CO129-591-13 Military Administration- proposed civil Affairs Agreement with China 20-7-1945 - 11-8-1945 — Page 25

NOTE

Top Secret

Arrangements for the Administration of Hong Kong in the event of its liberation by regular Chinese

forces

3.

1.

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.

According to 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.

Even assuming that the Chinese are prepared in such

circumstances to hand back Hong Kong to H.M.G. 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

2.

appreciation of the Chiefs of Staff. If neither course is

practicable we shall have to accept the position.

う.

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.

See Annex.

A