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Remember A Day | China’s very own Watergate-style scandal and a top university post for a former spy: headlines from four decades ago

A journey back through time to look at significant news and events reported by the South China Morning Post from this week in history

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Mao Yuanxin (far left, in a photo from his childhood), nephew of Chairman Mao Zedong, was accused of being a leading agent of a counter-revolutionary group. Photo: Handout

A Chinese-style Watergate scandal, and sex, dominated the headlines four decades ago this week. A nephew of the late Chairman Mao Zedong was accused of undermining Chinese leaders, while in the African nation of Zambia, its government was trying to contain a sex scandal involving its female staff in diplomatic missions overseas. 

April 2, 1978

Zambia was to recall all unmarried women from its overseas missions because their sexual habits were reportedly damaging the country’s international reputation, according to the Zambia Daily Mail. The newspaper said that the women were “flirting and becoming pregnant”, as well as misbehaving with foreigners.

South China Morning Post investigation revealed that some factories in Kowloon had installed alarm bells and flashing lights to alert owners when Labour Department inspectors carried out spot checks. It was reported that when the alarm sounded, illegally-employed children would hide or escape through fire exits to avoid being caught.

A news report at the time about the teenager who hijacked a jet in the US with a rifle. Photo: Bluefield Daily Telegraph
A news report at the time about the teenager who hijacked a jet in the US with a rifle. Photo: Bluefield Daily Telegraph

April 3, 1978

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