CONFIDENTIAL
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GRAVITY, DESPITE OUR REPEATED REQUEST HE HAD NOT BEEN RELEASED NOR HAD WE YET SUCCEEDED IN GAINING CONSULAR ACCESS TO HIM,
5.
MR, RODGERS NEXT DEALT WITH CHINESE FAILURE TO GRANT EXIT VISAS TO MR. AND MRS. SELF OF THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK IN SHANGHAI AND TO MEMBERS OF YOUR MISSION. ON THE LATTER HE POINTED OUT THAT APART FROM THE FEW VISAS GRANTED ON MEDICAL GROUNDS, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE BEING HELD VIRTUALLY AS HOSTAGES. THIS WAS IN DIRECT CONTRAVENTION OF
ACCEPTED DIPLOMATIC PRACTICE, IT HAD PREVENTED THE RETURN
TO NORMAL CONDITIONS FOR OUR MISSION IN PEKING AND FOR THE
CHINESE MISSION IN LONDON AND HAD THUS INHIBITED THE DISCUSSION
OF OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS. FOR OUR PART, WE HAD NOW. REMOVED ALL RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXIT OF CHINESE OFFICIALS FROM THIS COUNTRY
AS A DEMONSTRATION OF OUR DESIRE TO RETURN TO NORMAL RELATIONS.
WE HOPED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD IMMEDIATELY PLAY
THEIR PART AND GRANT OUTSTANDING EXIT VISAS TO OUR MISSION.
6. MR. RODGERS SAID FINALLY THAT HIS MAIN PURPOSE IN SUMMONING
SHEN P'ING WAS TO PROTEST VIGOROUSLY AGAINST THE PERSISTENT
REFUSAL ON THE PART OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO GIVE INFORMATION
ABOUT OR CONSULAR ACCESS TO BRITISH SUBJECTS UNDER DETENTION.
SUCH CONDUCT BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS NEITHER CIVILISED NOR
HUMANE AND WAS IN TOTAL CONTRAVENTION OF THE ACCEPTED INTERNATIONAL
PRACTICE, THE CONDUCT OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES MUST CALL
SERIOUSLY IN QUESTION THE PROFESSED DESIRE OF THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH OUTSTANDING ISSUES ON A REASONABLE AND
SINCERE BASIS. WE FOR OUR PART REAFFIRMED OUR DESIRE TO IMPROVE
SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS. BUT THIS WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO
ACHIEVE IF THE PRESENT CHINESE POLICY WITH REGARD TO THE DETENTION
OF BRITISH SUBJECTS WAS MAINTAINED.
SHEN P'ING REPLIED THAT OF THE PERSONS SAID TO BE IN
DETENTION HE KNEW ONLY ABOUT WATT AND COULD NOT DISCUSS THE
OTHER CASES, WATT HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF ESPIONAGE: STEALING INTELLIGENCE ON MILITARY, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC MATTERS, AND
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