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foundation of a mutual respect for each other's
Moreover at the present
culture and civilisation.
time China is in need of technically trained and
equipped men: in a private conversation the
Minister of Economic Affairs had recently estimated
that China was short of 1,000 engineers for tasks which
were immediately necessary. These engineers were of
two types: (a) those competent to plan and execute
large-scale undertakings, and (b), the more numerous,
those able to maintain the small-scale industries
which were to be established in the West and South-
West. It was significant that, in spite of the
war, industrial development was proceeding at a
great pace in the Western and South Western
Provinces and that the Chinese Government was
maintaining such a keen interest in matters affecting
education. Although China's most pressing need was
for engineers, 100 new doctors were required for the
Medical Department, and there was also good reason
to believe that the Minister of Education would take
full advantage of facilities for the training of
teachers of English.
In short, therefore, the time was ripe for
that co-operation with the Chinese Government which
was the aim of the founders of Hong Kong University
and a sine quâ non of the present proposals, although
what was contemplated in Hong Kong was not so much a
formal approach direct to the Chinese Government as
an understanding with particular Chinese Departments
(e.g.
2.