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12/10/1948 - Hong Kong’s Political Cooperation with Communists by A. Doak Barnett

I OT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT V ORLD AFFAIRS On Wing Sang En HouSe Hongkong Shanghai ecmber I0 InsiSue Curren Affairs FirhAvenue New York N Y Laboringpeopleofheerecountry allywihhe inellgenTa liberal bourgeoisie deocraic patsies groups seeal lunaries other patriosic eleaenSs consolidate expand agains apeials feudal bureaucra captalis forcee fghgehero destroyKuotngreactionaries build Citn All decrac parses groups people organizations 8ocal luminaries 8peed1 convene olloa COnsulSaive Conference dscus carry convoking People Repre Asebly Ooal2ton overnmen sweeping appeal broad united front ChineseCoaAnA8ParonMay1 I8ruckaresponsivecord aalgroup Chinese poltioal refugee volunSary 8land Honkong dissiden8 joined oppos2 Chiang I Oons May Da appeal offered allance They ccepedheofeandheirelegraoMaoe Chairman Coaana Par May proclaimed herein express ponse suppor So Mope realaion naiena renaissances hegwas sined leaders uoinTang Revoluonary Committee KMTRC cratic League PeasanSs Workers Deaocr Pary PI Ms tonal Salvation Society NSS Chinese Democratic Prooon Socey CDPS San MAn Cbu I Comrades Assoca ueainang Democratic Preot Aon SocieSy MTDPS Chi Tang alliance splinter groups onkong CosPyliZedhenes ofhrleadersZaraveo pncein seengrrkes presday Cna Accorng forple hepKTC lders L2C LiO boresdh 81aed comelcdliy Cnesevem underhe ldsMgdChin number posilons AS presen represensa Shese Honkong roups meeting Coun28t Harbin helping She Political ConsulSa 1veCnference PCC whichisscheduledo conveneearly Obably elping liary situation permits Alread China north Yangtze River hands ColsZ armies mliSary observers unanimous predictinghaeRed vicWries coninueoI predicted Zherefore Conununiss proceed Zh pronisd vernen which possess effective control atlsover North China overnen China Peipinisheoslikelyc ccerdnohebes sources Honkono This imporan chane overall China simaiOno I COuuuniss defnie emerged ounns plains final efforts eslblish consolidae legalize their control ounry bdaeherehas singleovrnentover1Cos dayevmin iryis loclzedd Cna Cna areayry efirsat seupsoaenrediewasheesblisof aorhCna onlyreon includes forardRons ufiedvatov1serriryisheob PCCdShesyech conkes Tnon poliupsrlisedve vtheleofunior psinsob diisrsonae assesShey11 reeard pollcalsin She No diniSepsve srecy Cnelewpolics probable therefore Sha press dispatches reports developments China contain She political parses leaders China ehich heretofore haebeenvirtuallyunknown evenoanypeoplew7Le country Sons knowledge ouniss required undersudinK future develop reportedo Before describing political roups onkong generalizations Shey 8iLilariies beKin_wih of_he really political parses ahpresen although several aspire They merely small polcal organzalions numbering hundred thousand members None following polical orKanizaiono They possess armies prerequlsie poliLic81 China during decades In obvious qualifications successful idependen action rough unble contemporary Chinese poliiCSo In tangible power sowlng All ongkong Kroups henselves liberals often heyarelabeledsimply nsedecracups iudoub someofhchlyclam belibels ughherdisa dificulone deine definiypolic opporis Inhecaseofsomepleadersiisfc eyenow hCivil Inollecuals professional politicians almos entire membership groups The small easants Workers Democratic assar fifty percen members belon laborin class Claim signifi cance because menbership pocke slZeo mporan Kroups claim prolearlan follogingapresent One omplel agremaen between groups uncompromising opposiion Chiang K really raison several cases Their hared Chiang probably lmporan either Marx drawing alliance Commnl88o A Krea these people respectable nonbers KuonlnYnK positions undari dlssidn8 either personal deoloKical reasonse Their public saeaens often srong ideoloical flavor actually