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bound to grant unqualified permission for a British com-
merical air service to ly between Chinese ports.
5.
上
So far as this Legation are aware, the only re-
gulations governing the flight of foreign aircraft over
China, are those contained in the "provisional scheme" a
copy of which is enclosed herewith. You will observe that
Article 7 of these regulations deiinitely prohibits the
carriage of postal matter and merchandise.
6.
As stated these regulations are provisional and
probably intended only to cope with experimental flights
such as have been carried out in recent yeers and there is
nothing to prevent the Chinese Government from passing
new regulations to allow of the establishment of foreign
or sino-foreign commercial air services should they be
interested in the enterprise. On the other hand the
present attitude of China towards the exploitation by
foreign companies of her avenues of communication is
adverse and for this Legation to approach the Government
officially with an enquiry as to the conditions in which
they are prepared to allow the establishment of a Brit-
ish commercial air service to navigate between Chinese porte would, in His Majesty's Minister's opinion be to
court the reply that they have no desire to encourage
any form of foreign enterprise in this sphere.
7.
In the circumstances I am to suggest that your
best course would be to approach the competent Chinese
Authorities direct with a view to interesting them in your
proposals, and ascertaining what their attitude is in
regard to such questions as you raise in points 1, 2 and 4 of your letter under reply. Should you decide to do
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