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This is a private letter from a former Hongdong
sear. Stfiial who is attached to our Bruber in 10 ton
Hormed part of the
PERSONAL AND CONTINENTIAL
DERO.
Chatham House delegation
British Embassy,
Washington, D.C.
December 30, 1942.
to the Institute of Pacific Relns,
in Cornado in Dec. 19427 ference
Dear Sabine,
FB 1943.
This is to finish up the stuff that came out of the liont Tremblant conference. It will be useful perhaps if first I outlined Hongkong's destinies, as seen by the participants.
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Hailey's original proposal, made at the start of the conference, envisaged Hongkong in the role of an inter national defence base as part of the whole Far East settle- ment. As soon as the Chinese got a chance they said that China wanted Hongkong "back" without any stringe: they based this request on the geographical fact that the colony was integrally a part of China and had a 90% Chinese population. They agreed that it differed from the concessio's and did not come within the scope of the "unequal treaties" or the recent abandonment of extra-territoriality: but they maintained that their moral claim to it was overwhelming. They wanted possession of it and then, if it was required for international security, they would make it available.
The British answer was given that (speaking un- officially:) there was no reason to think that our govermen's would let any question of the sovereignty of Hongkong stand in the way of a general Far East settlement, of which it fomiod a part.
The prevailing attitude to China being one of adoration, and ourselves having been long and severely heckled about the Atlantic Charter, I could not at this poin": resist asking the Chairman whether the wishes of the citizens of Hongkong might not have something to do with the fate of the Colony. When the Chinese said that this question didn't arise, I asked them if they intended to deny to Hongkong the spirit of the Atlantic Charter, They said no, that longkong was "different"; which is exactly what the Americans say when you try to extend the Charter to Honolulu. I didn't press the point because if it ever came to a referendum, Chinese have ways of ensuring that the correct answer is given: but I was interested to see that at the opening of the following day's session, the Chinese delegates rose immediately to ask whether my questions about the wishes of Hongkong's citizens could be struck off the record. I assure the Chairman that I attached no importance to the inclusion of my remarks in the minutes.
the
In view of the statements of my friend George Yeh in London, it is worth noting that the Chinese desire to get Hongkong was most strongly voiced by the only Chinese delegate who had come specially and directly from Chungking i.e. Dr. Hsu of the Chungking Foreign Office. General Odlum and Admiral Yarnell both supported the Chinese thesis that
Noel Sabine, Esq.,
Colonial Office,
London, England.
Hongkong
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