CO129-593-4 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45 27-10-1946 - 30-1-1947 — Page 14

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activities being of a minimum character carried on under the control of a Committee for Higher Education.

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Secondly, from the political aspect, the absence of a decision on the future of the University and the delay in its re-opening are adding to the uncertainty which is felt in business circles and by the Chinese population of Hong Kong as to our future intentions regarding the Colony. Mayhew suggests that the future of the Hong Kong University should await a decision on the general question of the future of Hong Kong, which I gather will be coming forward for Ministerial consideration from the Far Eastern (Official) Committee. But for the reasons already given we ought not to defer a decision on the Hong Kong University much longer and I should hope that, for this purpose, we might proceed on the assumption that there is no question of the retrocession of Hong Kong within the foreseeable future.

Thirdly, if it should be a case of choosing between Peking and Hong Kong as the centre of British culture and British scholarship in China, & strong argument in favour of Hong Kong, in my view, is that the University is already there and that it can start functioning as a centre as soon as a decision has been taken and the necessary funds are assured.

On the respective merits of the Hong Kong

University and British Council activities, I would only say that I understand that Professor Roxby, the chief representative of the British Council in China is strongly in favour of the proposals which we wish to

put