platforms vague seems secondary In general LefLs according definition admission pracicall speaking simply excep independens sngalong Comnunis during recen monhso They hemselves admit ideological differences among accep presen Comunisprogra New Democracy The personal elmaen srong Chinese politics fundamental undersanding groups The nucleus leaders every group consisl united friendship associatoa groups linked siedlar dissident elements Honkong cateorlesz KMTCandsaffiliates andheDemocraticLague affilaes For years Kuominug divided numerous cliques heldogeher byheiracknowledgementofhiangK eadrsip The origins Kuoing evoluionary Co clique poliics years respects KN R 8mply clque opposes Chiang sheks leadership In dissidens including eneral Feug Yu hsianandMarshal LChi shenbuo holdregularsecremee Ctaankin discuss She polical These forsaalaSed program organlzaional democracy She constitutional dmocracy Shrouout counSry Another group Euomin liberals Shls label cases necessarily oaccuraSe descrip political beliefs Pbnkon inciudin adame Sun Y Liu Ya Olaan established conac oeSber Shey formed She ocieSy Euominn Democrac Comrades Thei acclivities Souh placed under execuive board Kweilln which eventually included arshal Ll kdame Liao Liu Ya subsequen Japanese drive southward Kweilin disruped organization Inheprinof19BMarshalLiandeneral2s T organized 6roup China Japanse uerilla activities 0rganisaon polElcal military implic In Cunin meanwhile another group proressives label includin already mentioned beganooidsecre sessions Paricipans inhisroupi cluded Sun Fo Feng Yu hsang YU You These seeds after sprouted definite policalorgansaiona whichncludedsomebnoallofhos oeher secretly durin Fo xample remier Central Governmen In Cauon arshal Li Genera Ts organized Kuominua Democra P romoion ociey supporters mainly natives Keangm Keangsie former Route Army under Marshal L Canonafeemonthslaer Tsai Wokoverasleaderofhe principal associates Li Chan onetime chief S Ya Oh Ts former Kwangs University Mei professor Ya Uniwersiy Ch Yun Gneral In Cnking during 0cober general conference progressives wascalledunderheoinsponsorshipofOenMing oneime lniser Comnauicaions Presden shore lived Foocoe People Government General Yang Chleh former Ambassador Eussia Presden Army College Wang K Hsu Pao T P addAion oherso The group tending conference San Mn Ctaa I Corades Association T Hsu became active leaders Finally oined close alliance under leadership Li Chi On 0cober Marshal Li issue declaration calling congress Kuoing democratic roups November KTRC formed Ooarades AssocaLon From beginning KTRC Ctiango I claims ruenheriorotherevolutonarypirofheKuominang fadherenoSunYa aeePeople sPrincipl Isprogramhas demanded cessa Aon esablsaen coaiion governaen CoaunAss ZerenaAon foreign inervenion China AS prosen Zhe eader KTRC place ephas called Sun Tree 6rentolcex cooperation Oounis P friendly relations Zhe UoS S laying She parys foundation workers peasants support The primary basis esahlishnen KMTRC revealed byshistoryandcoposAion lesinhepersonalrelaions between sebers More anything elsei friends pollcaloeThisfacsosclearlyillustrated perhaps number ofsmembers leaders paricip the19 Yukien esablished Foocow People Marshal Li eneral Ts leaders People GoVernaen ncluded Chen Ming L Chang Mei Eung ohers careers Ou Pary Marahal Li KMTRC indirecl neresLng recall Foocow People Governaen during exisence local Co nines opera ChinaaThaLaewasnEia nearheFukien border ThenebersipofheKIITCand8filiai8 revled officiallyoOnenbero KMOecuiveeeldmeof henongmberapi8au aovebspisnnng In8r KTROs811 plyallcclique allcpare Despie 8ailari KMTRO 8affco aonofsever Le pmsAveUpswchaeinnongonOcber formed LeOf Decrac Polilc Ordinations slbinlecsvebeprin Le abersp dheermlib remwapplied Lewh applied eKMPfaors morecci8lcof i18dllcis In component8 League Third Pary Naonal Socalis Youth Pary Chih Chino Vocational Eucalonalss Hsang ionlss leading partisan