FO371-46253 — Page 131

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WITH MR. J. J. PASKIN'S COMPLIMENTS.

Mr. Gent

Consular Representation in Far Eastern Colonies.

Fi314

On receipt of the Chungking

Con

F 598-

at No.1 (No. 860 of the 17th August) a search was made for the file

AUG 1945

(4354/525/41) on which, as I understand, it was agreed, shortly before the invasion of Hong Kong, that a Chinese Consul General should be appointed there on the understandings that

2.

(a) he would not have any functions

in relation to Chinese British subjects;

and

(b) he would not engage in any

political activities relating to the status of Hong Kong.

toll

An exhaustive search has failed to locate these papers.

3. At Mr. Scott's suggestion a reply (of which I have not yet seen a copy) was sent to the Chungking telegram No. 860 telling the Ambassador that the whole matter would now require

re-consideration and that, if the Chinese Government should raise it, he should return a temporising reply.

4.

In my conversation with Mr. Scott, I said that we in the Colonial Office had understood that no Foreign Consular Officers were to be appointed in the re-occupied Far Eastern British Colonies during the period of military

administration. Mr. Scott informed me,

/however

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