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63
Турех
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
OPY FOR REG
1.
REC
NATION
67
FROM HONG KONG ( Sir A. Grantham)
D. 30th November, 1950 R. 30th
#t 10.15 hrs.
No. 1310 Confidential
Addressed to Peking No. 224 Repeated to S. of S. and
#t
"Tamsui No. 71 (S. of S. please pass
to Peking and Tamsui).
Your telegram No. 1873 to Foreign Office,
Nationalist refugees in Hong Kong.,
Comparison made in paragraph 3 is not (repeat
not) valid. No question of compulsory repatriation arises in the case of these people who are refugees and not detainees. They come from various parts of China but have all expressed the desire to proceed to Formosa in view of their political affiliations. Should Nationalist authorities agree to accept them it is not our intention to compel them to go there should they, in fact, not wish to do so, although we are very anxious to get rid of them.
2. Some time ago when there were suggestions in the local press that these refugees should be put across the boader, the immediate reaction of the local Communist euthorities was to tighten their border security control, which appears to indicate wuite clearly that they are not prepared to accept them in any circumstances. If, however, any of them express a wish to return to China we shall do OUR est to help them.
These refugees have no arms and never had any. Some had remnants of uniforms when they arrived but these have long since worn out. I prefer not to use the Tung Wah since its position might be jeopardised.
(Copies to F.0. for repetition to Peking and Tamsui)