENCH

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SIR S TOMLINSON

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712,

Cer

F 'ONG KONG 152345Z

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TO FLASH FCO TELNO 30 OF 15 JANUARY, INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON)

FERSONAL FOR MONSON FROM GOVERNOR,

YOUR TELEGRAM 37.

THE NUMBERS IN THE POSSIBLY EXEMPLARY CATEGORY MAY NOW BE AS MUCH

AS 24, BUT OF COURSE THE BOARD OF REVIEW MAY VERY WELL NOT AGREE THAT ALL CAN BE SO CATEGORIZED, OR RECOMMEND ANY ACTION. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PUSHED THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FAIRLY

ALREADY. *FAR THEIR LIMITS

2. YOUR PARA. 2. FIGURES AS NEARLY AS WE CAN ASCERTAIN THEM AT THE

MOMENT ARE:

(A) OF THE 24 ''EXEMPLARY'' CASES 22 ARE DUE FOR RELEASE DURING THE SUMMBER OF 1971.

(B) OF THE 41 NAMES IN THE PETITION : ~

(I) 12 ARE AMONGST THE 24 ''EXEMPLARIES''

(II) 11 ARE DUE FOR RELEASE DURING THE SUMMBER OF 1971

(111) 5 ARE WOMEN.

(IV) ONE IS THE YOUTH MENTIONED AT THE END OF MY TELEGRAM

N 17 WHO IS TO BE RELEASED ON 3RD FEBRUARY.

(C) THE BOARD IS NOT DUE TO HAVE A REGULAR MEETING UNTIL 19TH じ MARCH, BUT THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FEELS THAT THIS "EETING COULD BE

BROUGHT FORWARD TO ABOUT MID-FEBRUARY WITHOUT EXCITING TOO MUCH

REMARK. I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF PREPARATION

AND GROUND-WORK TO BE DONE BEFORE THE PAPERS ARE IN A STATE

FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD.

SECRET.

13. YOUR BARA 3

SECRET

YOUR PARA. 3. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS IN, THE FORM OF A SHORT

PRESS RELEASE AND A RADIO INTERVIEW WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, FOLLOWING THE LINE IN MY TELEGRAM NO. 873 OF 1979. TEXTS WILL BE TELEGRAPHED TOMORROW.

4. QUITE APART FROM THE ABOVE, DETAILED EXAMINATION IS TURNING UP THE OCCASIONAL ODDITY AMONGST THE LONGER TERM PRISONERS WHICH

MAY JUSTIFY REFERENCE TO THE BOARD FOR REDUCTION OF SENTENCE IF

NOT FOR VERY EARLY RELEASE.

THIS TELEGRAM WAS DRAFTED PRIOR TO THE DESPATCH OF MY TELEGRAM

NO. 29.

SIR B.TRENCH

FILES

FED

HKD

PS TO MR ROYLE

SIR L MONSON

WR WILFORD

SIR S TOMLINSON

SECRET

DE DE

CONFIDENCIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

FCO 151920Z

CONFIDENTIAL

(FED)

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 47 OF 15 JANUARY INFO

PEKING.

YOUR TEL NO 29: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

FOR GOVERNOR FROM SIR L. MONSON.

WE ARE AS MYSTIFIED AS YOU ARE AS TO THE SOURCE OF THESE STORIES. WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT NOBODY IN THE FCO CONCERNED WITH THIS QUESTION HAS BEEN IN TOUCH EITHER WITH A.F.P. OR WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE.

2. THE A.F.P. ARTICLE WHICH WE HAVE SEEN WAS DATELINED LONDON ON 7 JANUARY. THIS PREDATES THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TELEGRAM NO. 24 AND ON THAT DATE WE DID NOT EVEN KNOW WHETHER HE AGREED WITH THE DRAFT OF IT. YOUR OWI TELEGRAM NO. 13 REACHED LONDON ON A SATURDAY AND WAS NOT SEEN BY ANY MEMBER OF THE OFFICE DIRECTLY CONCERNED UNTIL MONDAY, 11 JANUARY, SO AGAIN WE CANNOT SEE HOW ITS CONTENT COULD HAVE LEAKED AT THIS END IN SUCH A WAY AS TO BE USED IN AN

ARTICLE ON 10 JANUARY.

3. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE ARTICLE WHICH APPEARED IN THE FINANCIAL

TIMES ON 23 DECEMBER SOON AFTER JOHNSON'S IMPENDING RELEASE WAS

KIOWN WHICH SPECULATED ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHINESE WOULD EXPECT MOVEMENT ON CONFRONTATION PRISONERS AND EVEN MENTIONED CHINESE NEW YEAR. THERE WAS SIMILAR COMMENT IN THE TIMES THAT

DAY ALSO. WE ARE INCLINED TO THINK THAT MEMBERS OF THE PRESS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT HAVE TAKEN THEIR CUE FROM THERE.

CERTAINLY 1 CAN REPEAT MY ASSURANCE THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO BRIEFING OF THE PRESS OF A KIND WHICH COULD HAVE GIVEN RISE TO EITHER THE

A.F.P. OR THE PEOPLE STORY.

THE FCO NEWS DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ARTICLE WHICH APPEARED IN THE PEOPLE AND I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THESE STORIES WILL DIE NATURALLY, WE NOTE THE LINE WHICH YOU TOOK, BUT, IF WE HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING, WILL SAY THE STORY OF A ROW IS QUOTE QUITE UNTRUE UNQUOTE.

DOUGLAS-HOME

DISARI AVION

те

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JOMNI DENTI

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No..

DEPARTMENT

* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

pespotted

Top Secret

Confidential

-hererbsed Lineinssita

Emergency! Towmediate Porty- Routine

En Clair Code Cypher

Draft Telegram jo:-- Hong Kong

14.7

No.

(Date)

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reach addressee(s)

CONFIDENTIAL

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2.143.

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15 1920Z

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HONG KONG

telegram No.....

15/1.

||-||-||

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PEKING

repeated for information to

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|||IMII'

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Peking

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Distribution:

·E. De pr HK Dept & News Depr

Copies to:--

Mihrille

TULE

Your Fel N° 29

For Governor from Sir L. Monson

CO.FRONTATION PRISONERS,

We are as mystified as you are as to the

source of these stories. We can assure you that

nobody in the PCO concerned with this question has

been in touch either with A.F.P. or with representa-

tives of The People.