ndiwldnals R The Leae sZrong civll liberties democrai Kovernneno because Early oranizaion adopted presen ofheInceaslngnumber persons wereoininKi individuals In0oober heLoaeheldsfirscongress inCng 0cber adopted descried ofBshLarIparcipain postwarCC in1946disrepresavesplayed in6uptcoce sresoluons onlical folleglng bowever Leagueandhevdeorady SerialLmlders eerddcircumscesechsuKuonginsono hebrdoof swong stheptagons resoluons oftPwereslv ryonheKuo6 Suspiciondessincrsonh dheealyvfarin Kuog Tfin wasdeby ordssolndingZLeonOcber27 19470 offiOi8k placd underuse DcoLe sconpar YouthtydheNaon cialistary Leinla1945d1946r heKnin theCv iCGups vefaded lnpoanee a880ca League Naonal Saeaon LeygJchjonedheLeagUen19444 oeasan andgorkers Denocrac Fary fornery Third Pary In fornal sense bdie8nolonger belonKoheLoaKuo fornJanuary decided menbership gould limited individuals rather orKans Lonso The ThirdFattygasfornedbyLof WnKnenber8fhoKuoninJK 8sonafterChianKK s19271purKe Isprincipalfounder Yen onyened conKres8 supporters Shanghai Sepenber osablishod Frovhstonal ActionCoof Kuon WhTgii upeacve In insuringhe195 evoldcrgheocwple OneofcofheupChns elecridtefheoeeveAaconfess inwin Novb heeKnngwasppdanewne Acon 8HanselLion wasadope CKo wwasamberof ocwved epysce Tg cipainhepleO8olic cildprheCveduringe 8pliwsp wchfinelycged cracy acons inSinJuy She vernnen becane copleo The prosen euborship She WIP eatinaSed include pproxinaely prsons sprinkll China TheNationalSalv Aonoceyseun apolio party ohnonupsItsredboreheSlno Japes intlecals1by pariocapplforresAsceins3ap InJuy orzaion advocang acveeseresisce dinyofhesyanaon fedeonwors Onovb22 196heNnveaaesedsevabsof SC dShLidcrated eriofhesev acTedworld deaon bufilyheywers fourdaysorehe Polo Brideincidin19D7 OnceheflhnansJaps societyceinac dsofildersopeedh heldersp ofSCu avblelicrewse LeIprabersp 18Insiflctdipolcs heinclnaon8 ofilder8 llkeseofhePJ The08apor 8eaen Dencraic Leau6 beolsiindeUp8such ePgdN3S nsderhvlndddnopssOygl llb8bong 8oaery fororei heorao Lopmy aeiderappngno yooraion InCa Isll Le appxiy8abs innngdu plusaIdunddsugedmsp aldsof Leinnongveneong ohssdinecingslinealnehe sdfordepdacon daesociism dnoOoA8 oohnongupssuld ionbrily One Ishe CneDcracPonSocleydheleaderspf cletysfor Sgsoonerhed pansverna inficicy I conslsd aerof tiilucew iaporaCrnd SFedaon Pple sorisaons loose The OShor Kroup desaryinKmen SheCunK TanKs offsoo Chun aCnesret society Za yrsdhe8oey heTpnKebonoLa utonaryfor ofSYasoBorehe 8oceylaned veappx 0ber8 osofh ov88dalgepcgeinhe UoS Cne Theprlder llowofccLeeLile 18ownofhepolic acviofheupsthe8iificce Co finical Conons Ov8Cneve8uppordrevoluionyup8 inCnaine duiwould fficl pveiheCKKg ybehe forsuchsupporapre8o onkong roups oined Jae QonisInredyeheeswenow pogerdnog8 llonadap accorn reccl appacnellonso erexannng roup8 lookwldduk noseau Inaclwar eeKuodheCo8yforcontl ofapop aceof4llionpplewots ofnvey arcoalYure pplegwoud8u 8aunonKoware of8epolcupo orcorrpond Saoroarereason8obeleYe bogeyer haho8up8 parcularly he0dcracLe crtfor facrs podCna8nKgll oneoftrdousadusd usedpcr ypsonsdup8 fdhrPlaCn neepolc donoc foryeadu8dcompsewl gehyndu8dup8 fndnecsa Alanceehhe Hongkong groups obvious advantagesfromhe Counissspointofve Theideaoacoalonisp opularinChina Since Sino panese coalition synonysus whinern peace R people coaliEion Tken place thesrespected Chln curren political ocablary A coalition equires several parles Hongkon roups ready purpose They popular democracy iiberalism beusefl dressin6UP Cisowermnfor boEhinernal Intern ional consumpAon Thereis evidenceo showalshaheCisreallydwan eoonoic social calion Ishey uoopeaion under leadershipf assnyeconoc andsoclropsas possible Tha broadened Honkon6 Communists roups country inelligensia liberal burgoise soCial luminaries andoobinheir cooperaTAono under regiae Conls 8aemens durin yearsoghahey considerhi8 amaork heyplace special epkasi8 racinK bourKeo Wihhe expansionof theirerrloryheCommaniss hatefoundi necee