F4858/1147/G
SECRET
FOREIGN OFFICE, S..1.
August, 1945.
Despatched
M.
Washington
Telegram
NO.
Date.
Cypher. O.T.P.
Special Political Distribution
Repeat to chungking
NO.
Mr. Dening, Kandy. NO.
At present Hong Kong is in the operational
sphere of Chiang Kai-shek. e have to be prepared
therefore for the contingency of the Colony being
liberated by Chinese Forces.
2. It is in that event 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 Affairs policies should
be accepted and that the civil Affairs
administration should be conducted by British
personnel.
3. At present we have no understanding with the
Chinese Government (as we have with the U.S.
Government under para raph 6 of the charter of
the Combined Civil Affairs Committee) in respect
of their acceptance of British Civil Affairs
policies in any Eritish territory included in
their operational sphere. An embarrassing
situation may therefore arise in the even of
Hong Kong being liberated by Chinese Forces unless
there is clear agreement with Chiang Kai-shek, in
advance, as to our role in the administration of
Hong Kong.
4. General Wedemeyer's position as Chief of
staff to the Generalissimo is such that any
agreement of this nature and the measures
necessary to implement it, would in practice
require/
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require his support and cooperation.
Owing
to the political aspect of the matter he would
probably feel obliged to refer to Washington
for instructions in the first nlaco,
5. please therefore explain the position to the
State Department as soon as possible and endeavour
to secure an assurance that in our approach to
Chiang Kai-shek for an agreement on the lines
indicated above, we can count on the support and
cooperation of the United states authorities
concerned.
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