The A.F.P. article which we have seen was

datelined London on 7 January. This predates the

Secretary of State's telegram No. 24 and on that

date we did not even know whether he agreed with

the draft of it. Your own telegram No. 13 reached

London on a Saturday and was not seen by any member

of the ofiice directly concerned until Monday,

11 January, so again we cannot see how its content

could have leaked at this end in such a way as to

be used in an article on 10 January.

You may have seen the article which appeared

in the Financial Times on 23 December soon after

Johnson's impending release was known which

speculated on the possibility that the Chinese

(and even mentioned Chrison Nos Yours would expect movement on confrontation prisoners

CONFIDENTIAL

ميله

There

ward similar comment in the Timers that day We are inclined to think that members of the press who are

CALZ

interested in this subject have taken their e from there.

Certainly I can repeat my assurance that there has been no

briefing of the press of a kind which could have given rise to

either the A.F.P. or The People story.

4. The FCO News Department havenot had any questions about the

article which appeared in The People and I can only hope that

these stories will die naturally.

you took and will

will

the line which if we have to say any Hring

marides, but

is "quite untrue."

र

Bay

the story of a

ри

لد

CONFIDENTIAL

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

CYPHER CAT A

SECRET

હ

TOP COPY

FROM HONG KONG 151200Z

SECRET

TO FLASH FICIO TELEGRAM NUMBER. 29 OF 15 JANUARY 1971 PRIORITY INFO PEKING

YOUR TEL 37 CONFRONTATION PRISONERS

PERSONAL FOR MONSON FROM GOVERNOR

NEWS ITEM APPEARING PRESUMABLY IN LAST SUNDAYS EDITION OF THE PEOPLE'' (U.K.) HEADED ** SIR ALEC IN CLASH '' HAS BEEN

REPRODUCED HERE TODAY OVER SCARE HEADLINES E.G. ''GOVERNOR AND SIR ALEC IN ROW OVER REDS **SEMICOLON ''LONDON REPORTS ON THE BATTLE OF THE KNIGHTS'' ETC.. WE ARE RECEIVING A NUMBER OF URGENT PRESS ENQUIRIES ABOUT THIS REPORT AND THESE HAVE TO BE ANSWERED PROMTLY IF THE STORY IS NOT TO GAIN CURRENCY AND CREDENCE.

2. I HAVE THEREFORE AUTHORISED G.1.S. TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT **THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE PRESENT POLICY REGARDING THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS SERVING SENTENCES FOR OFFENCES COMMITTED DURING. THE 1967 DISTURBANCES WHICH REMAINS AS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED BEFORE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS BEEN KEPT FULLY

}

INFORMED THOUGHOUT AND REGULAR EXCHANGES OF VIEWS HAVE NATURALLY TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. BEYOND THIS

BEYOND THIS, THE NEWSPAPER STORY OF A ''ROW'' IS A GROSS DISTORTION''.

3. YOU WILL OF COURSE HAVE REALISED THAT THIS PUBLICITY,

COUPLED WITH PRESS REPORTS OF AMNESTIES'' ETC., MAKES IT

I k

DOUBLY DIFFICULT TO MEET OUR DESIRE TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THE MATTER,

AND MAY PUT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF REVIEW, WHO MUST FEEL RESPONSIV

IN A POSITION, WHICH WILL

MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE HELPFUL.

MECRES

/ L. KOST

SECRED

. MOST GRATEFUL FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO FIND AND PLUG THE SOURCE OF THESE LEAKS AS THEY ARE MAKING IT MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE BOTH WANT.

SIR D.TRENCH

NNNN

VILES:

FED

IND

KEJS DEPT

PS/IR. ROYLE

SIR L. NOM,JON MR. JILFO.D

SER . TOMEIN KON

GECREA

COFY TO

UND. (u).

→

PRIORITY

**CYPHER/CAT A

CCIFIDENTIAL

(FE)

C O 131755Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 37 OF 13 JANUARY AND TO PRIORITY

PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON).

(c)

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MONSON.

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELEGRAMS HOS.13 AND 17 AND FOR THIS MOST

HELPFUL SUMMARY OF YOU VIEWS,

2. BEFORE SUBMITTING TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WHO IS, AS YOU

KNOW, IN SINGAPORE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AMPLIFICATION OF

PARAGRAPH 6 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO.13. OF THE 27 WHOSE SENTENCES

MAY HAVE CONTAINED AN EXCESSIVELY EXEMPLARY ELEMENT HOW MAY ARE

AMONG THE 27 DUE FOR RELEASE WITH NORAML REMISSION BY THE MIDDLE

OF THIS YEAR? COULD YOU ALSO LET ME KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE

COVERED BY BOTH THESE CATEGORIES WOULD BE AMONG THOSE LISTED

IN THE 41 NAMES ON THE PETITION MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 5 OF YOUR

TELEGRAM NO.17. INCIDENTALLY ARE WE CORRECT IN BELIEVING THAT ALL

THE WOMEN CONFRONTATION PRISONERS ARE LISTED AMONG THE 41?

I SHOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHAT SORT OF TINING WOULD BE

PRACTICABLE FOR CONSIDERATION OF THOSE IN THE EXEMPLARY CATEGORY,

3. COULD YOU ALSO LET ME HAVE THE TEXT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT YOU

ISSUED TO WHICH YOU REFER IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO.13

IN CASE WE TOO GET ANY QUESTIONS.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

HG NGH

PRIVJE SECR MARY PS TO HR ROYLE

SIR L MONGON

IR WILFORD

SIR S TOMLINSON

COPIES TO

UND (4 COPIES)

가

17/

CONFIDENSKAN

Registry No.

FED

DEPARTMENT

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

JAIM

Top Secret 12/1

Confidential

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

En Glair. Colo Cypher

Draft Telegrand to:- HONG KONG

No.

(Date) 13/1 And to:/

X Peking

• Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s).

141

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

Despatched

-To featu+++++++▬▬▬‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒¬

0910

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[Security_ if any

Security classification" classification]

[

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-if any

[Codeword-if any]

Addressed to

telegram No...

