FO371-46255 — Page 95

Page 95

Nothing to be Written in this Margin.

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Page 95

ہم

Minutes.

£66859

I see no political objection to the use

of Hong Kong as a base by the British Pacific Fleet. We have already made clear to the Chinese, both during the surrender

86

negotiations and in public statements, that we intend to retain Hong Kong. Its use by the Fleet would be a logical implementation of that attitude. Moreover, as far as our relations with the Chinese are concerned it would serve as a useful counter to the use by the Russians of Port Arthur as a naval base.

The Chinese would regard our use of Hong Kong as a naval base as logical in view of the activities of the Fleet in Japanese waters, to which it is the nearest British base.

I would, however, sound a note of

warning regarding the proposed visits of H.M. ships to Chinese coastal ports. We have, under the 1943 treaty, relinquished our rights for visits to Chinese waters of British naval vessels, and H.M. ships would therefore normally be entitled to visit Chinese ports in future only by way of courtesy calls. This would not, of course, exclude in the immediate period following the Japanese surrender, the participation of British warships, under American command, in any Allied operations designed to give protection to and restore order in Chinese ports.

I see no

as

lu Kitam

5th September, 1945.

-J.C Stindale Bennett

regards use

Exfat->

of Hong Kong

as a base

political Mijiching. The arguments in farme of to using it are meglio para.

The warning

very strong int

ند الله

in M. Jos

And: be consegue to the Admity.

Conveyed

ab. fap 6.1545.

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