saryoealon temporarilyaleas wihmanynon proletarians pured ncreasin number ciles becoae increasinly aware ecqnomic importance lndsral commercial groups pronouncements headqu place foremos emphasis production industrial produc often sressed griculmral produ ciono This policy necessitated compromises suppor economic groups A saxemens Communis hemselwes 11usrae facto The propery legal operaions persons ndusry erceslllbeproeoedfzomnfrineaen Artole12ofhe Basic Progra Agrarian Law adopted September bourgeoisie middle bourgeoisie oppressed inured classes landlords bureaucraAc bourgeoisie power ughheyarebourgeoisie mayow everparicipaeintheew Democratic Revolution ainain neuraly The objects Which New Democraic Revolution eliminae feudalism monopoly capialsm landlozd class bureaucratic bourgeoisie bourgeoisie general bourgeoisie middle bourgeoisie Owing bachwardnss Chin economy necessary permit axisence 10rig capalis economy represented broad bourgeoisieandmiddlebourgeosie Adoptingulra erroneous policies oward bourgeuie middle bourgeoisie economic elements period excessivel working condiAons excessively income nfringin indusrial coercial elements agrarian reform objectives developmen pmdueAea flourishing accoun public private interests benefits labor objec shortsighted unilateral called welfare oilers absolutely permitted recur Speech Tze December orkers should endure certain deree exploiationforhelrownlonrangeineress soahesepriae enterprises appropriately develop production prosperous economy Liberated raSooo X should known difference awDemocratic Society asocalis society enterprises priae capital indispensable elemen production former society New China Aenc ediorial February The Communis Par firmly proecs industry coerce condiion decidn everyhin should behaius befavorableoeconsanraisinof production Article Cen Po Communis C enral Committee ember NCNA April abiding industrialists commercial businessaen large scale operaion should roeced infringemen Indusrial production agriculural produciono SCNA ediorial AuSus In addition evidence saemens directives limited available informaTAon ciies Communis control indicates ciies skilled personnel reaed efors obtain cooperation merchants industrialists industrial production encouraged Tere aremany indicationsnaheleaders ofheChineseCousParyare headepraAsswoealizehaRoewasno ilinaday canno TheKTRCandDemocraticLeagueiinto thisgeneralpiclras political groups whichyhp bridgehepbeeheCois dhepeydddleurisie hheKTSCdhe drawhrmembs fmheeconoc classeshveodnc industrialdcoalldsdnclam lucreheywilllargedbecomerellcalparses drepresinheines ofheind srialdcoercial classes tughi isublifymercsdindusrialis embcesminheforeseereevunder aCois iispble stofthiIy geongunder Therewerdy yincaons forple Snacrsdradersfeel yreewodbe beerfmhrinofee hepresone IfheLe dEcpde ihhecloofliicrespecbiliy dperpswihapolicuhpieceaswl oinorsuprneseorizaons theECdLe peror sCeifeyeheriscedobnec oopaon ofireconocupsdhrleaders I possible TRO League similar brldingeap betweenheCussdwooeriar Cna Te inellecuals proessors scalars sldens professional numboinlecmsc peced CosPy eerrirydericonl daccepis credowihsim assoealrdyedone isilucesveredsny hegerasphere inwch heCneinlecals parcularly secoecwihecaon lieddorkednghe wyyears consvave inellecals believe Id socialis desirable Cna Nonehess mywillnobewilling hewlewaywihhenis The civil rights issueybe impor differcehhe nisSs TDcracLeaeiiveaspeciappeal dyherhin group large governmen officials civil servants almos KuominTug members involved level polizics Cmmuniss promised crmes Zrials after overnmenZ limited deiniZion criminalssoaso excludeelargemassofheKuominTng smembership IZ berememberedhaZ veparicipaVion inovernmen administration China limiZed PoliTical reasons noZeonlyexplanation nereareonlyafewwo haveterequired skills UnTil consolidated Ma position Communiss aford exclude governen largesZ single group administrative experience namely Zhe