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...(date)

CONFIDENTIAL

Priority

HỤNG KONG (Immediate).

FEKING (Priority) (Personal for → Denson)

---------------------|

repeated for information to

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Repeat to:-

Saving to:-

Incerentally

wre correct in believing

hair all the with em

confrontation prism

aman ang

listed am

41?

DESPEDITION:

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Sir S Tomlinson

Sir L.Monson

Mr Wilford

Miss Deas

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Personal for Governor from Monson.

Thank

Summały

1. We are grateful to you for your telegrams Nos 13 & 17.

and for most helpf

ok if your videos,

Before submitting to the Secretary of State, who

is,as you know, in Singapore, we should be grateful

for amplification of paragraph 6 of your telegram No 13.

Of the 20 whose sentences may have contained an

excessively exemplary element how many are among the 27 due for release with normal remission by the middle

of this year? Could you also let me know how many of

those covered by both these categories would be among

those listed in the 41 names on the petition mentioned

in paragraph 5 of your telegram No 17. I should also

17.7

be grateful to know what sort of timing would be

practicable for consideration of those in the exemplary

category.

Could you also let me have the text of the

announcement you issued to which you refer in paragraph 4 of your telegram No 13, in case we too get any

questions.

CONFIDENTIAL 13/

131755/2

7097

73 1311.

CONFIDENTIAL

172

Mr.

geleora

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Sir S Tomingon w

Sir L Mobson wows

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ایی

19.1

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS IN HONG KONG

A and B 1.

A draft reply to Hong Kong telegrams Nos 13 and 17

is submitted, after discussion with Mr Wilford and Mr Laird.

The background is set out in my submission of

31 December.

12 January 1971

SALMurgen

J A L Morgan

Far Eastern Department

Заднетик м

I agrees with M. Morgan a5M

haurd that we should be wise

out these details before

Copy to:

Hong Kong Department (Mr Laird)

the

Private Office

CONFIDENTIAL

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issue

to sext

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I think it work the

the Fel went form Six L. Mantra

丽

Kun hiffo

nfs tomlinson 131; ibli

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Mah Jan 19/1

Mr.

Wixford

CONFIDENTIAL

Hong Kong

145 (c)

The Secretary of State has commented as follows on Hong Kong telegram number 13 to the FCO:

The

"I do not see how we can go against this advice. Governor's analysis of Chinese reasoning is probably right."

If you wish to go back to the Secretary of State in due course about this while he is still in Singapore, it might be best to let me have a draft telegram to Mr. Graham in the form of a brief submission.

عمل مستند

(N. J. Barrington) 12 January, 1971.

Copy to:

PS/Mr. Royle

Sir Leslie Monson Mr. Morgan (FED)

Mr. Laird (Hong Kong Dept.)

Milano En 1411

This need not prevent

pursuing the interrogating

which you as FED

Коледна

howe

and what is now

agreed

wat Sir L. Mman.

M.Magan

CONFIDENTIAL

بیدی

14.1

MW"%

embent

pla

گوشو

SUNDAY EXPRESS

Cutting dated

ПO JAN 1971

Amnesty

plan

... +

angers Colony

Sunday Express Reporter HONG KONG: News- papers here have launched a campaign to block any attempt by Britain to secure ап amnesty for Communist . prisoners held since the rlots of June 1987.

The British-owned China Mall and South China Morning Post in editorials yesterday expressed concern over the prospect.

There follow

Agence

Prance Presse report fron London clemlag that BELDERLY Kould be declared within a few days.

A spokesman for the Goverty ment' here denied the report, but did not rule out the pers blity that the sentences of the Teminine

prisoners

might be

'Political ploy'

The Chin Mail: zaid

reduction in setitentes seemed more than likely, which would sive the imPTEAS

יה

Lenter

MA14/1

veneer. the Mal said. Any amnesty would obviously be a political por used by Britain in a further bid to improve her relations with China.

The Bouth China Morning Post the most influential newspaper in the Colony--also attacked any minnesty.

It said the Left-wing prisoners should be made to serve out their terms to demonstrate that activites of the kind which occurred in 1907 would not be Talented.

IMMEDIATE

TOP COPY

SECRET

CYPHER CAT/-A

FROM HONG KONG 118538Z

SECRET

TO F.C.0. TELEGRAM NO 17 IMMEDIATE OF 11 JANUARY REPEATED

INFO PRIORITY PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON)

PERSONAL FROM GOVERNOR FOR SECRETARY OF STATE.

MY TELEGRAM NO. 13.

I HAVE THE FOLLOWING FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 24, WHICH I ASK BE CONSIDERED AND WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO PUT FORWARD AS

A BASIS FOR ANY FURTHER CONSULTATIONS HERE ON WHICH YOU MAY DECIDE.

2. IT HAS, OF COURSE, BEEN FOR LONG AN IMPORTANT CHINESE OBJECTIVE TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THESE PRISONERS. LOCAL COMMUNISTS

PROMISED, IN 1967, THAT THE RELEASE OF ALL THEIR ADHERENTS WHO SERE IMPRISONED WOULD VERY QUICKLY BE EFFECTED. THAT THIS HAS

NOT BEEN ACHIEVED EXCEPT AT A PACE DICTATED BY US, HAS REFLECTED ADVERSELY ON THE EFFORTS OF LOCAL COMMUNIST LEADERS TO REGAIN

ADHERENTS AND ON THE CREDIBILITY OF PEKING'S EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT

FOR HONG KONG COMMUNISTS. IN SHORT, IT HAS BOTH BOLSTERED CONFIDENCE HERE AMONGST NON-COMMUNISTS AND DISCOURAGED COMMUNISTS.

IF THEY PROVE ABLE, EVEN NOW, TO EFFECT THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS AS THEY PROMISED (THEY THEMSELVES ADMITTED FROM ABOUT 1968. THAT IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL YEARS) THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM (AND WILL CLAIM) A VICTORY WHICH WILL DEMONSTRATE TO THEIR OWN ADHERENTS,

AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, THAT THEY ARE INDEED

ABLE IN THE END TO FORCE US TO DO WHAT THEY WANT. OUR ONLY REAL

DEFENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO SHEW CLEARLY THAT THE COMMUNISTS

CANNOT

FORMULATY EXCEPT BY THE USE OF A DEGREE OF ACTUAL VIOLENCE WHICH WILL RUIN HONG KONG - UDEFDEMEDO 18 TO DEPART FROM THIS BASIC POSTURE IS, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST FATAL MISTAKE THAT CAN BE MADE HERE: AND THE ISSUE OF THE PRISONERS SEEMS TO BE THE GROUND THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO MAKE US DEPART FROM IT.

