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FOREIGN OFFICE,

17, Carlton House Terrace,

London, S.W.1.

4th February, 1949.

dane Blacktwine,

You know from our discussions and from our having mentioned it at the Colonial Information Policy Committee, that the question of increasing the power of the Hong Kong radio and using its broad- casts as a medium of information in China has been raised in this office.

We put the suggestion as one of several which might be con- sidered by Mr. Malcolm MacDonald's conference with the Heads of Missions and Governors in November of last year. The conference endorsed the suggestion and Mr. MacDonald telegraphed to us accord- ingly.

We have considered how we might approach this question. In the first place, it will be necessary, of course, for us to obtain the agreement of the Colonial Office and of the Colonial Governor to the use of the station for broadcasts which are not primarily intended for consumption inside the colony, though it might be assumed that they would be of value there. A corollary of such agreement would be that Foreign Office guidance and information should be made available to the staff running the station and, possibly, that personnel should be attached to assist the director with particular reference to these contemplated broadcasts.

It does not seem necessary to us at this stage to go into the details of what machinery is essential to effect the communication of such guidance etc., but we hope that in principle you see no objection to an arrangement being entered into.

K.W. Blackburne, Esq., C.M.G., O.B.E.,

Colonial Office,

Sanctuary Buildings,

Great Smith Street,

S. W. 1.

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