CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 257

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

!

4.

255

Government House, Động lung.

his proper line was to work in harmony with Hong Kong. (I think that a good deal of his previous anti-British feeling was due to pique at being ignored and that my receiving him politely and giving him lunch really did a lot of good. He is amazingly vain and unquestionably regarded himself as insulted at having so little notice taken of him when he was in Cantor before.) This doesn't mean that he has changed his spots but only that he has broken out in a new one. He thinks that his object will be better served by being on friendly terms with us than by being againsi us. The moment that he decides that the balance inclines the other way

h will be a Bolshevist or anything else that pays better.

Now, my idea is simply this that if you have a man of this sort to deal with it is much better to try to work with him than against him. I am quite ready to admit that it would be much better if he were dead but unfortunately he isn't and he holds the power in Kwang Tung and in my opinion is going to keep it this time. Obviously if we can keep on good terms with the power that directs Canton it is going to be easier for us to develop our trade than if we do not, and to antagonize Sun means that British trade is going to be hampered and American and German trade ( the Germans are becoming prominent again in Canton) is going to flourish.

Sun has shown in various ways that he wants to work with us, e.g. by declaring himself in favour of the railway connection which is

what

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.