SECRET

も

SECRET

3. AS TO OUR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND, THE FACT IS THAT

OUR RESPONSE TO MORE REASONABLE BEHAVIOUR BY THEM THROUGHOUT HAS

BEEN GREATER THAN THEIRS. NOR CAN I SEE THAT THE CRDINARY POPUL-

ATION OF HONG KONG HAS ANY MORAL RESPONSIBILITY, AT THE RISK

UK 'CITIZENS UNCONNECTED WITH HONG KONG MA

ARE HARRASSED IN CHINA.

IT HAS BY NO MEANS BEEN UNOBSERVED

HERE THAT THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE OR NO SIMILAR CONCERN SHEWN FOR

HONG KONG CHINESE ABDUCTED OR IMPRISONED IN CHINA AS THERE HAS DEEN FOR PERSONS OF EUROPEAN RACE.

THERE MAY BE A CERTAIN FALSE CALM HERE AT THE MOMENT, BUT THE COMMUNISTS CONTINUE TO MAKE CONSTANT AND STRENUOUS EFFORTS

IN TO GAIN ADHERENTS AND STRENGTHEN THEIR POSITION GENERALLY.

THIS THEY ARE INEVITABLY MEETING WITH SOME SUCCESS, AND CERTAINLY

NOTHING WE DO WILL EVER PERSUADE THEM TO DESIST FROM THESE EFFORTS.

NOR CAN I SEE THAT WE ARE IN ANY SPECIAL POSITION OF STRENGTH

AT THIS TIME, OTHER THAN THAT WE HAVE SO FAR SHEWN THAT WE CAN

PE FIRM ENOUGH TO COPE WITH PRESSURE SHORT OF DIRECT INTERVENTION

UR EXTREME VIOLENCE.

5. THE CHINESE CAN OF COURSE, ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY

AT THE MOMENT, RESORT TO MORE HOSTILE MEASURES AT ANY TIME -AND

ARE THE MORE LIKELY TO DO SO THE MORE THEY LEARN THAT THEY

CAN CUT-PRESSURE AND OUT-BARGAIN US. THE

"CAMPAIGN'' BY RELATIVES HAS AMOUNTED TO ONE PETITION (COVERING 41 OF THE 74 STILL IN PRISON) PEACEFULLY PRESENTED:

AND NOTHING FURTHER HAS TRANSPIRED EXCEPT A CONTINUANCE OF FAIRLY LOW -KEY CORRESPONDENCE IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS. IT BEARS

FC RESEMBLANCE TO THE SUSTAINED CAMPAIGN WHICH WAS UNDERTAKEN

TO INDUCE US TO RE-INSTATE DISMISSED WORKERS, AND WHICH WE RESISTED YITHOUT MUCH DIFFICULTY AND WHICH PETERED OUT WHEN WE STOOD FIRM.

6. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE

BUT IS SEEMS TO ME

TO HAVE BEEN SO LINKED ALMOST AS MUCH BY US AS BY THE CHINESE. MY

IMPRESSION IS THAT WE HAVE LET OURSELVES GET INTO A UNFORTUNATE BARGAINING POSITION IN THIS MATTER, AND IF HMG IS INDEED NOW IN SOME MORAL NEED, AS PART OF A BARGAIN

AS PART OF A BARGAIN, TO RELEASE PRISONERS,

IT IS CUITE SUBSTANTIALLY CUR OWN DOING.

17. I

SEC2R

C2RE T

SECRET

7. 1 AGREE ALSO THAT THEY MAY BE EVENTUALLY TEMPTED TO TAKE

FURTHER HOSTAGES, BUT SURELY THEY ARE ALL THE MORE LIKELY

TO DO SO IF THE POLICY PROVES A SUCCESSFUL METHOD OF EXERTING

PRESSURE ON HONG KONG THROUGH HMG.

8. I AM NOT SURE HOW THE REFERENCE TO THE FUTURE OF BRANCHES

OF BRITISH BANKS IN SHANGHAI ARISES, AS I DO NOT IMMEDIATELY

RECALL SEEING ANY SUCH LINKING BY THE CHINESE: BUT IF IT RELATES

TO THEIR EJECTION, THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK, UNTIL RECENTLY AT LEAST (I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE BANK NOW FEELS) WAS ONLY ANXIOUS

TO EFFECT A WITHDRAWAL.

9. CERTAINLY FRIENDLY AND PRACTICAL CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE ARE DESIRABLE, PROVIDED THEY ARE COUPLED WITH FIRM REFUSAL AT

AL TIMES TO GIVE WAY UNWILLINGLY TO PRESSURE.

13. AGAIN, I AGREE IT WOULD IN MANY WAYS BE A RELIEF TO BE RID OF THESE PRISONERS ENTIRELY. NO ONE WOULD BE HAPPIER TO SEE THE LAST OF THEM THAN 1,PROVIDED THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN

AN ACCEPTABLE MANNER, AND THE SEARCH FOR SUITABLE GROUNDS FOR CLEMENCY IS ONE IN WHICH I AM PRESENTLY PERSONALLY AND CLOSELY

ENGAGED. THE FIGURES IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 4 DO NOT GIVE A TRUE

FICTURE OF THE VICLENT

MATURE OF THE ACTIONS OF THESE REMAINING PRISONERS, WHO INFLICTED

CONSIDERABLE CASUALTIES ON THE POLICE BUT WERE OFTEN CHARGED WITH

THAT COULD QUICKLY AND EASILY BE PROVED RATHER THAN ON MORE

SERIOUS CHARGES. HOWEVER, THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME PRISONERS

HAVING BEEN GIVEN SENTENCES OF AM EXCESSIVELY EXEMPLARY

CHARACTER IS PRECISELY ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT NOW,

AS MY PREVIOUS TELEGRAM INDICATED. BUT NOTHING WILL HELP

PRESENTATION HERE IF THE PUBLIQ

SECRET

/11. I

SECRET

11. I HAVE SOME DIFFICULTIES OF CONSCIENCE, OF COURSE, IN THIS MATTER AND SOME FEELINGS OF CAUTION OVER MY RELATIONS WITH THE

JUDICIARY SEMICOLON BUT MY GREATEST FEARS ARE FOR THE RESULTS

'GN THE SECURITY OF THE COLONY OF GOING FOR CONSCIOUS AMNESTIES.

