In any further communication on this subject, please quote
No.
F 80/80/10
and address-
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
| DUPL
9 JAN 1940
C. O. REGY
FOREIGN OFFICE.
GO
ENI
S.W.1.
8th January, 1940.
Sir,
55/-/39
13/-/38
to am (2) вору
I am directed by Viscount Halifax to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter No. 53846/39 of the 2nd January on the
subject of the assembly of four commercial transport planes
in Hong Kong for delivery to the Chinese Government.
2. It will be remembered that a rather similar request
was made by the Chinese Government some time ago (please see
Governor of Hong Kong's telegram No. 30 to Colonial Office of the
1st February, 1938) and that in this case permission was refused
for the assembly in Hong Kong of three passenger planes destined
for the Chinese Government, on the grounds that it was virtually
impossible to ensure that they would not be used for military
purposes.
The Japanese have attempted to create an atmosphere
of good-will by withdrawing Japanese garrisons from the Hong
Kong border and by announcing their decision to re-open the
Pearl River and it is considered important that no action
should be taken in Hong Kong, which might prejudice further
attempts to improve the situation there.
4.
Subject, therefore, to the views of the Air Ministry
as to the possibility of using the planes mentioned above for military purposes, Lord Halifax considers it desirable to intimate to the Inter-Continent Corporation, in such a manner as to give as little offence as possible, that their request
cannot be granted.
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
R. Vkowe
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