CO537-4999 — Page 115

Naval units assigned from time to time for the

defence of Hong Kong. They have accordingly

General

selected for this post Lieutenant General F.W. Festing,

C.B., C.B.E., D.S.0., who will also act as General

Officer, Commanding-in-Chief Land Forces.

Festing will leave at the end of this week and will

take up his duties immediately he arrives in liong

Kong.

In reaching their decisions on this matter

H.M. Government in the United Kingdom have naturally

kept the Governments of the other Commonwealth

countries fully informed at all stages both of the

policy being followed and the measures being taken

to implement it. We have also been in touch with

the Government of the United States of America.

No-one who visits Hong Kong today can fail

to be impressed by the prosperity achieved by an extra- ordinarily rapid recovery from the effects of the

late War. Its expanding activities are of great importance to the whole area and it is our hope and desire that its facilities may continue to be freely

available to the nations of Asia and the world and

be used for their mutual benefit. As I indicated

on behalf of the Government when in Hong Kong, our objective is to maintain the friendliest possible relationship with whatever may be the Government of China, whilst remembering our obligations to the

people of the territory for which we are responsible.

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