CO537-5116 — Page 66

9409517

2'5 AUG 1949

44

لانه

Cypher/OTP

DIPLOMATIC DISTRIBUTION

FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Sir R. Stevenson

No. 1298

20th August, 1949.

Repeated to Hong Kong

CONFIDENTIAL

D. 10.00 a.m. 21st August, 1949

R. 12.35 p.m. 20th August, 1949

Commissioner General Singapore

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 1298 of 20th August repeated for information to Hong Kong, Commissioner General Singapore.

Hong Kong telegram No.812 to Colonial Office.

I agree of course in principle that we should not repeat not) necessarily be deterred by the prospects of adverse repercussions upon British interests in China from taking restraining or punitive action if and when we have a flagrant and indisputable case. At the same time I consider that it would be unfortunate and in the long run to the disadvantage of Hong Kong interests if forcible administrative action were taken on questionable grounds thereby exposing ourselves to charges of interference with freedom of speech (irrespective of the fact that no such liberty exists under the Communist régime).

(3-)

2. I am not sure as to the identity of the article referred to in paragraph 2 of Hong Kong telegram No. 813 to Colonial Office. If however it is the ordinary New China News Agency bulletin quoting official Communist release containing ex parte statement by the Communist General Yuan in charge of the area where H.M.S. Amethyst was fired on and held captive, I fully agree that the Governor's decision to refrain from prosecution or closure was correct.

3. Could not the situation be more effectively met perhaps by counter publicity in the Hong Kong press and the exposure of the fallacies of the Communist press? I would suggest for consideration that the false or misleading nature of any such NCNA reports might in future be objectively but conclusively pointed out in a letter to the Agency from the competent authority of the Hong Kong Government requesting a public retraction or correction and stating that a copy of the communication was being released to the press (who would presumably be ready enought to publish it).

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