In any further communication
on this subject, please quote
No. F 10829/110/10
and address--
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE.
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W.1.
614
16th December, 1937.
J.
Sir,
I am directed by Mr. Secretary Eden to acknowledge the
receipt of Colonial Office letter No. 53874/37, of the 11th
December, regarding the proposal to open a branch office
of the Chinese National Economic Council in Hong Kong, and
to transmit to you herewith a copy of a telegram on this
subject which he has received from His Majesty's Ambassador
at Tokyo.
2.
While Mr. Eden considers that there is no
technical objection under International law to the
establishment of such an office, he agrees that it would be preferable that no ground should be afforded to the Japanese
Government for allegations that special facilities are being
given by the Government of Hong Kong to enable organs of the
Chinese Government to carry out functions directly or
indirectly concerned with the prosecution of hostilities.
He observes that the Governor of Hong Kong has merely been
informed of the intention to open the branch office in question, and presumes that the Governor has no power He would accordingly actually to prohibit this step. suggest that Sir Geoffrey Northcote should be instructed to point out to Mr. Soong that embarrassment might be caused to the Government of Hong Kong by the presence of such a branch
office,/
The Under-Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.