CO129-591-13 Military Administration- proposed civil Affairs Agreement with China 20-7-1945 - 11-8-1945 — Page 19

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Arrangements for the Admini etion of Hong Kong in the event of its lib yasion by Foguler Chinese

forces

1.

According to

At present Hong Kong is in the operational sphere of

Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek whose Chief of staff is the American

General Wedemeyer. We therefore have to be prepared for the

contingency of the Colony being liberated by Chinese Forces

operating (virtually) under American direction.

information provided by the U.S. Chiefs of Staff to the British

Chiefs of Staff at Terminal, an offensive is contemplated by

American-trained Chinese forces in the direction of Canton and

Hong Kong in the fairly near future.

2.

Even assuming that the Chinese are prepared in such

circumstances to hand back Hong Kong to His Majesty's Government

it would nevertheless be embarrassing to have to receive it from

them. The question whether it is practicable for Hong Kong to be

recaptured by British (including Dominion) forces, or with the

participation in some degree of British forces, is one for the

appreciation of the Chiefs of staff. If neither course is practicabl

we shall have to accept the position.

3.

In that case it is, at all events, important that we

should be able to assume the administration of this British Colony

as soon as the military situation allows, and obtain an agreement

that from the outset of any initial period of military administration

our Civil Affairs policies should be accepted, and that the

Civil Affairs administration should be conducted by British

personnel.

4.

At present we have no understanding with the Chinese

Government (as we have with the U.S. Government) in respect

of their acceptance of British Civil Affairs policies in any British

territory included in their operational sphere. A most

See Annex.

embarrassing