WE LIVE ON CONFIDENCE HERE, AND TO IMPAIR GRAVELY, OR DESTROY, LOCAL CONFIDENCE IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND INDEED IN HER

MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG

SEEMS TO ME MUCH LESS THAN WISE IN THE LONG RUN SEMICOLON · AND

I CAN ONLY ADVISE FIRMLY THAT AT THE PRESENT TIME AMNESTIES

OF THE KIND BEING PROPOSED, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR MESSAGE ATIGHT, WOULD HAVE A

IT IS FOR THESE REASONS I BELIEVE WE SHOULD NOT SUDDENLY DEVIATE FROM OUR PRESENT COURSES, AND GO IN FOR PURELY POLITICALLY MARESTIES; BUT DEMONSTRATE ONLY THAT WE DO KEEP THE SITUATION OF THESE PRISONERS

ONE YOUNG PRISONER WAS, IN- DEED,RECENTLY RELEASED EARLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BOARD OF REVIEW'S POLICY ON YOUNG PRISONERS; ALTHOUGH I DO NOT SUCGEST THIS IS OF ANY IM ORTANCE IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT.

FCO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY TO PEKING

1RENCH

FILES

FED

HKD

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED_7

PS TO MR ROYLE PRIVATE SECRETARY SIR S TOMLINSON MR WILFORD

FFFFF

SECRET

LAIR

FM HONG KONG 390350Z

THOMASSIFATTO

TO}

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 14 OF 9 JANUARY 1971

GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD NOTE THE FOLLOWING CORRECTIONS TO MY TELEGRAM

13. TO YOU; ~

(1) PREAMBLE SHOULD READ PERSONAL FROM GOVERNOR TO SECRETARY

SHOUYO

OF STATE'

(2) MISPLACED PARAGRAPHING POINT. PARAGRAPH 7 SHOULD COMMENCE

›

" TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER ETC.' PRECEDING SENTENCE COMMENCING AS

YOU ARE AWARE ETC. SHOULD BE ULTIMATE SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 6.

(3) IN PARAGRAPH 8,

MUST SINCERELY ASK SHOULD READ

** | MOST SINCEREL ASK

SIR D.TRENCH

***REMAS

FED

ILID

SIA 3 2011IY SOF

SIR LOOKIN

DARE DOR

Awe

3/2

INFESTATE

CYPHER CAT/A

FROM HONG KONG 293382Z

QUORST

SECRET

Patun

Correctin's made according to

HK Tel wit

ADDRESSED F.C.0. IMMEDIATE TELEGRAM NO 13 CF 9 JANUARY 1971

REPEATED IMMEDIATE INFO PEKING.

PERSONAL FROM GOVERNOR do Secretary & state

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 24.

AVR

HKK' /

とり

BEFORE REPLY MORE DIRECTLY TO THE POINTS IN YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER

FEFERENCE I MUST REPORT RECENT REACTIONS TO AN AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

ITE" WHICH WAS REPRODUCED IN THE PRESS HERE AND WHICH SPECULATED THAT ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN IN HONG KONG ALMOST PRECISELY ALONG THE

LINES IN YOUR TELEGRAM.

2. ON TUESDAY, 5 JANUARY, IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, AN UNOFFICIAL

"EMBER RAISED THE SUBJECT OF THE PRESS REPORTS AND SPOKE STRONGLY

TO THE EFFECT THAT THERE SHOULD UNDER NG CIRCUMSTANCES BE ANY

PREMATURE RELEASES OF CONFRONTATION FRISCHERS BECAUSE OF RECENT

CHINESE ATTITUDES, INCLUDING THE RELEASE OF JOHNSTON. HIS VIEW WAS. THAT JOHNSTON'S RELEASE RESULTED FROM RECENT MOVES BY THE

GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE TO RESTOFF THE SITUATION OVER THE BANK

OF CHINA THERE: BUT, IN ANY CASE, IT WAS HIS VIEW THAT ANY ACTION

OF THIS KIND WOULD RESULT IN

ANFIDENCE OVER

THIS GOVERNMENT'S /BILITY TO WITHSTAND PRESSURE. HE SPOKE

VI GOUROUSEY AND WAS SUPPORTED BY ALL OTHER UNOFFICIAL YEMBERS.

N FRIDAY, 8 JANUARY, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS REPORTED IN PIS WEEKLY ROUND-UP LF PUBLIC OPINION DERIVED FROM SCURCES CTHER THAN THE NEWSPAPERS THAT THE AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE REFORT HAT *R USED COMMENT FROM THOSE WHO HAP SEEN IT AND THAT

WHILE JOHNSTON'S RELEASE WAS WELCOMED THEFE WERE STRONGLY

ADVERSE REACTIONS TO THE SUGGESTION OF AMNESTIES.

PRESS EDIT RIALS HAVE EXPRESSED SIMILARLY ADVERSE VIEWS.

