[This telegram is of particular secrecy and should be retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on]
Cypher/OTP
DEPARTMENAL DISTRIBUTION
FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
.1
Sir R. Stevenson
No.1140
1st August 1949
Hong Kong
Repeated to Singapore
SECRET
Canton
D. 8.45 p.m. 1st August 1949
R. 7.33 a.m. 2nd August 1949.
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 1140 of 1st August repeated for information to Singapore, Hong Kong and Canton.
Singapore telegram No.546 to you: Anti-Communist (22) propaganda from Hong Kong.
:
As regards paragraph 2 (a) and (b) of telegram under reference I must repeat the warning in paragraph 1 of my telegram No.362 to Singapore that to build up Hong Kong as the focal point for anti-Communist propaganda in the Far East risks provoking the Chinese Communists to stir up trouble in the Colony. I remain convinced that the only line of propaganda emanating fron Hong Kong that is likely to produce useful as opposed to harmful results is a positive pro-British, pro-Hong Kong and not a negative anti-Communist line.
2.
(أ)
It would be illusory to hope that an officer working in Hong Kong would have any chance of disseminating material in the Chinese press in China where official control of political expression and direction of the press etc. is even more strict under the Communists than under the Kuomintang and I imagine that the acceptance of such material by the Chinese-language press in Hong Kong is likely to be small and to diminish almost to vanishing point when the P.L.A. have reached the borders of the Colony.
3.
In the circumstances I consider that it is most important that His Majesty's Embassy should be consulted in advance before any broad policy directives are issued to R.1.0. officer in Hong Kong so that due weight can be also given to the China view point.
40
Colonial Office telegram No.116 Saving to Hong Kong not received here.
Singapore please pass to Hong Kong as my telegram
No. 285.
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