(97)
CYPHER/UTP
Sir H. Stevenson. No. 116.
POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION
FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
2nd February, 1948.
Repeated to: Hong Kong.
IMMEDIATE
D: 5.15 p.m. 2nd February, 1948.
R: 6.15 p.m. 2nd February, 1948.
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 116 of February 2nd repeated to Hong Kong.
LIGHT
My telegram No. 98 - Kowloon City.
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs spoke to Counsellor this morning about Kowloon. Implications of what he said were so serious that I saw the Minister for Foreign Affairs myself this afternoon.
2. After considerable discussion it transpired that the Chinese Government wished to make most urgent representations to His Majesty's Government to co-operate with them in settling the Kowloon City issue without delay. The Minister for Foreign Affairs made the following points:
(a) Kowloon City question which was of no intrinsic importance had become a grave national issue. (I insisted that most of the blame for this should be laid on the Chinese press but agreed with him on the fact that it was so).
(b) The matter should be regarded by our two governments as an Asiatic rather than a juridical issue if we desired to settle it quickly and amicably.
(c) [Grp.undec. ? Chinese Government] were deeply appre- hensive of further trouble breaking out either in Kowloon (there were elements in Hong Kong who desired to damage relations between the present Chinese Government and [grp.undec.] Britain) or in China itself.
(a) In such circumstances the Chinese Government would have to be ready with some plan to meet the emergency. In China. proper every precaution would continue to be taken to protect British lives and property. If however there were to be serious trouble in Kowloon the Chinese Government might have to assert what they consider to be still their rights under the agreement of 1898 and re-establish the Chinese administration in Kowloon City. In practice this would mean the despatch of Chinese police for the maintenance of order within small area of the old walled city. Their introduction into it would be arranged by the Governor of Kuangtung with the Government of Hong Kong in accordance with the terms of the 1898 agreement.
/3.