CO537-2187 — Page 117

E DUPLICATE.

ORIG. ON 54228/1/47.

SAVINGRAM

110

To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Repta to:

From the Governor, Hong Kong.

Date...

No...

2nd. 25

May, 1947.

SECRET. 14228/1/4

54/45

Special Commissioner

Singapore, No. 89)

British Ambassador,

Nanking, (No. 25)

Consul-General,

Canton,

(No. 47)

Following is a short appreciation of factors in Hong Kong

which may affect foreign policy covering the period ended 28th April,

1947.

(a) Interest or activity in the Colony on the part of any foreign

country.

Reports from Canton published in the local Chinese Press indicate

that the Kwangtung Provincial Assembly is sponsoring a movement for the

retrocession of Macao. A member of the Assembly, at a press conference

held on 18th April, gave the following four reasons for demanding the

return of Macao to China:- (1) Macao was originally part of China;

(2) it was ceded during the era of the corrupt Chinese monarchy;

(3) Portugal was not an ally of China during the war, nor did she

render any service to the United Nations but on the contrary the Macao

Government collaborated with the Japanese; and (4)

and (4)

retrocession is

necessary if friendship is to be maintained between Portugal and China.

He further suggested that if the Portuguese Government is reluctant to

accede to this demand a blockade of Macao might serve to impress them

and that if any incident occurred it would be the responsibility of

the Portuguese Government. A later report from Canton said that a

9 MAY 1947

RECEIVED

C. O. REGY