CO537-3707 — Page 164

Proposel

Suggested

by

KOWLOON CITY

SUMMARY OF NEGOTIATIONS

Brief History

M

(258)

54145/16/48

PE. SIL

Present Position

10

PARK

Aree to be made in- Government before war.

to public perk for

benefit of all inhabitants of

Kowloon locality.

2. CUSTOMS

SA.TION. In view

of recently

concluded Customs"

Hong Kong Hong Kong Government had proposal under consideration

Ambassador, Nanking, put the proposal and Ambas-informally to Chinese in January 1948, suggesting an sador, exchange of notes and indiceting Chinese would have Nanking.

publicly to advise squatters to accept alternative accommodation. Governor of Hong Kong was willing for proposal to be put formally to Chinese; he suggested title "Sun Yat Sen Park and made it clear that it would be policed and maintained by Hong Kong Government. Ambassador, Nanking, later reported that Chinese attitude to jurisdiction issue now renders this proposal unacceptable.

Chinese Minister in London (inform-

C

Agreement Chinese lly). Maritime Customs

to be lloce sed the area as o site for their offices and customs sheds.

3.

SPECI.L

COMMISSIONER'S

OFFICE.

Area to

be unfenced public garden in which

Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs and also

should be erected by Chinese one building as an Minister office for speci.lin London.

Proposal dropped

since it offers

no solution to jurisdiction issue.

view of Governor's reaction.

Governor rejected proposul, both on its merits, since site Proposal dropped in is unsuitable by reason of size and topography, also because it would be interpreted locally as complete surrender by H.M.G. to China. The Governor's view was accepted here and the Ambassador, Nanking, later reported that the Chinese were no longer thinking in terms of a compromise on these lines.

The Governor considered that this proposal was open to greater objection thun No. 2 and that it would be interpreted locally as a defeat for the Hong Kong Government. The Ambassador, Nenking, however, hus been of the opinion that despite initial embarrassment this proposal might cause Hong Kong, it would probably in the long run be less troublesome then eny other solution which the present Wook Chinese

When the Gorden of Remembrance proposal emerged consideration of this solution was dropped. The Chinese might however be prepared to re-open negotiations on this