A TY' ICAL EXA : LE WHICH MAY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU IS THE

LEADING ARTICLE IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OF TODAY'S DATE

5TH JANUARY, WHICH FOLLOWED UPON AN ANNGUBCOVENT VE HAD TO MAKE,

T. LIETEN PUBLIC GIN1%, REFUTING THE AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

DEPORT AND DE-ASSURING EN VIERES THAT THESE PRISONERS -TULD BE

TREATED NO DIFFERENTLY FROM ANY OTHERS..

pik

15. T. CAN BE

SECRET

5. IT CAN EE SAID WITH CERTAINTY, THEREFORE, THAT ANY WHOLESALE

A TIGN ON THE LINES SUGGESTED WILL GRAVELY OUTRAGE ALL STRATA

OF LOCAL OPINION AND RESULT IN SERVEI

6. THOREOVER, SINCE IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT ANY SUCH ACTION WOULD HAVE THE SLIGHTEST EFFECT ON ESSENTIAL CHINESE ATTITUDES

TOWARDS HONG KONG (EVEN IF SOME BENEFITS IN IMPROVED SINO- BRITISH RELATIONS ACCRUE TO BRITAIN THEREFRCM) | MUST MOSTE

EARNESTLY ASK THAT WE DO NOT DEPART FROM OUR PRESENT POLICY, AND THAT

WE GO NO FURTHER THAN CUR

FRESENT SEARCH FOR ANY PRISONERS WHO MIGHT BE RELEASED, OR HAVE

THEIR SENTENCES CURTAILED, ON GROUNDS ACCEPTABLE TO PUBLIC OPINION

AND DET GUT OF LINE WITH WHAT WOULD BE NORMAL PRACTICE FOR ANY

CONVICTED PRISONER.

Газ

24 AS YOU ARE AWARE THERE IS A GROUP (OF VERY ROUGHLY ABOUT 2v) WHOSE SENTENCES MAY HAVE CONTAINED AN EXCESSIVELY EXEMPLARY ELEMENT, AND WHOM WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT.TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER COURSE WOULD IN MY FIRM OPINION, HAVE GRAVE LONG TERM

CONSEQUENCES FOR SECURITY HERE: QUITE APART FROM THE HIGH RISK OF CUTBREAKS OF VICLENCE IN THE PRISONS WHICH MIGHT

VERY 'ELL RESULT. EVEN TO FOLLOW THE COURSE WE ARE FOLLOWING

HAS GRAVE DANGERS UNLESS WE PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

3. IF THESE VIEYS APE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, I MOST

SIN: ERELY ASK FOR CONSULTATIONS HERE BEFORE WE PROCEED ANY

FURTHER.

(F.C.C. PLS PASS IMMED TO PEKING)

SIR D.TRENCH

FILES:

FED

HKD

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

SIR S TOMLINGON

SIR L MONSON

MR WILFORD

PS TO MR ROYLE

-2-

SECRET

ALMEDIAGN

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

Ale

Ohj

Face 3/58/14

FM FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 081510Z

(FED)

FER 14/1

CONFIDENTIAL.

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO. 24 OF 8 JANUARY INFO PRIORITY TO PEKING (PERSONAL FOR DENSON).

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM SECRETARY OF STATE.

I HAVE BEEN GIVING THOUGHT TO OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG. THE CHINESE HAVE NOW MADE IT ABUNDANTLY

CLEAR THAT THEY WISH TO

RELEASING METUM THEY HAVE REMOVED THE ONLY SERIOUS OBSTACLE

REMAINING FROM THE STRICTLY BRITISH POINT OF VIEW.

2. THEY NOW SEE US AS HAVING

THEY HAVE MADE IT CLEAR WHAT FORM THEY CONSIDER THE RESPONSE SHOULD TAKE THE RELEASE OF THE REMAINING CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.

3. 1 AND MY PREDECESSORS HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNISED THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT RELEASES DO NOT LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN CONFIDENCE IN

THE FIRMNESS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND ITS ABILITY TO

WITHSTAND CHINESE PRESSURE. ON THE OTHER HAND THE SITUATION IS NOW CALM, THREE YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THE COMMUNISTS IN HONG KONG ARE AT PRESENT AVOIDING CLASHES WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT. WE ARE THEREFORE AT THE MOMENT IN A POSITION OF COMPARATIVE STRENGTH. BUT IF, AFTER THE CHINESE HAVE PLAYED THEIR BEST REMAINING BARGAINING CARD IN RELEASING MR. JOHNSTON, WE MAKE NO RESPONSE,

THEY MAY FEEL

THEY

HAVE ALREADY HINTED TO US HERE THAT THEY INTENDED TO DEMONSTRATE

THE

IN HONG KONG, AND I SEE THAT THIS CAMPAIGN HAS NOW STARTED, THE CHINESE HAVE LINKED THE CONTINUED

DETENTION OF CONFRONTATION PRISONERS WITH BRITISH SUBJECTS

DETAINED IN CHINA, AND MIGHT CONCEIVABLY BE EVENTUALLY TEMPTED TO TAKE FURTHER HOSTAGES, THEY HAVE RECENTLY ALSO LINKED THEM WITH

THE FUTURE

THERE ARE UNFORTUNATELY MANY WAYS IN WHICH THEY COULD EXTEND THEIR PRESSURES

AND THEIR OBVIOUS TARGET FOR PRESSURE IS HONG KONG WHICH IS

MUCH MORE VULNERABLE.THAN THE U.K. INDEED IT IS ONLY BY MAINTAINING FRIENDLY AND PRACTICAL CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE THAT

THE COLONY CAN MAINTAIN ITS PROSPERITY.

COMENDEIFRMALN

CONFIDENTIAL

4. I SHOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD TAKE THESE CONSIDERATIONS INTO ACCOUNT IN YOUR REVIEW OF THE POSITION (YOUR TELNO. 883). I SEE FROM YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 183 OF 21 MARCH THAT AT THAT TIME Jewe

violence, 87 OF POSSESSION OF OFFENSIVE WEAPONS (EITHER PERSONAL POSSESSION OR BEING ON PREMISES WHERE SUCH WEAPONS WERE FOUND), AND 23 OF

| IMAGINE THE PROPORTION REMAINS

MUCH THE SAME. IT WOULD CLEARLY BE PREFERABLE FROM THE POINT OF FUTUR

COMPLETELY. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES IN ANY REMISSION TO THE 5 ACTUALLY COMMITTED FOR VIOLENCE AND THERE MAY WELL BE OTHERS THAT WOULD PRESENT DIFFICULTIES TO YOU, I OULD HOPE NEVERTHELESS THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO RELEASE UNDER

WELL OVER HALF OF THOSE STILL DETAINED. THEREAFTER AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE REACTIONS WE COULD CONSIDER.A-TIME-MILE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE REST. IF IT WOULD HELP PUBLIC PRESENTATION IN THE COLONY, YOU MAY LIKE TO CONSIDER