membership Kuoming There indications ZhaZ Communiss aSZemp absorb Zhem regime Zey eeTblis For however direc Kuomn_ Communis Im would violen ransiion Tae KMTRC special appeal The KITRC claims Kuominang Kuominlmg members selves under Communis suddenly decide KMTRC claims valid This applies unimporn members known officials leaders called Righ1 Wing The Communis epihel reserved Four Families Ciang K T V Soong HoH Kung Chen Li During months unofficial represen alves Kuominang officials surrep iiously visited Pbngkong secre conversations Marshal Li ohers Marshal Li public slmmd regardinghesepeopleapresen ishaey symbolic break Canral Gvernmen before falls KMTRC Mu follow dictum rigidly I possible herefore Democratic League KMTRC position impora middle polivical siuaon months I diffic wever pxdicwhetherornoheywillbeabl6 harole They puppets under Communiss Threi cally howewer develop political paries influence overnmen decisions policy This depend number racers For depend ability develop srong solid organization which present I depend furore membership caracer independence leaders Todae really leaders emerged groups embers potential raher acualo I depend Comuniss compelled ID compromise Iis likely Comanis Pary serious political competitors block program accept opposition erriory which control durin ewears One shouldnoorehe Chinese skill experiegce underround oraniza exerin pressure passive resislmnce cooperation boycott Key groups industrial commercial leaders intellectuals civil servants posses leverage proportion ID nuzerical srenh which exerted overnmen There signs present however KTC League beableo competewihheunisngheraldur A eyyilucehevem nocopeeforundapowerdconsul under So I speculated which Hongkong groups under Communis regime which Kuominang excludedasaparyo Alhougaiseemsunlikelyahismoment early whole China between Comzaus Pary uointang ofChianK shekandotherRihin eleens esabiishmen Communis KuominSan coalition under Communis leadership conrolo This appeals presen situation demoralized uoinan andomheCommnispoino viewimigh havehe advantageof bringing China Zhe YangZze under control immediately If place purged KuominVang coapromiseo allowed under regime which Zhe Commniss establish Honkong groups I outlined never materialize Sou hChina bigquestion uaywicpuzzles almos everyone A dozem alernaVives speculation immediate poli1ical future Communis military power in1heNorth andmosobserversbelievenaevensXersomeor political reacld Nr If Cral situation continuesouhoheYgze secondary capiis Sou Cn Kwlin doher placesarrssibilies alugh CgK 1erSareicilyeie decreasehe conusion becauseepple yincre suppor believe heCal continuesnNresiscefroneses I generally believed Communiss continue military directly Souh China withou breahing spell This belief based recognilion Communis forces particularly category political organizers unlimited I assumed Comanis spread military political forces thinly immediate fuure observers belleve therefore oward regiom alism localism already visible continue South produce mosaic autonomous regimes below Xangtze during interim period while consolidation takes place These observers expect feverishbargalning negotiation promise during eriod before South again amalgama neo1If histakesplace arshalLiChi headofhe KTRC central political jockeying promising expected arshal Li timer Chinese politics H years Kwangsi became prominent member Kuominlmng ruggling power He Kuominang Central Committee Northern Expedition in1925 hewasCommanderofh4hArmyandChiefofS1 Chlang K Since alerna government Despie leadership Fukien revol continued poslm governmen until recently alough prestige raher power Posilions which during career include CouncillorofheCearalGovernment memberofeSlmndingComm ittee Supreme iliary Council Chairman Kangung Poli1ical Council Chief Army Training Today wispy beard sligh lives padlocked house Hongkongo Hongkong cener inrigue Taking advantage Brilish