Japanese occupied Hong Kong in 1941 the population was 1.6 million,
but this fell to 600,000 by August 1945 when the Japanese
surrendered. Thereafter the population grew rapidly, being further
increased by a large influx of refugees as communist forces gained
control in China.
7.
The new Chinese government established in 1949 did not mount
any military action against Hong Kong nor did it make any formal
claim for the return of either the leased or ceded territories.
However, the Chinese made representations and protests over a number
of issues including police actions involving Chinese residents,
Britain's refusal to hand over civil aircraft which were registered
as owned by a company created by the Chinese Nationalists and became
the subject of court proceedings in Hong Kong, and proposed actions
affecting the former Walled City of Kowloon.
8.
The climate of relations between Hong Kong and Peking was
affected by wider disputes, especially in the 1950s by the Korean
War and later by the Vietnam War, during which the Chinese protested
over visits (for rest and recreation) by American ships to Hong
Kong. However, in 1955 the Governor, Sir Alexander Grantham, paid
an unofficial visit to Peking, during which he met Prime Minister
Zhou Enlai, and cooperation over practical matters gradually
increased.
The first of several key agreements for the supply of
water from China was concluded with the authorities in Guangdong
province in November 1960.