114
[This telegram is of particular secrecy and should be retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on]
Cypher/OTP
DIPLOMATIC DISTRIBUTION*
FROM SINGAPORE TO FOREIGN OFFICE
(Commissioner General in South East Asia).
No. 508
16th July, 1949
PRIORITY
D: 8.14.a.m. 17th July, 1949 R:10.5 .a.m. 17th July, 1949
SECRET
(93)
(as) to
My telegram No. 556 [sic].
Following for Murray from Rayner.
You will have seen Colonial Office telegram No. 821 to Hong Kong and Nanking telegram No. 358 to us, I hope our telegram No. 456 had not been seen by the Colonial Office when their telegram referred to was drafted. I have only a general picture of the technical situation (which I have discussed with the Head of Diplomatic Wireless) but the point seems to be that 71⁄2 kilowatt transmitters at the present site would be a lot better, and at proposed new site a lot better still.
2. Pepper who is now here, tells me in strict confidence, that Connras, head of U.S.I.S. in China told him that U.S.I.S. is whittling its activities in communist China down to cultural work only, and that he, Connras, is considering suggesting that Hong Kong radio should be strengthened and U.S.I.S. should ask for time on it. This presumeably would be put up to the State Department for them to consider whether His Majesty's
The idea Government should be approached in this sense.
is in exploratory stage only: but if there are no political objections it would, I think, be excellent from the propaganda point of view apart from anything else it would give tangible evidence (which we greatly need) of
· Anglo-United States solidarity in this area;
and you may think it would help if the same sort of suggestion was made from our side, perhaps in London.
3.
Governor of Hong Kong has proposed to the Colonial Office that Hong Kong radio be taken over by Radiodiffusion. When he told me this. I said that at first sight I did not think it mattered who ran the radio so long as it was under Government control; but
/on second thoughts