[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
CHINA RAILWAYS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
IREC
[September 15.]
SECTION 2.
[34918]
No. 1.
Question asked in the House of Commons, September 15, 1909.
Mr. Ginnel,-To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he is aware that concessions for the making of railways in China have been obtained by financial pressure, bribery, and other improper methods, and British diplomatic pressure afterwards successfully invoked to enforce the terms of such concessions; and whether, in order to revive Chinese confidence in British enterprise, he proposes in future to make an independent investigation and favourable report a condition precedent to assisting in the enforcement of the terms of any project for a railway in China.
Answered by Mr. McKinnon Wood (for Sir Edward Grey),
No, Sir; I am not aware that British concessions for railways in China have ever been obtained by the methods indicated by the honourable Member. Nor has diplomatic pressure been applied in respect of such concessions, except in cases where the Chinese authorities have manifestly failed to comply with the terms to which they had voluntarily agreed.
[2413 p-2]