7
case any any case further attempt seems foredoomed to failure
wers
registered, except in cases of the birth or
death of a British subject. The Foreign
Office stated that they would be prepared, however, to give sympathetic consideration to any further suggestions which the Colonial authorities concerned might wish to make on
the subject of transient visitors. To this invitation Malaya has replied that it concurs in the proposal to abandon all attempt to contest the standpoint of the Chinese Govern- ment in regard to transient visitors, and that if no diplomatic protection is to be afforded them, the Consular good offices and advice
will not be of sufficient value to justify
making any special arrangements. Hong Kong states simply that it would have liked some arrangement to have been made for the protection of transient visitors, but does not wish to press the point. I think we may take it, therefore, that no further attempt need be made to secure any concession for or to make any special arrangements on behalf of transient
visitors.
It is, however, essential if the new policy is to be adopted that no obstacles should be placed in the way of those Anglo-Chinese of dual nationality who wish to divest themselves of their Chinese nationality and so become entitled to British Consular protection when in China. In February 1933 the Chinese Vice- Minister for Foreign Affairs assured Sir Miles Lampson that "if all was in order and the
requirements
Page
Page
age 9
8
་
There is no
Chinese consulate
in Hong Kong. Конд
requirements of the law were met, the obtaining
of a certificate was merely a routine matter" (paragraph 6 of enclosure to (1)). The Foreign Office regard this as a "satisfactory assurance" (paragraph 4 of (1)). Sir C. Clementi takes note of this assurance but expresses some scepticism
as to whether it will be carried out in practice, and urges that His Majesty's Government should press the Chinese Government for a simplification of the
procedure that has to be followed by applicants
for certificates of denationalization, and a
reduction of the time required. He urges such
certificates should be issued at Chinese Consulates
x
That
Λ
in Malaya to any person in possession of a British passport, and that the time that should elapse between the date of application and the date of
issue should be reduced to a minimum. Sir William
Peel also asks that the Chinese Government should be
pressed for assurances that such certificates will
not be refused without good cause, and that the
facilities for obtaining them will be such that no unreasonable delay will intervene between application
and issue.
It certainly seems desirable that something
more definite than the verbal assurance of the
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs should be obtained,
and I think we might endorse this suggestion in
writing to Foreign uffice. It seems advisable to ask for this definite assurance before formal steps
are taken in abandonment of the claim to protect undenationalized Anglo-Chinese in China. We should
also support Foreign Office suggestion that an authoritative ruling should be obtained from the
Chinese
age 9
Page
Page
q
Chinese Government as regards the position
of the children of denationalized Chinese.
J
am
sonny
That awing
pressure
Jother
work
I have considerably delayed this ple
I accordingly
send
it-
forward with a
dropt
for consor.
11/8 Astan
5·3·34
I see nootation to the course proposed
huvif the
Chinese
are
unwilling
to essive
certificates of denationalisation
we cannot
Compel them to do so.
For this reason
therefore
I dons whether the blunère will give
the
Assurance desvied by bir 6blementi, and we
may
be compelled to proued without it.
водоведе
6/3/34
I do not think that we can go further than
is proposed in the draft submitted. In fact
I think that the decision will actually re-
lieve us from some embarrassment. aturally
enough the Chinese overnment are not anxious
to admit the pretensions of persons of Chin-
ese race who try to get the best out of botn
sides of their dual nationality. If such
persons wish to maintain in China their
position as ritish subjects they may properly
be required to go through the formality of
riduing themselves of their Chinese nation-
ge 10
ge 10Page 11