Minutes of the Thirty Second Meeting of the Committee (Deputy Directors) Held in Conference Room "G", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Wednesday, 22nd March, 1950, at 11.00 a.m.

THE CHINESE COMMUNIST THREAT IN THE FAR EAST AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA SECRET (Previous References: J.I.C.(49) 53rd Meeting, Minute 7, and J.I.C.(50) 29th Meeting, Minute 1). THE COMMITTEE reviewed their report+ prepared the previous week on the Chinese Communist threat in the Far East and South- East Asia in order to determine whether any recent developments should be brought to the notice of the Chiefs of Staff before the next periodical report on this subject was issued. In discussion, note was taken of three telegrams≠ from the British Defence Co-ordination Committee, Far East, the Joint Intelligence Committee, Far East, and the Governor of Hong Kong respectively. CAPTAIN LIDDELL said that for an appreciable period the reports from Hong Kong showed an excess of arrivals over departures for the Colony. There must come a time when the administration of the Colony could not cope with the additional numbers, when a serious problem would be raised. It might therefore be of value if reference were made to this problem in the next report to the Chiefs of Staff. MR. BRAIN said that a telegramØ had been received from Peking reporting the movement m the south of train loads of personnel and equipment alleged to be Russian. He undertook to circulate the telegram to the members of the Committee for consideration in the preparation of the next report to the Chiefs of Staff. The Committee recalled that when reviewing the situation in Asia at their meeting≠ on 8th March, 1950, they had agreed to give further consideration to the suggestion that the fortnightly reports on the Chinese Communist threat in the Far East and South-East Asia should be prepared at less frequent intervals. That report together with the one on Tibet had now been finalised (see minutes 1 and 2 above). It was generally agreed that the weekly telegrams from the Joint Intelligence Committee, Far East, should continue and that the Chinese Communist threat in the Far East and South-East Asia should be reviewed weekly in Committee. It should, however, be suggested to the Chiefs of Staff that reports on this subject should not be submitted at more frequent intervals than, say, quarterly, unless the circumstances were such as to necessitate a special report. THE COMMITTEE:- (1) Agreed that there were no developments to which the attention of the Chiefs of Staff should be drawn before the next fortnightly report was issued. (2) Invited the Colonial Office to circulate a statement on the implications of the increases in population in Hong Kong, in time for consideration during the preparation of their next report to the Chiefs of Staff. (3) Invited the Directors of Intelligence, in briefing their respective Chiefs of Staff, to suggest that whereas the Chinese Communist threat in the Far East and South-East Asia should continue to be reviewed weekly by the Committee, reports on that subject should be submitted at longer intervals, say quarterly, unless circumstances necessitated a special report. + J.I.C.(50) 1/6 (Final). ≠ J.I.C.(50) 26th Meeting, ≠ SEACOS 34, SEC 394, No. 301. Minute 3. Ø No. 117. -2-