SECRET
Likely Communist Policies
and Actions.
XV. KOWLOON CITY.
For reasons of national prestige, and also in order to embarrass the Hong Kong Government, the Commun- ists are likely to exploit to the utmost the Kowloon City issue. They will also most certainly seek to establish an effective jurisdiction there.
(b) If any solution of the
Kowloon City problem unfavourable to the Communists is effected, it will remain a cause for dispute and anti- British propaganda.
Action by Hong Kong.
The Kowloon City question is under activo consideration, and is dealt with fully in other papers.
The bare facts are however stated here7. The two main objections of the Hong Kong Government in regard to Kowloon City are:
i.
prevent the area coming under Communist control and thus being used to endanger the security and law and order of the Colony; and
ii. to avoid taking any action in fulfil-
ment of the objective in (i) which might have adverse repercussions on Sino-British relations.
On security and defence grounds Chinese control of Kowloon City is completely unacceptable. The Communists, if in effective control of Kowloon City, would be far more dangerous than the Nationalists. It seems inconsistent to send extensive reinforcements to the Colony, and yet to a llow Kowloon City to
become a possible stronghold for the Chinese Communists. It is therefore necessary to take over the area and exer- cise effective control over it. The most suitable time would be in the interregnum period in Kwangtung after the defeat of the Nationalists and before the Communists have been able to fully organise their regime. Subsidiary reasons for clearing up the area are the health and criminal aspects of Kowloon City, which is at present a hot bed of brothels, opium and gambling dens.
In assuming control over Kowloon City it may not be necessary to take such dras- tic action as immediately evicting the squatters there. The main objective should be to establish effective Police control over the area and present the Communists (or the Nationalists) effecting such con- trol themselves. Enforcement of all the laws and regulations of the Colony in Kowloon City may be indesirable, and a flexible attitude will have to be adopted
in judging how far effective administration of the area can be carried without provok- ing re-action.
Once police control over the area is successfully re-established and placed under British jurisdiction, a firm stand should be taken to prevent a recurrence of the previous situation where there was no control at all. As far as possible Hong- Kong should keep quiet about Kowloon City and resist replying to provocation.
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