HC Deb 23 June 1969 vol 785 cc972-4
2. Mr. Molloy

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he now expects the release of the British journalist Anthony Grey and other British subjects illegally detained by the Chinese Government; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. M. Stewart

The Chinese have linked the imprisonment of certain news workers in Hong Kong with the detention of Mr. Grey in Peking. Under normal circumstances all the news workers in question will be reased with full remission by early October.

The Chinese have given no indication of their intentions about other British subjects, some of whom they allege have violated Chinese law.

Mr. Molloy

Has my right hon. Friend made clear to the Chinese Government the utter loathing and contempt which is felt not only by Members of this House and British journalists but by the British people with regard to Mr. Anthony Grey and other people illegally detained by the Chinese Communist Government? Can he say whether there has been an improvement in the transmission of letters and other communications between Mr. Grey and his relatives and journalists interested in his case and, indeed, to other people held by the Chinese authorities?

Mr. Stewart

On the first part of my hon. Friend's question, we have made the most frequent representations both in Peking and here. We have made it very clear what the opinion of people in this country and of Her Majesty's Government is on this matter.

On the second part of his question, we believe that letters to Mr. Grey from his mother are reaching him. Members of our Mission visited Mr. Grey in April and November, 1968. They were not consular visits but special visits in exchange for extra visits to the news workers imprisoned in Hong Kong.

Sir A. V. Harvey

Has the right hon. Gentleman made it clear to both Peking and Moscow that if they continue this kind of behaviour all that they will do is put off British industrialists visiting their countries, bearing in mind that already we have an adverse balance with both of them?

Mr. Stewart

This aspect of the matter has been made clear to both countries.

9. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British subjects are now detained without trial in Communist China; how many of these have been denied access to British representatives; and what action he is now taking in respect of these people.

Mr. Stewart

There are 12 British subjects detained without trial in China. I will, with permission, circulate a list in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Access by British representatives has been allowed only in the case of Mr. Anthony Grey, who was visited by officials of the British Mission in Peking in April and November, 1968.

Our Mission in Peking has made repeated requests to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for information about detained British subjects and for consular access to them. In addition Foreign Office Ministers and officials have raised their cases on numerous occasions with the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London; the last occasion being on 19th May.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

But has the right hon. Gentleman impressed on the Chinese that this conduct is completely outside ordinary civilised behaviour, and that they and their representatives can hardly expect to be treated as other than barbarians if they continue to behave like this?

Mr. Stewart

We have made this very clear to the Chinese, and so have the Governments of other countries whose nationals are similarly treated.

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the Opposition's view would be more welcome if they would show similar concern for the hundreds of black people detained without trial by the Smith régime, and if they used similar terms about the Smith régime as they do about the Chinese Government?

Mr. Stewart

I hope that everyone in the House detests the arbitrary use of power and the denial of human rights in all parts of the world.

Following is the list:

British Subjects detained or believed to be detained in China

Mr. Anthony Grey, Reuters correspondent in Peking who was placed under house arrest on 21st July, 1967; Mr. Norman Barrymaine, a freelance journalist who was detained in Shanghai on 23rd February, 1968, when he was a passenger aboard a Polish ship; Mr. P. D. Crouch, Second Officer of the "Demodocus", who was detained in Shanghai on 3rd April, 1968; Captain P. M. Will, Master of the "Kota Jaya" who was detained at Tang-ku off Tientsin on or about 3rd July, 1968; Mr. Eric Gordon, his wife and thirteen-year-old son, who were detained shortly before they were due to leave China at the beginning of November 1967; Mr. D. C. Johnston, the former manager of the Shanghai branch of the Chartered Bank who was detained in Shanghai on 25th August, 1968; Mrs. Epstein (née Elsie Fairfax-Cholmondley), Mr. Michael Shapiro and Mr. David Crook, who were employed by the Chinese authorities and who are believed to have been detained towards the end of 1967; and Mrs. Gladys Yang, believed to have been detained in July 1968. In addition, Mr. George Watt, an engineer working on a "whole-plant" contract in Lanchow, was detained on 26th September, 1967 and sentenced to three years imprisonment for alleged espionage on 15th March, 1968.