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F6046
[This telegram is of particular secrecy and should be retained
by the authorised recipient and not passed on]..
[CYPHER]
Sir H. Seymour No. 984
30th August, 1945.
CABINET DISTRIBUTION
FROM CHUNGKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
D.2.0 p.m. 30th August, 1945.
R.9.50 a.m. 30th August, 1945.
140
Repeated to Washington
Supreme Allied Command South-East Asia
MOST IMMEDIATE
TTTTT
TOP SECRET
My telegram No. 978.
Following from His Majesty's Ambassador and General Carton de Wiart.
We are seeing Chiang Kai-shek at his country home this afternoon so report cannot be sent till tonight.
2. Indications are that Chiang Kai-shek is indignant at what he regards as our overriding of his rights as Commander- in-Chief of China Theatre. We think that he will refuse to change his attitude. He considers that he has already delegated his authority to take the surrender of Hong Kong and thus done everything necessary to meet our views.
3. In our opinion the best course is to accept delegation of authority.
4- [Gp. undec. ? We] think it certain that Chiang Kai-shek's representative to the surrender will not be authorised to sign merely as a witness. If delegation of authority cannot be accepted it is therefore desirable
that there should if possible be no formal surrender document. If there is any objection to such a document we are likely to have dispute in Hong Kong as to its form.
5 The controversy is likely, unless it can be settled, to embitter our relations with the Chinese just at this moment when it is vital to our interests that we should receive a reasonable amount of Chinese co-operation in re-establishing our interests in Shanghai etc. If Chiang Kai-shek is left feeling thoroughly sore over Hong Kong we must expect obstruction and ill-will not only during crucial period, but also for a considerable time thereafter.
O.T.P.
[Advance copies sent to Prime Minister, General Ismay,
Colonel Price and lir. Gent].
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