英国对日本经济渗透澳门地区的因应——以1935年日本人申购澳门地区自来水厂为例

Britain’s Response to Japan’s Economic Penetration into Macao——Take the Japanese Application to Purchase Macao Waterworks in 1935 as an Example

因澳门地区战略地位极其重要,20世纪30年代,日本人抓住各种机会向澳门地区进行经济渗透,此举引起英国的警惕。1935年初,澳门地区当局出售财务状况不佳的自来水厂,迅速引起日本人的兴趣。澳门总督意识到日本人进入澳门地区的危险,但无力应对,遂向英国求援。英国军政高层说服葡萄牙政府,使其叫停自来水厂交易。为解决自来水厂面临的困境,并断绝日本人借机干涉的可能,英国政府与香港地区当局劝诱汇丰银行提供贷款,最终使澳门地区当局顶住日本人的持续施压,向英国公司授予特许合同,日本人的申购计划彻底破产。20世纪30年代,面对日本的扩张,英国虽总体上采取绥靖政策,但也有积极抗衡的一面,表现在经济与外交等非军事层面。

Due to the extremely important strategic position of Macao,in the 1930s,the Japanese seized various opportunities to penetrate into Macao economically,which aroused the Britain’s vigilance.In early 1935,the Macao authorities put up the financially-distressed waterworks for sale,which quickly attracted the interest of the Japanese.The Governor of Macao realized the danger of the Japanese entering Macao,but was unable to deal with it,so he turned to Britain for help.The British military and political leaders persuaded the Portuguese government to stop the transaction.To solve the dilemma faced by the waterworks and cut off the possibility of the Japanese interference,the British government and the Hong Kong authorities persuaded HSBC to provide loans,and finally the Macao authorities resisted the continuous pressure from the Japanese and granted a concession contract to British companies.Japanese purchase plan was completely failed.In the 1930s,in the face of Japan’s expansion,although British Government generally adopted a policy of appeasement,it also had active countermeasures in non-military aspects such as economy and diplomacy.