Hong Kong Situation Requires Close Study

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23091, 2 November 1949, Page 8

Hong Kong Situation Requires Close Study

VITAL EMPIRE OUTPOST

“'JVLJK present situation in ITong Kong is one that deserves the closest of study and careful watching. It is a vital outpost of the Empire, of immense importance to us in New Zealand, and we may be called upon to help in its defence if the international situation deteriorates and war becomes inevitable,” declared Mr. A. S. Muir in an address to the Gisborne Rotary Club on Monday. Mr. Muir's address was entitled. “Hong Kong and What It Means to Us,” and he added that for Britain to lose Ilong Kong would constitute a tremendous ioss of “face,” and British prestige throughout the Near East and the Far East would suffer immeasurably. It would hasten the plan ol the Communists. ho said. The speaker drew attention to comment in the London Daily Telegraph which had recently stated: “With the arrival of the Chinese Communist troops on the Hong Kong frontier the question of British policy towards the new Chinese regime becomes even more pressing. And this is made even more urgent by the Communist Peking radio declaration of a few days ago that whoever continues to recognise the remnant of the ‘Kuomintang bandits,' that is General Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Government, is conducting international criminal activity.” Hastening Slowly

Reports from Peking had recently stated that a big contingent of some 500 Russian officials had arrived there, which gave a clear indication of the importance Russia was placing on this theatre of Communist enterprise, the speaker added. Great Britain, however, in conjunction with the United States, France and other nations was hastening slowly and. according to the latest messages was not yet prepared to make any pronouncement on the question of recognition.

When it. was realised that this was the first occasion in which British territory had come into active contact with Communist troops just what was going to happen commanded particular interest. British troops had been in touch with Russians in Germany and also on the North-West frontier of India, beyond Kashmir, where peoples with strong Russian leanings and sympathies had had to be dealt with. But this was the first occasion that a large Communist force had bumped up against British territory. Mr. Muir described British Hong Kong as a strange admixture in more ways than one. It was the centre of valuable British trading interests and there was a well built city in the European quarter. The normal population was about 1,750,000, but with refugees from the Communist part of occupied China, that figure was probably today, much higher. Two Extremes Hong Kong was situated on an island, the water boundary at the narrowest point being about a quarter of a mile wide between the mainland. It was a city of immense riches and intense poverty, as were most of the Oriental and Eastern areas. The poverty-stricken population presented a fertile ground for Communist ideals and propaganda. The speaker recalled that China ceded to Britain this island in 1841, and in 1860 the Kowloon Peninsula, which dominated the harbour and threatened the capital, Victoria, In 1889 Britain had obtained a 99 years lease of the mainland as far north as the Shumeun River and of various small islands around Hong Kong. On the mainland was situated the water supply of Hong Kong and that water was vital to the inhabitants of Hong Kong. “From time to time down the years the Chinese Governments have raised the issue of the return of Hong Kong to Chinese control, but the issue has never been hotly pressed for the reason that Hong Kong always has presented a haven of refuge" for members of Chinese Governments who have been thrown out of office suddenly. In China the ‘ins’ have never known when they would be the ‘outs’ and chased across the frontier. General Chiang Kai-shek raised the question at a conference during the last war, but Mr. Churchill made it plain that he was not liquidating the British Empire and that the question would have to lie dormant until after Hong Kong was recovered from the Japanese and the “face” of Great Britain, which is so important throughout the Far East, was recovered by complete defeat of the Japs. In this the Americans acquiesced. Mr. Muir added that when the war ended the Chinese Nationalists were so busy dealing with the Communists that they did not dare raise the issue. ‘“But now (hat the Communists are at the gates of Hong Kong claims for the reversion of Hong Kong to Chinese rule would be a very inspiring programme to arouse Chinese national spirit and would be entirely satisfactory to their friends in Russia," he continued. “Genuine Article” “Many people until recently have contended that the Chinese Communists have been misjudged—that they were a mild brand of Communist who wanted land reform and a few other measures that seemed not only blameless, but beneficial. The deplorable Amethyst incident showed that they were the genuine article acting according to the oarty line as dictated by their bosses in the Kremlin "The insolent way in which they reiected every overture was a deliberate challenge to the ‘lmperialistic bloc,’ and a difficult situation was only eased by the admirable escape of the vessel. . “Now how does Hong Kong affect we citizens in the Pacific?” he asked. “It is of vital importance to us, for in the hands of Communists it provides a sub marine base very much nearer to New Zealand. Vladivostock. the present big base where Russia had a large growing submarine force equipped with sub marines of long cruising range, has American occupied Japan between it and the South Pacific. With Hong Kong in its hands, the operation of submarines around New Zealand, Australia. Cevlon and India would be much more easily accomplished. “We in tlie Dominion would be in a sorry plight with our outside trade practically obliterated, or at least carried on with the greatest difficulty and certainly at a great loss. “Can We Hold Hong Kong?” “Now. can we hold Hong Kong?” he asked. “We have a force of about 30.000 there at present. They must hold the 17-mile perimeter which encloses the water supply on the leasehold territory. How long can they hold it against a determined attack by. say, 500.000 or more Communist troops? Hong Kong fell to the Japanese immediately the water supply was lost. “We now have a large navy unopposed at Hong Kong. It is the largest naval force which vve have had in the Far East for a long time, but at Singapore the Navy was not a great deal of use against land forces. Those who were at Gallipoli know just bow effective were the naval guns against land defences. Thev are not a strong bulwark on which to lean. “I think that the attitude of the Communists on the borders of Hong Kong will give some clear indication of whether the Russians are prepared for an eniiv war or intend to wait some years before fully showing their teeth. Thev mav let Hong Kong stay as it is while thev continue their infiltration farther south, feeling sure that they can take Hong Kong when thev want it.” Mr. Muir pointed out that the Rosenberg plan propounded in Germany many years ago and accepted by the German staff was briefly the infiltration and white-anting of neighbouring States with German, ideas before active hostilities were attempted. Grand Off-Shoot Point “The Germans nearly got away with it. twice, but on each occasion they struck too soon—before the plan was complete and England particularly was not ripe for the picking." lie said. “The Russians are working that plan for all they ara worth .throughout the

world and are particularly assiduous in their propaganda in Indo-China, Malaya and Straits Settlements. They are making a huge encircling move towards India. Hong Kong would pro vide a grand off-shoot point for the subjugation of the Dutch East Indies, Australia. New Zealand and India.” For Britain to lose Hong Kong again at an earlv date would constitute a tremendous loss of '‘face” and British pres tige throughout the Near East and Far East would suffer immeasurably. It would hasten the plan of the Communists. “But.” he said, “it looks as though they are not yet ready to face a major issue and I think Hong Kong will not immediately produce incidents. In 1998. 49 vears hence, the lease of the water suddlv areas will fall due and their non-renewal would cause Hong Kong to fall, practically without a shot being fired, into Chinese hands. We simply could not stav there without water. "Let us hope that the Communists will wait that long, for by that time a formula mav have been worked out between nations that will obviate all prosnects of war. The Chinese, down the ages have assimilated and tamed all invaders. They are a peaceful race and are said to be the only pure race on the face of the earth today. The tanulv is the centre of life in China and given time even tenets of active communism will be toned down if history is to repeat itself along past lines.” The present situation, nevertheless, deserved the closest studv. The speaker was accorded a vote of thanks' for his address, on the motion of the Rev. J. Kingsley Fairbairn, .who presided.