BULWARK IN PORT; VARIOUS SHOTS ACTIVITY AROUND AIRCRAFT CARRIER; SHOTS OF TROOPS TAKING PART IN EXERCISES ON LANTAO ISLAND.




Initials DHO/VS/JF/GLH



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Background: BRITISH COMMANDOS FROM THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER BULWARK ARE CONTINUING LIMITED MILITARY EXERCISES IN HONG KONG, DESPITE ALLEGATIONS IN THE PEKING PRESS THAT BY DOING SO BRITAIN IS ENGAGING IN "GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY". HMS BULWARK ARRIVED IN HONG KONG LAST WEEK, TO TAKE PART IN AN EXERCISE TO TEST THE ABILITY OF LOCAL TROOPS TO REPEL AN AIRBORNE ATTACK.

SOME 200 COMMANDOS HAVE BEEN MOVED BY HELICOPTER FROM HMS BULWARK TO LANTAO ISLAND, ABOUT 15 MILES FROM THE BORDER OF HONG KONG AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

ACCORDING TO BRITISH MILITARY SPOKESMAN, THE COMMANDOS -- MEMBERS OF THE FORTY COMMANDO, ROYAL MARINES -- ARE TAKING PART IN A "ROUTINE OPERATION."
BUT ARTICLES IN PEKING NEWSPAPERS HAVE LINKED THE EXERCISE WITH THE RECENT ANTI-BRITISH RIOTING IN HONG KONG.

THE PEKING PEOPLE'S DAILY DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER'S VISIT AS A RETURN TO 19TH CENTURY "GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY". THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY CALLED THE MILITARY EXERCISE A "BRAZEN PROVOCATION AT THE VERY GATE OF SOUTH CHINA."
BRITISH "IMPERIALISM" HAD DISREGARDED THE REPEATED WARNINGS OF 700 MILLION CHINESE PEOPLE AND THEIR COMPATRIOTS IN HONG KONG IN STAGING THE MANOEUVRES, THE AGENCY SAID.

THE CARRIER, LOADED WITH HELICOPTERS AND TRUCKS, IS MOORED CLOSE TO THE CITY'S CENTRE.

THREE LANDING CRAFT HAVE BEEN FERRYING MEN AND EQUIPMENT TO LANTAO ISLAND TO TAKE PART IN THE EXERCISE.

THE COMMANDOS HAVE ALSO BEEN DROPPED ONTO THE ISLANDS BY HELICOPTER.