TELEGRAM
SPORET
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To China Relations Office,
Calcutta.
through India Office.
Following for C.H.Sansom personal from MacDougall.
In connection with earmarking Hong Kong Chinese
Government Servants at present in China for duty in
Hong Kong when required or for special training in India
or elsewhere, previous to the actual occupation of the
Colony there may be difficulties in securing the
- necessary exit permits from the Chinese Government.
This would apply particularly to trained personnel ·
such as doctors, nurses, dressers who may be
directly connected with the war effort in China.
Among other categories of Hong Kong Civil Servants
whom we wish to pull out for service in Hong Kong are
police and clerical officers. I am anxious if
possible to secure an advance assurance from the
Chinese authorities that these Chinese Hong Kong
Civil Servants now in China will be granted exit
permits when they are required by us for duty in the
Colony or for preliminary training or assembly
possibly outside China prior to assumption of duty in
Hong Kong.
2. The Colonial Office agree that you should seek the
advice of the British Ambassador in Chungking as to
the best method of approaching the Chinese authorities
with a view to securing the desired assurance.
3. I suggest at the same time that you also obtain
the Ambassador's unofficial reaction to a proposal that
a Branch Office of the Hong Kong Planning Unit should
៩
be set up now in China, manned in the first instance
by one or two civilians with the object of contacting,
earmarking and ultimately re-engaging suitable Chinese
personnel as indicated above for duty in Hong Kong.
This personnel would be largely drawn from ex-Hong
Kong Civil Servants and the Branch Office of Hong Kong
Planning Unit in China would be entrusted with the
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