ན །
TRANSLATION
under hanking def.
URGENT
120.53, of 21/1/4815
131
Memorandum from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to H.8.M. Embassy,
hated 20.1.48
No. ou 37/01653
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs present their compliments to N.P.M. Embassy and have the honour to state, with reference to the Kowloon City case, that the Embassy have not yet returned a definite and satisfactory reply to the #inistry's memorandun dated 8th January, Furthermore, the Hong Kong police again on 12th January forcibly demolished the temporary wooden hute erected by the kowloon City inhabitants as a protection against wind and rain. They even opened fire and threw tear gas bombs directed at the inhabitants, with the result that many people were injured.
The Chinese Government consider it a very serious matter that the Hong Kong Government should, while discusalons between Chinese and British authorities regarding the question of jurisdiction in Kowloon City were in progress, have twice taken the step of forcibly demolishing the houses and evicting the inhabitants and even directly .c. not through the chinese authorities/ arrest and injure the Chinese inhabitants of the City. “he Ministry have repeatedly and emphatically made clear to the mbassy the position of the Chinese Government, namely, that in accordance with the provisions of the Convention respecting an extension of the Hong Kong territory of 1898, China undoubtedly enjoys jurisdiction in Kowloon Jity and that the Hong Kong Government have therefore no right to send police lato Kowloon City and demolish forcibly the houses of the inhabitants, still less the right to arrest and try the local inhabitants. should the British
Government disagree with the views of the Chinese Government, they should deal with the matter peacefully through the usual diplomatic channel in a spirit of mutual friendship, and should not take one- sided forcible sction resulting in the aggravation of the situation. In these circumstances, the Ministry hereby requcst that the
mbassy will immediately ask the British Government to accept the various demands formerly put forward by the #inistry to the Embossy and especially to release immediately the arrested inhabitunts of Kowloon City, and to withdraw the Hong Kong police stationed in Kowloon City. The Chinese Government also demand that the Britzsi Government should pay appropriate compensation for the physical
injuries and property losses suffered by the inhabitants ia Mowloon Jity as a result of the ultra vires action of the Hong Long Government, and ascertain who fired and who issued the order to fire in Kowloon $ity on 12th January, and punish them.
It is requcated that the above be transmitted to the British Government without delay and a reply returned.
(STAMAD) MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
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