A Study On British Trade Control Policy Towards Hong Kong After World War ?(1945-1954)

After World War ?,Britain quickly fulfilled its strategic goal of re-occupying Hong Kong.In order to ensure the economic and social reconstruction of Hong Kong,Britain continued to maintain Hong Kong's the "Comprehensive Opening" trade control policy,in order to safeguard its freedom of transit trade.Subsequently,the Chinese Civil War did not change Britain's attitude towards Hong Kong,Britain only met the requirements of the United States with its policy of "Limited embargo" on Hong Kong.After the foundation of the People's Republic of China,with the pressure of economic sanctions from the United States against China,Britain adopted the means of "delaying" to avoid talking about the issue of enlarging the embargo list of Hong Kong.After the outbreak of the Korean War,although Britain intentionally eased the U.S.trade policy towards Hong Kong,its diplomatic action ended in failure.Under this circumstance,Britain began to expand the embargo list of Hong Kong because of Anglo-American special relationship.After the Chinese Volunteer Army entered the Korean War,China met the West force.However,Britain still insisted on "Selective trade" policy for embargoed materials in Hong Kong.After the failure of the UN Committee on Additional Measures to mediate the Korean War,the Britain faced bigger pressure on Hong Kong embargo.After the multilateral embargo system against China was formed,under this pressure,Britain was forced to adopt a "two-sided embargo" policy against Hong Kong.The embargo has brought a huge blow to the stability of Hong Kong and the British society.After the Korean War,the voice from the business community and the decision Britain aimed Hong Kong as "window" had make Britain actively engage in diplomatic consultation with the United States in order to loosen the embargo on Hong Kong.After the consensus reached between Britain and the United States regarding Hong Kong as the "bridgehead" of the Far East for Western to restrict China,Britain began to unilaterally relax Hong Kong's trade control.With the efforts of Britain,the trend eventually came into being after Korea War.Britain's embargo policy towards Hong Kong is not only related to political factors,but also deeply influenced by the Cold War factors,and is inseparable from its realistic diplomatic tradition.Compared with the United States,Britain's "moderate" action against Hong Kong and its "exemplary" role in "COCOM" can greatly ease the American "radical" embargo policy for Hong Kong.The relaxation of Hong Kong's trade policy not only improved of Sino-British relations,but also improve the tense international environment due to Cold War.