[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL
[24604]
No. 1.
[July 18.]
SECTION 1
Extract from the "Times" of July 18, 1906.
Debate in the House of Commons, July 17, 1906.
Mr. Baker (Finsbury, E.) asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in any communications which may pass between His Majesty's Government and the Chinese Government on the Indo-Chinese opium trade, after the adoption of the Resolution of the House of Commons on the 30th May last, His Majesty's Government will endeavour to give effect to the declaration of policy made by Lord Salisbury in the House of Lords in June 1898 that Great Britain should invite China into paths of reform.
Mr. Morley.--As I stated in this House on the 30th May, His Majesty's Government propose to ascertain in the first place exactly what the proposals and inclinations of the Chinese Government are, and, secondly, to see whether they can in some way meet those views. Invitation is unnecessary if the Chinese Government have already taken the matter; otherwise Lord Salisbury's remark that it is difficult to reform those who do not wish to be reformed would apply.
Mr. Lynch (York, W.R., Ripon) asked whether the right honourable gentleman would inquire of His Majesty's Minister at Peking whether there was any likelihood of the Chinese Government being able effectively to prohibit the growing of low-grade, and therefore more deleterious, opium in China itself; and, if not, whether the stoppage of the imports of high-grade opium into China might not have a result the reverse of that which they all desired on humanitarian grounds.
Mr. Morley said before answering that rather complicated question he must consult with his advisers and see what could be done.
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