CO129-591-14 Military Administration- liaison with Chinese and American forces 11-4-1945 - 25-7-1945 — Page 13

12

20 Waldock, adunt

Lone 78.30/7

12/7/45

There are three proposals under discussion on this file and as they are not particularly connected with "0.E. Operations in China" perhaps Mr. Steed will kindly consider having a new file (or files) made for them.

2. The three proposals are:-

The appointment of a British liaison officer to the United States Army Headquarters in China primarily for consultation on economic problems arising out of the re-occupation of Chinese territory.

This appointment has been accepted in principle by the Foreign Office 13(3) and it remains to select a suitable

man. The names of Mr. Ogilvie (for particulars see my minute of 29/6 above) and Major Scott (of Butterfield & Swire) have been put forward. This appointment is not, however, one in which we are directly interested.

(ii) The establishment of a full British

Liaison Mission with Chinese General Headquarters which would include British Civil Affairs Officers and which would move forward with the forces operating from the interior of China. We have supported this proposal3(25 and() on the grounds that such liaison with Chinese forces would lessen the chances of Hong Kong being occupied by Chinese claiming to assert and retain authority in the Colony. Such a mission should be linked very closely with the proposed Emergency Civil Administration and might indeed conceivably contain it. It would in any case lessen the chances of such an emergency party being needed. This proposal, however, has not yet been accepted and it is suggested that it should be the subject of an inter-departmental meeting. The Admiralty would wish the

/mission