SERVING SENTENCES FOR OTHER CRIMES NOT CONNECTED WITH THE

DISTURBANCES, ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN THE REMISSIONS IN THE CASE OF THE CONFRONTATION SENTENCES BY REFERENCE TO THEIR ORIGINAL

5. 1 AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF CONSCIENCE INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER FOR YOU AND THOSE WHO SERVE ON YOUR BOARD OF REVIEW. NEVERTHELESS WE HERE AND IN HONG KONG HAVE REACHED A MOST IMPORTANT STAGE IN OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE INTERESTS OF THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE COLONY WOULD NOT BEST BE SERVED BY MAKING THE MOST OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH MORE

CONTACTS. THE

CHINESE TIMED JOHNSTON'S RELEASE FOR CHRISTMAS

RELEASE FOR CHRISTMAS - IT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY FELICITOUS IF YOU WERE

THE SPRING FESTIVAL.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

FED

if ELGD

SIR S TO LIMBON

SIR .. MAINSON!

IR MILFORD

FSPCMR ROYLE

-2-

COHFIDEFAZAL

Sir S Tomlinson

CONFRONTATION PRISONERS IN HONG KONG

enteropa

S.M

14.1

91 12

1. The Political Adviser has sent a copy of the Chinese

petition for further releases. Forty-one of the 74 prisoners

are specifically named. By Chinese standards it is moderately

phrased. It has the implication that if the Hong Kong

Government wishes to release the prisoners on the grounds of

ill health, youth or being females then the local communists

do not intend rocking the boat by suggesting that this was

really a political concession.

8 January 1971

Copy to:

Sir L Monson

Mr Laird (HKD)

Mr Wilford or

SALMugen

J AL Morgan

Far Eastern Department

Yer this wording is

interesting

Bra

dombi bins the interpretation you have put on it.

hila

311

A.P.A.

597/0/70

Translation

کر

- Social Services Branch

Letter-head: Hong Kong & Kowloon Spinning, Weaving and

Dyoing Trade Workers General Union.

Head Office: 22, Cheung Sha Wan Road, 4/F, Kowloon.

Tel: 802191

To: Mr. Hugh Norman-Walker,

The Colonial Secretary,

29th December 1970

We, representatives of the families of 74 patriotic compatriots still unreasonably detained in jail, are calling on you to raise with you a joint demand of the families of all the patriotic compatriots in jail.

Our next of kin including our husbands, children, brothers, sisters and relatives - were unreasonably arrested and sentenced by the Hong Kong British authorities in 1967. Numerous facts have served to demonstrate that our next of kin have deep affection for our great leader Chairman Mao and for our socialist fatherland, and that they are subjected to long- term imprisonment merely because they insist on their patrictic standpoint. During the several years of imprisonment, they have been seriously undermined mentally and physically. Also our family life is rendered to an abnormal state because we are separated from them and we are compelled to suspend our job. Moreover, our special concern goes to our next of kin. Some of them are aged, wounded and in Ead health; some are in their adolescence; and some are females. Owing to the fact that they have long been injured and in bad health, there is a pressing need that they be freed so that they may be medically treated and cared for in the normal family life. For this matter we now raised with you on behalf of the families of all the patrio- tic compatriots in jail, the demand that all our kinsmen being imprisoned be released expeditiously. This is especially so for those of our kinsmen who are in the above.entioned conditions; steps should be taken now to immediately release them.

We hope that you will seriously consider our demand and give us an early reply.

Postscript: Demand for:

Representatives of families of patriotic compatriots in jail: Fenily of CHAN Kwong-yan;

Family of WUN Kam-hung;

Family of NGAI Sin-luen;

Family of FUNG Shing; and Family of CHU Ping-yin.

expeditious release of all our kinsmen in jail; and immediate release of those critically injured, ill and in bad health as well as the youth and females.

/Name List

- 2

Nam List:

WUN Kan-hung, TSANG Fai-ming, LAM Kwun-tak, 8ZETO Foon, CHAN Kwong-yan,CHAN Yik, WONG Kan-kei, MA 8hu-keung,

FUNO Shing, TSUI Chun, TSOI Hoi-yin, CHAN Wing-cheung, CHAN Ma-choi, 80 Poon, YU Tung, CHAN Shu-nam, CHAN Kai-yu, MOK Siu-kuil, LING Suet-keung, WONG San, YIU Kan-wu,

Lo Sui-yan, CHAN Sun-keung, LEUNG Pun, CHAN Hon,

CHU ping-yin, LAM Sing, LO Hop-tung, TAM Wai-ming,

NGAI Sin-luen (female), WUN Fung-kwai (female), TS01 Kam-kwong, NG Sui-tai, LI Kwai-fong (F), CHAN Yuen-yu (F), KWAN Siu-king(F),

LAU Ying-kwan, WONG Ting-sau, CHAN Yuk-wa, CHAN Tat-hong,

LI Man-wai, etc.

Кисилев

Date of Reipt: 2 9 DEC 1970 late of Tution2 9 DEC 1970

Caleniel Strik

Recewind by types (G) 22/12/ to! 11.00 a.m.

1/T's Sign. ture;

Ukes

་་

必

港九紡織染業職工總會

鹋會:深水埗是沙灣道二十二號五樓九龍排支會:土瓜灣九巋武道三十七號二樓荃灣支會:荃灣衆安街一○○號六樓

正因精

國領判

神立袖

親

毛的

都

電話:802191

電話:625127 電話:888呌424

胞同

輔

胞我政

我們的的的家

親共

人

包求

們

政司躍樂民先生:

们是七十四位仍

驕代表、來

代士民

人

聚

到

期社

重

掏

向被

数

被們

祖

你

們

提

理

英

出

掏

光七

主明年

卻是在一九六七年

立場而被媽

,有不少是

因不能和視

正常的狀態。尤其

年纪大

職業工

我

們

拘禁在

在

弟

大和妹

獄

獃中

的

的丈夫、兒女、兄

仇人一向都

他們長

堅持

害;而我們的家庭生

發們

区的

育的期家

陷

拎

生獄

少中不活

鸟的是,在我們

两人正在

的青小

弱

工的切作

是迫

來

的

親

是人

為

港

港九紡織染業職工總會

總會:深水埗長沙灣道二十二號五樓九龍城定會:土瓜灣九熊批道三十七戴二樓荃灣支禽:荃灣衆安街-00號六樓

電話:802191

電話:625127 電話:888叫424

釋對向放具你

希望你認真

(附件)

