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Nevertheless, sooner or later the question
of purchase or lease-extension must arise, if British
Hong Kong is to survive as a Colony: Ihope that my despatch
made that clear. Nor would that day be sixty or even
fifty years hence; even now, as I stated in paragraph
13 of the enclosure to my despatch of June 11 th, it
shews signs of becoming a factor in economic affairs.
When the lease expires (1998) if the Chinese Government
has refused an extension, we will have broadly speaking
three alternatives: (1) to refuse to quit the New
Territoties and to resist ejection; (2) to enter into
some kind of condominium arrangement;
back Hong Kong to China.
(3) to hand
As to Chinese present willingness, I wrote to
you of Mr. Rogers' views. Since then Sir Shouson Chow,
an ex-member of the Hong Kong Executive Council, has
approached me with the suggestion that now is the time
to secure a longer tenure: he was convinced that the
Chinese Government would agree and offered his services
as go-between. Sir Robert Kotewall, the present Chinese
member of the Executive Council, holds the same views.
Thus we have on one side a chance to help
China with money and at the same time to strengthen a
very important part of the Empire: on the other there
are the objections, no doubt of the most serious order,
Page 110Page 111
HOME KONG
COAEBHWEHL HoneE'
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