CO537-5132 — Page 58

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FROM SINGAPORE TO FOREIGN OFFICE

(From Commissioner-General in South-East Asia)

Mr. MacDonald No. 919

D. 2.26 p.m. 4th November, 1949.

R. 3.11 p.m. 4th November, 1949.

4th November, 1949.

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 919 of 4th November, repeated for information to Nanking, Washington, New Delhi and Saving to Tokyo, Bangkok, Saigon, Rangoon, Batavia, Manila, Paris, The Hague, Brussels, Luxembourg, Lisbon, Rome, Oslo, Copenhagen, UKDEL New York, Kuala Lumpur, Governor Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuching and Jesselton.

Your telegram No. 10,265 to Washington.

Recognition of the Communist Government in China.

The Bukit Serene Conference agrees with the views of His Majesty's Ambassador to China and the Governor of Hong Kong that British interests in China and in Hong Kong demand earliest possible de jure recognition of the Communist Government in China.

2. This Conference is of the opinion that from the point of view of the situation in South-East Asia and the Far East generally such recognition is desirable as early as possible and in any case by the end of the year.

3. The Conference considers that no formal conditions can be attached to such recognition but that His Majesty's Government in according it should make a unilateral statement of their assumption that the new Government accepts China's existing international obligations.

4.

5.

The Conference considers that:-

(a)

(b)

recognition should not involve any weakening, but should indeed be accompanied by a strengthening, of our resistance to the spread of Communism in the area;

an extensive propaganda campaign should be launched to explain that the recognition does not involve any inconsistency with our policy of opposition to Communism in South-East Asia. Hong Hong shoula

not take any direct part in this.

It is assumed that every effort will be made to minimise the adverse. effects of any disagreement which may arise with the United States on the question of recognition.

6. My immediately following telegram contains an appreciation of the effects of recognition of Communist China on certain countries and territories in the area.

7. Please pass to United Kingdom High Commissioners elsewhere than Delhi as necessary.

Foreign Office please pass to Washington and New Delhi as my telegrams Nos. 16 and 87 respectively.

Repeated to Washington. Copies sent to Telegram Section Commonwealth Relations Office for repetition to New Delhi