CO129-531-10 Hong Kong University- encouragement of Chinese students to counteract American influence 30-5-1931 - 1-9-1931 — Page 40

Note on HONGKONG UNIVERSITY.

29.7.31.

The Secretary of State asks the Committee

11

a). To suggest any special line of inquiry that the University

should be advised to pursue.

43

b). For "guidance or information regarding the possibility and

desirability of attracting Chinese students from Hong Kong to British Universities and workshops.

ff

c). "Regarding steps that might generally be taken at home for bring-

ing the intellectual life of Great Britain and China (Hongkong) into closer contact."

Twenty years ago as Governor of Hong Kong I was deeply impressed with the immense effect which was being produced in China by the returned Chinese graduates from America.

1). Politically.

Imbued with ultra-democratic theories of a Western type they inculcated the Chinese youth in the Colleges with revolutionary ideas, and in my view were the main cause of the Revolution and 20 years of subsequent Civil War.

2). Economically. Graduates from American Universities with engineer-

ing degrees were eagerly sought after for the Railways and every other kind of Public Works which at that time were being fever- ishly pushed forward. These young men were familiar only with American methods and used only American standards and designs. Naturally, therefore, all orders were placed with American firms of which they had confident knowledge.

-

America encouraged Chinese students to go to American Universities. They were made much of there. The Boxer Indemnity was remitted and used for this purpose.

The British feeling was the reverse. Not only were Chinese discour- aged from going to England, but there was (and still is to some ex- tent, I am told), a definite feeling against the higher education of Chinese, due largely to a fear that they would supplant British.

So disastrous did this state of things appear to me alike as regards British influence for good in China, and from the point of view of our trade, that I took up the project of a University, though the majority of British opinion was opposed to it. Its salient characteristics were:- It was residential; English was the medium of instruction; Chinese from China and elsewhere were welcomed; it was affiliated to Oxford and Cambridge and students were discouraged from going to England until they had graduated and their characters were to a large extent formed.

It had been our hope to create a Chinese Faculty with the object of training men for high administrative and political office in China who would act as a counterpoise to American influence; but though supported by both Pekin and Canton who made generous contribu- tions and sent students, this hope has never been fulfilled, and the University has been in chronic financial difficulties. The circum. stances of its foundation precluded an adequate endowment.

This was a risk deliberately accepted.

Apart from a sum of £15,000 to pay off detts owing to the University by Chinese students, a sum of £250,000 only has been allot- ted to the University from the Boxer Indemnity. (Mr. Amery I think was in favour of at least a million). The interest on this sum would be £10,000 at most, and this will not suffice to do much more than

D 28230-1-35 H A

1.

Page 40Page 41