CO129-610-3 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University 15-2-1949 - 7-2-1950 — Page 90

4.

·

and clearly-

parkcularly welcome reinforcement for Hong Kong Univasily, intellectically, and financially, if wholeheartedly invited and absorbed. The essential point in this mather is that we should make up our minds quickly

Do we want their support and are we price for it. i ..., to give them a share in the University

of Hong Kong, and on what terms?

willing to pay the

4

we are to take

full advantage of the situation we should act decisively

and generously. Only H. Mr. G. could decide this and

confident long term policy. If

in accordance with a

We should distrust ourselves and have no

hobey

firm long term to hold Hong Kong, and all that implies, or

if we have

Any "craven fears of being great it is obviously useless to do more than play for time, to be opportunist and half-hearted which is unthinkable. Even in the

shortest view we could not refuse hospitality.

a

and a

86

certain degree of

control over the resulting situation ! But there exists fortunately between us and the Americans very special and overriding bond of common self-interest: They

are as much interested as we are in maintaining the eventual currency and supremacy of the English language in China and the Far East when in the fulness of

time the inevitable anti-Communist and anti- Sonet reaction will again give free scope to political, commercial and cultural relations. It was only through the operation of a lingua franca that the Gracco- hacedonian and the Roman Empires held their wide Sway, and the same applies to the wide-flung British and American Empires. Where the English language loses its predominance British and

American influence will wave. Can either we or the Americans fail to doour utmost to defend

hintage in this matter? our trade with Chinese could only be conducted

our common interest and

If

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