Y/A 716
TOP SECRET
CIPHER' TELEGRAM
418160.
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From:- GHQ FarELF
To: War Office.
MOST IMMEDIATE.
TOP SECRET. 10010/MA.
Personal for CIGS from Ritchie.
Reed. 13 Jan 48.
D.T.0. 122300 GH Jan.
First. Subject is Kowloon Area of Hong Kong where there exists
a small aruaff some four acres known as Kowloon Walled City. with the local inhabitants has arison there.
Trouble
Socond. Inhabitants claim by Treaty this area is Chinese Territory. Government claim that this part of Treaty was abbrogated in 1899 and clain area is British territory. Chinese Government have never accepted British Government contention although for last forty eight
years territory has been under British administration.
:
timos in the past been whipped up into a local incident.
It has several
Third. Recently the PD issued orders for demolition of squatters huts as a routine admin matter. Inhabitants ignored orders and Government was' forced to take police measures to enforce the magistrates orders. Police action was taken on 3 January and passed off without any serious opposition but was followed by violent Press campaign, It is understood that Chinese Government are not anxious to be drawn into dispute but TW Kwok Commissioner for Foreign Affairs having supported the inhabitants up to a point is thought to be prossing: Chines Government to intervene. One theory is that certain Chinese elements in Colony want to prove that present Chinese Government is inffective in looking after Chinese interest outside China. Ambassador Nanking is fully aware of situation.
British
Fourth. Erskine reports that since police action on 3 Jan squatters returned and in some enses rebuilt their wooden huts.
/Governor....