FO371-35824 — Page 24

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(F 4382/138/G)

FOREIGN OFFICE, S..1.

21st September, 1943.

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Dear Horace,

When Lord Halifax was here recently he handed me a memorandum by Sansom, of which I enclose a copy, on the subject of American opinion regarding Hong Kong.

Halifax mentioned that Hornbeck had referred to this subject on more than one occasion. Hornbeck's line of thought appeared to be not only that no pressure should be placed on Great Britain to return Hong Kong to China but also that Great Britian should retain sovereignty over the island while placing it at the disposal of the United Nations to be used as a base in any scheme of collective security for the Pacific that might be set up. The remarks concerning official opinion in the United States contained in the accompanying memorandum refer to this.

Halifax wondered whether there would not be advantage in our making up our minds to plan for a solution of this kind and even of announcing publicly our intention in advance so as to forestall a Chinese agitation for the unconditional return of Hong Kong tỏ China which might receive powerful backing from public opinion in the United States. I said that some such idea had already been under consideration here at various times during the past twelve months

/but

Sir Horace.Seymour, K.C.M.G., C.V.C.,

Chungking.

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