484
F 7368/104/10
No.972 (41/343/45)
Copied to:
M.E. Dening Esq. C.M.G., 0.B.E.
No.141.
H.M. Consulate, Macao. No.1. H.B.M. Embassy, Lisbon. U/no
The Under Secretary of state Colonial Office 59
With
BRITISH EMBASSY,
CHUNGKING
10th September, 1945.
43
85 mm 14812/8/45
Sir,
Under
for foreta
Stato
copied
wo.
I have the honour to enclose a copy of a summary by the Central News Agency of an article on the subject of Macao published in the vernacular Ta Kung Pao of 24th August.
2.
There is, of course, an element of truth in the paper's denunciation of Macao as a centre for gambling and vice, for despite the exaggerated and flamboyant allegations the association between Macao and "fan tan" is, for example, notorious. It would, on the other hand, be unduly optimistic and naive to assume that the profitable immorality of this pleasure resort would be automatically eliminated by its retrocession to China.
3.
Now that the menace of Japan has been removed, we must be prepared for similar periodic attacks, sometimes insidious, some times vitriolio, by the Chinese publicists with reference to areas upon which covetous Chinese eyes are habitually turned. In this respect we will inevitably find ourselves the principal target. The present outburst against the retention of Portuguese special rights in Macao, which in its long history has generally managed to avoid Chine se nationalistic attention, may be the prelude to a campaign against the British position in Kowloon and subsequently in Hong Kong, about which the Generalissimo's assurances in his address to a joint session of the Supreme National Defence Council and the Central Executive Committee on 24th August (see my despatch No.927 of 27th August) were not entirely unequivocal.
The Right Honourable
Ernest Bevin M.P.,
Foreign Office,
London, 8.W.1.
/with