Kowloon
IMMEDIATE
102
TRANOLAT ICN
Acxorendum from Ministry of Foreign Affairs to .E... Ambassy
Dated 6/1/48 Kael. 7/1/46
No.vu 37/00559
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs present their complimente to H.B.M. Embarey and 'ave the honour to state that since the issue by the Hong Kong Government on 27th November 1947 of the order for the evacuation and demolition of the houses of the Chinese Inhabitants of Kowloon City, public opinion in various places in China bus been greatly ar uced. Apart from the repeated reproacntatlons Lade by the competent persons and the Ministry's special Comulesioner for Kwangtung and Kwangal to the subaecy and the Hong dong Govern- ment, on the instructions of the Ministry, the Minister for Foreign Affairs personally expressed to the Britiel Ambassador on 10th December 1947 the hope that the governments of both China and Britair would pay serious attention to the maintenance and promotion of friendship between the local inhabitante ond the Hong Kong Governments and that the llong Kong Governancnt would also take the same attitude and avoid taking any action which might produce and opposite effect or action of an irflammatory enture.
On 5th January 1948 a big detachment of armed long Korg ·nd Aowl on police epc workuer ent red the city of Aowloon and forcibly demolished several dosen houses of the local inhabitants end arrested two representatives of the inhabitants. No meneuree whatcoover for the proper accommodation of these destitute and helpleas inhabitante word adopted; they were lert to sleep homeless in the open.
ûn 6th January, Dr. Liu Shih-shun, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, personell, lodged a protest with Mr. Labolohere, Counsellor of the Ambatay, and further, on the same day, declared to the Bitleb Ambeiendor that this once was a question of humanity as well as a treaty question.
The Ministry bove the honour b obeerve that the establishment of the Lowloon Lenced Territory was based on the Convention respecting an extension of the Hong Kong territory concluded in 1596 which provider: "it is at the same time agreod that within the city of Aowloon the Chinese officials now stationed there shall continue to exercise jurisdiction... It is further understood that there will be no expropriation or expulsion of the inhabitants of the district included within the extension.... # In accordance with the above provisions, the Jurisdiction of the city of howluon naturally belongs to China, and the British Government may rot compel the inhabitants of that eity to reapvo elsewhere. Or 15th September 1946, the Hong Kong Government lasued a statement to the effect that from the date of entering into force of the Convention respenting an extension of the Hong Kong territory, the city of Kowloon, during the period of its lecse, became a part of the extended British territory and as within the area subject to British jurisdic~ tlon. The Ministry of Foreign Affaice on the 16th weptember 1946 issued a public atutement regarding the attitude of the Chinese Government reaffirming that the Cuinone Government bed nevar renɔurced their jurisdiction over the city of Kowloon. The roason given by the Hong Kong Government Poe taking forciblo setion and compelling the inhabitants f ixx/@ity to remove is that the site on which the houses in question wore situated is
"Crown