CO129-531-10 Hong Kong University- encouragement of Chinese students to counteract American influence 30-5-1931 - 1-9-1931 — Page 59

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ÁNOS UNIVERSITY. 29.7.31.

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The Secretary of State aaks the Committee

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To "suggest any special line of inquiry that the University

should be advised to pursue."

b).

.).

For "guidance or information regarding the possibility and

desirability of attracting Chinese students from Hong Kong to

British Universities and workshops."

"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 Collages with

revolutionary ideas, and in my view were the main cause of the

Revolution and 20 years of subsequent Civil War.

2).

conomically. Graduates from American Universities with engineer

ing degrees were eagerly sought after for the Railmys and every

other kind of rublic works which at that time were being fever-

iahly 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 Britisk .

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

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