official calls radZion sanctuary colony poliicans behind doors peepholes discuss bargains plans deals The important cener hisnriueisarsalLismansion I issaid probablycorrectly every imporu leader Souh China imporn olilical fiuresin Norwes Cina numerous Central Governmen officials secret contacts hrougt direc indirec represenaiwes arshal Li recen monhso It impossible deals already ndoubedly possiblehaodaemanyofhese contactsave merelyfeelers arshai Li position political bargalnin factors person innumerablefriendships andconcs formed hrough heyears lwporan posilion middle close conlac Commnisl This funclon middle sometimes dlfficulfor foreignerso understand fundamental pIAical econoaic dealings China I connected Chinese concep middle reduces enecessy dlrec coaaiaens whAch undesirable because wihdrawaAwi oulOSSofaceshendiXXcul MarshalLiisno forceful leader althoughos people lives radiional Cinese virtue righteousness holds sraegic poliical position He powers Comsnnis Pary entrance whatever relme Esablishing contacts Marshal investing political futures which I insurance casee compAAcaed eecre negoiaAons centering abousL esomene8inre praion swing SouhCnainheorbi ofisconsul bypoliica8 byd8wihiaporlocalldersineSouh assoona8 thesseUpheirvnm 8i8whersl hifsaid aeonssubject wever reisnossibiliy solving uhCnapbl bylicsoneSo iryprrefmouidedinside ruire In Souhheeiry leaders willing coalion sulinheuh awewilldependonliry pressurefa theouideo When spoke ailiTry pressure inside Marshal Li referring hing8 Connaunis uerilla forceS local raillery leaders could POliicaliye The cener Coseanis uerilla acivi Souh China Kwangtung Province areas bordering The Coznis spokes Honkong Ch Mu claims organized Cosnaunis uerillas region Lin P estimates place figure large numberof unorKanised Csunisbandis Althoughihasnobeen proved widely believed Cosmaniss Souh China command headquarters located Honkong Sewers ranking including General Fang Fang P Hen Lao Cheng Kang Honkong Grea secrecy rrounds bother emselYes ehpublciy propaandao As sruEle China suhward activities uerllla forces Souh undoubtedly intensified uerillas region presen srong enough decisive force Many local Souh iaers proxieso None liary power heoaea buheyprobablyarein apositionomainnheir controluntilrealpressureis appliedfromheoutside andheyih eaporarily power Central Governaen power disinegraes If Li Tsung Psi Cng sunping ground Kgangsi protege Gowernor Huang build power particularly bring Central China Li silen Vce resdeu under Chian6 outspoken Central overnmen Commander Central China In revol agains Cian Kwansi The happen Yunnan Lun Yun warlord peerless anklng returned overfzohisprotegeoernor InKwang ToY Soong overnor closely Chiang probably blurkin6 background forces personalities which could eer6e local regieo They include local 6enerals supporters arshal Li inactivebwell known enerals Chang Fa ohers numerous involved aenion These zerely possibi If localisN develops Souh leaders undoubtedly aanoever ewenaliy werfl China unless believe power enough onheirownindefini whichdoesn seemlikely Ilooksas ifhemospowerllpar vwillbe heCoisPary Thelogical fronmanhrou6hwhichbohhe Communis S andSouhChina local leaders arshal Ii middle arshal Li close conacZs important SOuSh Chi leaders anddurinepasfewmonthshehasmewihrepresentatives His concs Kmansi Kwanu which Souh political particularlyood Hewasoncedefinitely associatedwihheso called Kwansi clique Oneehe outside pressure Marshal speaks applied Commaanis moves pressure directed oward South prepared copromise Conis local leaders arshal Li himself ultimately hechanes inSouhChinams lndamen haold warlord armies local control Oo Undoubtedly ozmaniss agree poliical miliary means ployed bring fundamenl changes I sureha sounds exreaaely comsingo The siaion iself confusing The lUCre Chinese goups Hongkong hananyng ispossiblehahey ineres politic I suggesedo Sincere yours Ao Doak Barne Received New York I