FO371-46253 — Page 64

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GUAR D

F5865

[This telegram if of particular secrecy and should be retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on)..............

[CYPHER]

CABINET DISTRIBUTION

FROM CHUNGKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

'

✰

Sir H. Seymour

D. 1. 29 p.a. GMT.

No: 958

R. 3. 4 p.m. BST.

27th August, 1945. 27th August, 1945.

27th August, 1945.

*

Repeated to Washington,

South East Asia Command.

*

11111

༤

MOST IMMEDIATE

28

TOP SECRET

GUARD

Your telegram No. 984, and my telegram No. 946.

I saw Chiang Kai-shek this afternoon and was unable to move him from his position that he must, as Commander-in-Chief, China theatre, delegate his power to take surrender in Hong Kong if surrender is to be accepted by a British officer,

2. Following are main points he makes. He has as Commander-in-Chief, China theatre, every right to send troops to Hong Kong but had never intended to do so. He has no objection whatever to British forces going there. But surrender everywhere must be carried out in accordance with Allied arrangements and in China theatre it is his right and duty to accept surrender or to delegate his power to do so.

3. I put forward arguments as to Hong Kong not being "within China", and our right to re-occupy and re-establish position in British territory, but he stuck to what he considers his nilitary-legal rights as Commander-in-Chief China theatre.

4. Chiang Kai-shek stated that he had informed President Truman of his decision to delegate his powers in respect of Hong Kong to British officer and that the President had expressed his appreciation of this action. Chiang Kai-shek had also informed General MacArthur.

AUG

5. Chiang Kai-shek spoke of his desire for good relations with His Majesty's Government and of his hope that they would improve. He let it be understood that he regarded this business as something of a test case, and said that he could not give up his legitimate rights, though he realised

1945

that

F O. REGISTE

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