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27 { Tel. 1057 from Wraking to F-0. 14/7/49
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3.
1.
cons.
23/7/49
23/7/49
17/0
The Governor of Hong Kong and the Ambassador, Nanking, were asked for their suggestions as to the reply which should be given to Mr. Gammans question (see 28). The answers are at (29) and (30).
2. Briefly, the Governor, while perfectly ready to take action against the Communist press or News Agency in Hong Kong for action offensive to the law or the security of the Colony, is not anxious to take isolated retaliatory action in answer to action taken against British news organs in China (unless H.M.G. give him the lead in so doing), because inter alia:-
(a) retaliatory action would mean using Emergency Regulations and he does not want to use these unless there is a situation really warranting such use, aught
(b) so far as the Colony is concerned, while such action would be useful as a gesture, its practical effect would be limited because the Communists would find other means of getting their views across.
The Ambassador also is against retaliatory action at present because it might invoke in turn Chinese
Cortti's Comunist action against writers and the North China Daily News which are still functioning in China,(see also his reply at (27) to the F.0.'s suggestion at (26) that retaliatory action might be taken in this country by closing the New China News Agency in London). He does however suggest that the reply to the P.Q. might provide an opportunity for uttering a warning to the Chinese Communists that our patience is not inexhaustible and that we have the weapon of retaliatory action in our bag and would in the last resort be prepared to use it.
4. The draft reply to the question is based on the Governor's suggestions and adds an implied warning to the Chinese Communists. I have deliberately made this not too specific because we must avoid committing Hong Kong.
5.
The draft reply and the Note for Supplementaries have been agreed with the Foreign Office, and (ir. Blackburne not being available) with Mr. W.S. Morgan. The Note for Supplementaries is a Foreign Office suggestion for use if the Secretary of State is pressed. I see no objection to its use in such circumstances, but would not volunteer it in the
when a cry of the R.QA formal reply to a question on Hong Kong.
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