Foreign Office Ni
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If Mr. 110
KOLOON VALLED CITY
Before it is possible to reach a settlement with the Chinese Government on the question of the Kowloon walled city, it is necessary to decide whether His Majesty's Government wish to admit the principle of Chinese jurisdiction over the 6 acres of waste land known as the #walled city", or not.
This paper summarises the history of the fifty-year old controversy, recent developments, the various suggestions which have been made for a negotiated settlement with the Chinese, and recommends a course of action.
1.
HISTORICAL BAC ORGUED
Under the Anglo-Chinese Convention for the extension of Hong Kong territory dated 9th June, 1898, it was agreed that "within the city of Kowloon the Chinese officials now stationed there shall continue to exercise jurisdiction except in so far as may be inconsistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hon Kon ithin the remainder of the newly leased territory Great Britain shall have sole jurisdiction". An Order in Council issued 20th Oct-ber, 1898 providing for the Government of the leased territories at Hong Kong laid down (Article IV) that "the Chinese officials now stationed within the city of Kowloon shall continue to exercise jurisdiction therein except in so far as may be inconsistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hong Kong".
Disturbances occurred after the signing of the 1898 Convention and repeated attacks were made on the British forces by Chinese troops in uniform and local mobs. Representations made to the Chinese authorities having led to no result, the Governor of Hong Kong was authorised deal with the matter locally, and, with the approval of Her Majesty's Government, the city of Kowloon was occupied on the 16th May, 1899 by British forces. In reply to complaints addressed to Her Majesty's Government through the Chinese Minister in London at the explusion of Chinese troops and officials from the city of Kowloon, the Secretary of state in a note of the 30th May, 1899, stated as follows: "In view of the fact that the Chinese Government do not hold themselves responsible for attacks by local mobs on British tro the obli ution falls on Her Majesty's Government af forming the duty which is usually performed by the
bigg of the country, but which the Chinese Government de after the recent experience which they have had only or the worthlessness of the protection extended by dainese gardison of Kowloon, but of the additional
*
involved in its presence, it is impossible for Her
Government to allow the resumption of Chinese authority within that city". The Chinese Government made furthas strong representations but Her Majesty's Government refused, to yield, and a second Order in Council was issued he 47th Dece ber, 1899, revoking Article IV of the Order in Council of the 20th October, 1898, and applying
isions of that Order in Council to the city of "as if the said city had by the said Order in heen declared to be part and parcel of Her Majesty's f Hong Kong".
question appears to have been raised as to our
until 1933 when the Hong Kong Government proposed briate certain Chinese owners of property in the
owloon. Chinese protests at this proposal -claimed
ity of Kowloon remains under the jurisdiction
of/