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NOTE
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Top Secret
ta for the Administration of Hong Kong
18 Tiberation by FORLET Chinese
186
1. At present Hong Kong is in the operational sphere of
Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shok whone Chief of staff is the
American General wedemeyor.
2.
We therefore have to be prepared
for the contingency of the Colony being liberated by Chinese
Forces operating (virtually) under American direction.
According to information provided by the U. Chiefs of staff
to the British Chiefs of Staff at Terminal, an offensive is
contemplated by American-trained Chinese forces in the
direction of Canton and Hong Kong in the fairly near future.
Even assuming that the Chinese are prepared in such
circumstances to hand back Hong Kong to Hio kajesty's Goverment
it would nevertheless be embarrassing to have to receive it
from them. The question whether it is practicable for Hong Kong to be recaptured by British (including Dominion) forces, or with
the participation in some degree of British forces, is one for the
appreciation of the Chiefs of Staff. If neither course is
practicable we shall have to accept the position.
3.
In that case it is, at all events, important that we
should be able to assume the administration of this British
Colony as soon as the military situation allows, and
obtain an agreement that from the outset of any initial
period of military administration our Civil Affaire policies
should be accepted, and that the Civil Affairs administration
should be conducted by British personnel.
منا
At present we have no understanding with the chine Se Government (as we have with the U.. Goverment*) in respect
of their acceptance of British Civil Affairs policies in any
British territory included in their operational sphere.
See AnneI.
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