DEF-
2
Page
12/31/196227
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
FROM HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham
COPY FOR REGISTRATION
Simplex D. 31st January, 1952.
IMMEDIATE
SECRET
No. 98
R. 31st
15.45 hrs.
FED
1952
AXI
Repeated Washington, No. 6.
Addressed S. of S.
11
Peking,
No.13.
Commissioner-General for U.K. in-
S.E. Asia, No. 29 (S. of S. please pass to Washington and Peking.)
(16)
Washington telegram to Foreign Office No. 305.
We have so far preferred to avoid any official counterstatement on the grounds that whatever we said would undoubtedly be distorted for propaganda purposes in China and would probably give rise to further and even more violent accusations. It seems probable that the immediate Chinese aim is to create nervousness among the Chinese population of the Colony as an accompaniment to increased left-wing aggressiveness in internal affairs in Hong Kong, and a mounting campaign of propaganda exchanges would only further their purpose.
2. These considerations, however, apply primarily to an official counterstatement by this Government, and I do not wish to oppose official publicity from other quarters in reply to the Chinese "protest". My telegram Def59/51/01 No. 89 indicated lines on which it is proposed to deal
with enquiries from press correspondents here, and I suggest these might be adopted elsewhere. These statements have so far been given to Reuters only.
(4)
(Copies sent to Foreign Office for repetition
to Washington and Peking)
Hong Kong Weekly Intelligence Report Distribution sent.
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OUTWARD TELEGRAM
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