cms
Ref.:
CO 537/1649
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
N
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives" leaflet. Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
00045
74
Extrack foresa
FX (0) (46) 14th hairy. held 11/12/16.
-Criqual on 2500211/06.
2
Ref.:
CO 537/1649
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
2
ine
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet. Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
an
The Committee wore informed that the memorandum was attempt to prosent fairly and objectively the arguments for and against the initiation of negotiations by His • Majesty's Government, though som. of the opinions expressed were not wholly acceptable to the Foreign Office on the one hand or to the Colonial Office on the other. A point of importance was the question whether, assuming it was accepted that it would be wiser for us to refrain from taking the initiative, a public statement should be made to the effect that we intended to retain Hong Kong.
MR. MACDOUGALL, (Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong) said that the local Chinese in Hong Kong felt considerable doubt as to whether we intended to remain in Hong Kong. Until this question was resolved they would be in a dilemma and would have to re-insure with both parties. It was most important that some load should be given to the local Chinesc. The effec.s of uncertainty were to be seen in the difficulty of proceeding with projects of capital development etc.
MR. LAMB (His Majesty's Embai sy, Nanking) said that the great mass of Chinese people were not interested in Hong Kong; it was the politically minded few who were responsible for the agitation for rendition. These people kept the question alive by press propaganda, in which our aims and activitios were greatly distorted. He personally felt that we should be faced with a Chinese demand for the rendition of Hong Kong within a period of two or three years. He did not consider that the Chinese would agree to any proposals which drow a definite distinction between the leased territorics on the one hand, and the cedud territory of Hong Kong itself on the other. As to the question of making a pu lic announcement in order to reassure business circles in Hong Kong, he felt on balance that this course would be undesirable as being likely to bring the Hong Kong questions in the forefront of public focling.
The Committo. then turned to a debailed consideration of F.2.0.(46) 122. The following views were expressed by departmental representatives,
(a) Admiralty
IR. LAMAITRE did not agree that the arguments for and against our taking the initiative were finoly brl.need. lo considered that the arguments were deciduly against our doing so.
(b) Board of Trade
The
MR. MCGREGOR supported the Admiralty vicw. Board of Trúc hoped that Hong Kong would become more important now that Shangari had been returned to China; but our commercial position there would probably not be so strong under revision of the lense as it was at presunt.
-4-