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their counsels would inevitably be confused, but the more obvious rallying bases would seem to be Hong Kong or Japan. Japan might well be favoured, especially by Americans for political reasons. But, bearing in mind that their commit- ments and sympathies are with the Chinese people, Hong Kong offers far greater attractions in proximity and in the fact that there they could continue to teach Chinese students and to be with Ghinese. If left to themselves, without superior guidance or appeal, some of them would undoubtedly make for Hong Kong and endeavour to set up independent institutions with whatever funds and apparatus they might still command. Thereby they would offer yet one more point of attack for embarrassing Communist propaganda and prove an added weakness and not a reinforcement for us.
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The most important elements concerned are undoubtedly the British and Americans; the others are unpredictable but would probably follow an Anglo-American lead. The Americans could prove a particularly welcome reinforcement for Hong Kong University, intellectually and financially, if wholeheartedly invited and absorbed. The essential point in this matter is that we should make up our minds quickly and clearly. Do we want their support and are we willing to pay the price for it, i.e. to give them a share in the University of Hong Kong, and on what terms? If we are to take full advantage of the situation we should act decisively and generously. Only H...G. could decide this and in accordance with a confident long term policy. If we should distrust ourselves and have no firm long term policy to hold Hong Kong, and all that implies, or if we have any "craven fears of being great" it is obviously useless to do more than play for time, to be opportunist and half-hearted which is unthinkable. Even in the shortest vie.. we could not refuse hospitality and a certain degree of control over the resulting situation! But there exists fortunately between us and the Americans a very special and overriding bond of common self-interest. They are as much interested as we are in main- taining the eventual currency and supremacy of the English Language in China and the Far Eat when in the fulness of time the inevitable anti-Communist and anti-Soviet reaction will again give free scope to political, commercial and cultural relations. It was only through the operation of a lingua franca
/that.
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