有上述情

况

的

在們

人

獄的

朱

馮魏

爱

倩鳥的

的的

家家家

的的胞

更應立

的要求,並迅速

採

求

逃

調

恢

此復

們

特俾

代能

表在放

我

在

獄

中措

的

施

親

獃

年;還有一些是

女

都

於他們

在家庭正常生

長期傷病,更意

以醫

属治

切

活

胞加

家

代

表

立

的

家

以

港九紡織染業職工總會

;旺角砵蘭街三四七至三四九號四樓九龍城支會;土城湖九體城道三十七號二檀銎掺安龠:荟潤槳安鳄一○○號六樓

锻話:801460

電話:825127

電話:88994424

陳陳馮

继媽

放

才

洪

附

心

四要求

四要求迅速

對

放

我

弱在

獄

(附名单如下)

蔡徐隙

舉本真美明

凌

强東

祺

抹

觀

通訊處:

纺九

龍

「灣道二十二號五樓

九七零年十月二十九

-的親人;

弱者和青少年、婦女應立即

黄陳陳馬

南祥

到

樹徒

强览

港九紡織染業職工總會

電話:801460

糖

會:旺角砵蘭街三四七至三四九號四樓

九龍城支付;土區壽九龍城道三十七鲜二樓

電話:825127

12 15: 888014424

李

文

黄季

等等。

黃丁秀

桂芳(女)

明

隙姚

金

朱

倩

糖水

欣

陳隙温林陳

陳

如

兆

蔡

琼光

新

梁

CONFIDENTIAL

PA on prisoner films

ANG,....?!.

าง

In Ganfinara

RECORD OF MEETING BET TEEN THE HEAD OF FAR EASTERN DEPARTMENI

23 DECEMBER 1970

AT 10.30 A.M. ON WEDNESDAY

Those present

Hr J AL Morgan

Mr LV Appleyard

Mr P'ei Chien-tsang

Mr Chiang En-chu

Mr P'ei began by saying that he presumed Mr Morgan would be already aware that Mr Johnston would be deported from China to Hong Kong via Shumchun on 25 December. Mr P'ei went on to say he wished to raise with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and with Kr Morgan the question of the patriotic compatdots unlawfully arrested and imprisoned by the Hong Kong British authorities in 1967. 74 of these were still in detention. The Chinese Government wished to

"The fact that they are still in detention was a

The Chinese Government hoped that the British Government would take measures to release without delay all the patriotic compatriots still in prison in Hong Kong, so as to remove the

- 1 -

CONFIDENTIAL

2. Mr Morgan said that he was sure that Mr P'ei could be in

no doubt that the release of Mr Johnston was a most welcome

piece of news, On behalf of his Minister, and the other officials concerned with Sino-British relations, he would like to thank Mr P'ei and the Chinese Mission for the part which they had played in his release. The Chinese action had

Mr Morgan went on to explain that when Mr T'ang had spoken to Mr Denson on 22 December he had left a memorandum in quch the same terms as the remarks made by Kr P'ei.

3. Mr Morgan said that when he had talked to Mr Tang in September of this year, Mr T'ang had raised the question of prisoners in Hong Kong.

Since then Sir

Not

S Tomlinson had been able to tell Mr Ma that 4 prisoners in Hong Kong would be released on the grounds of illhealth. long afterwards Mr Crouch had been released by the Chinese

Subsequently it had been found possible to release

Government.

a further 2 prisoners on the grounds of illhealth. This left a situation in which (A KUANZA

whereas one sick Englishman had been detained in China. Mr Morgan said that the memorandum passed to Mr Denson in Peking, and the words spoken by Mr P'ei, would be carefully considered. 4. Mr Morgan drew Mr P'ei's attention to the favourable publicity which the British press had given the news of

Mr Johnston'a release.

- 2

CONFIDENTIAL

5. Mr P'ei repeated that the Chinese Government hoped the

British Government would take measures to release quickly all

the 74 patriotic compatriots still in gaol in Hong Kong.

According to his understanding, among them there were quite a

number who were sick or in poor health.

6. Mr. Morgan said that if Mr P'ei could supply details these

cases could be investigated. However, when he had been in

Hong Kong the question of sick prisoners had been closely

studied and it was his impression that all those who were sick

had been released.

7. Mr Morgan went on to say that he must remind Ar P'ei that

the slate was not entirely clean.

still believed to be detained in China. He hoped the Chinese

Government would release them. Among the 4 there was one who

had been the subject of Parliamentary interest. There had been

a question in the House of Commone on 14 December about Mrs

Gladys Yang. Until definite news had been given about her,

Parliamentary interest was likely to be sustained.

8. After Mr P'el had repeated once again in full the Chinese

Government's hope that patriotic compatriots would be released

immediately, Mr Morgan said that he had one very minor point

which he wished to mention. In 1968 the Chinese Government had

criticised the British Government for not adhering to normal diplomatic practice in notifying changes in the position of Chargés d'Affaires. Now we had a chance to do the same to the

Chinese. According to correct protocol, the Hoad of the

Chinese Foreign Ministry should have notified the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary about Mr P'ei's appointment. Alternatively

Mr Halung could have done so. The Third Person Note which had

CONFIDENTIAL

been received by our Mission in Peking was not strictly in accordance with diplomatic practice. Nevertheless our Mission

in Peking had been instructed to acknowledge the Note. Mr P'ei

should be in no doubt that we welcomed his arrival, no matter

what form the notification had taken. Mr Morgan then asked

Mr P'ei whether the Chinese Office wished to have Mr Hsiung'a

name kept at the head of the list of Chinese officials in the

London Diplomatic List. Mr P'ei confirmed that this was 80.

Far Eastern Department

8 January 1971

Copied to:-

Laird, Hong Kong Department

Mr Stow, Protocol and Conference Department

Mr Wilford

Sir S Tomlinson

Mr Simons, PUSD

Mr J B Denson OBE, Peking

Mr A F Maddocks, Hong Kong

CONFIDENTIAL