which have been made within recent years.
A summary of such assurances is attached as
Annex I. It is assumed that, in view of these
assurances and the reasons set out in the
preceding paragraphs for retaining the ceded
part of Hong Kong, there is no intention of giving
up the Colony, and that any claim for its
retrocession will be resisted.
10. In this connection, it has been
represented to us very strongly that there are
still doubts in Hong Kong business circles and
in the minds of the Chinese inhabitants of
Hong Kong as to whether we intend to remain there.
Consequently, there is a reluctance to invest the
capital required for the rehabilitation and
development of the Colony, coupled with misgivings
and apprehensions on the part of the Chinese
population, which are aggravated by the influence
of the Kuomintang in the Colony. This state of
affairs is seriously prejudicing the
rehabilitation and development of the Colony.
Although there is clearly some danger that a
further pronouncement on behalf of H. M. G. on the
subject of Hong Kong might provoke a formal
approach from the Chinese for the discussions,
contemplated in 1943, to be held now and possibly
also a claim for the return of Hong Kong, we
feel that the existing uncertainty is too harmful
to the Colony and its inhabitants to allow it to
continue indefinitely and that the risk involved
should be taken and that a reassuring statement
concerning Hong Kong should be made at the
earliest possible opportunity.
11.
Proceeding from the assumption that there
is no intention to return the ceded part of
Hong Kong
Page 210Page 211