CO537-5116 — Page 152

NEWCHINA NEWS AGE CY (HSIN HWA NEWS AGENCY).TOP SECRET

GENERAL.

1. The office of the NEW CHINA DAILY JEWS in Hong Kong was operated by the Chinese Communists until its closure in August, 1946. Its functions were reported to include the collection of intelligence material as well as those of a News Agency.

2.

In late 1946, Raymond WONG (see Appendix A) stated his intention of re-establishing this office under the name NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY and asked permission to install a special type of wireless receiver for the reception of news from Yenan, A licence for the operation of the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY in Hong Kong was granted with effect from 8th April, 1947.

3. In March, 1947, Raymond VONG, who had by this time proceeded to England, received a request that he should stay there and work with a Mr. Jack CHEN (see Appendix B) for the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY.

THE ORGANISATION OF THE LONDON BRANCH.

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The NEW CHIN. NEWS AGENCY was established in London on 20th June, 1947, and registered on 26th June, 1947. The principal was shown as Jessie Mary Sheridan JONES (who after her marriage became J.M. SHERIDAN WALKER) of 28a Queens venue, Muswell Hill, N.10. This woman, a British national, has come to the notice several times in connection with her communist activities in the U.K.

5.

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The Agency, in June, 1947, was run from the office of TELEPRESS LTD. 132 Fleet Street, E.C.4., but it was reliably reported that most of the work was done by Jack CHEN at his private address: 3 Brampton Court, Brampton Grove, N.W.4.

6. Jack CHEN, who had been a correspondent of TELEPRESS in the Far East, stated that the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY was financed by the Chinese Communist Party and that the object of the Agency was to work to win British and European support for the Chinese Communists and to appeal for moral backing to bring about an early settlement in China,

7.

It was noticed in July, 1947, that the format and type of the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY weekly bulletin were identical with those of TELEPRESS bulletins,

8.

In September, 1947, it was apparent that copies of the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY bulletins, published in London, had been reaching various Chinese Communists in Hong Kong.

9.

On 1st October, 1947, Raymond WONG returned to this country after an absence of two and a half months in Czechoslovakia and Jugoslavia. He stated that the object of his return to England was to take up employment with the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY. He gave as his private address that of Jack CHEN.

10. On 8th December, 1947, notice of the cessation of the business in the U.K, known as the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY was promulgated. On 20th December, 1947, the News Agency was re-registered under the same name, but showed the principal to be CHOK MUI WONG (Raymond WONG), of 23 Parliament Hill, N.V.3.

11. In May, 1948, according to a most reliable source, Jack CHEN requested a transfer to Manchuria, but in September he was told, apparently on orders from C.C. P. Headquarters, to remain in his present position. It had been tentatively arranged that Arthur CIEGG should take CHEN's place when he left. Originally Raymond WONG agreed to CLEGG's employment, but later showed signs of disagreeing on the grounds that, as CLEGG was known to be a member of the British Communist Party, the connection with the Party would probably have a detrimental effect upon the NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY,

/12. On 6th August,

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