CO537-3705 — Page 77

98

97

Cypher/OTP

POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Sir R. Stevenson

No. 99.

28th January, 1948.

Repeated to Hong Kong,

IMPORTANT LIGHT

D. 9.29 a.m. 28th January, 1948.

R. 10.36 a.m. 28th January, 1948.

Canton

Saving.

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 99 of January 28th, repeated to Hong Kong and Saving to Canton.

My immediately preceding telegram: (Kowloon City)

I realise that the Chinese attitude has all the appearance of blackmail as the trouble of course is that even if we do decide to pander to the weakness of the Chinese Government and thus shelve this particular issue we will have no (repeat no) guarantee that, whatever assurances we might be able to extract from the Chinese Government there will be a cessation of artificially, manufactured incidents in the Colony. It is more than ever clear that the Kuomintang policy is to keep agitation for return of Hong Kong alive and foster the genuine feeling on the subject which undoubtedly exists in this Country

Those who benefit from its retention by us (including inhabitants of the Colony) are such an infinitely small minority, and in general so cowardly, that their influence can be discounted and the cry for return of the Colony will always be a popular one and a ready mob-rouser.

2. I do not (repeat not) wish to imply that we will be shortly faced with a formal approach from the Chinese Government for return of the Colony or leased territories. My impression is that they do not yet regard the time as ripe for such a move. But we should have no illusions about the existence of real feeling on the subject in China.

ZZZ