X
13
Mr. Joel for 34/12
Seel
You and Mr. Rees-Williams may be interested to see the note, below No.40 on this file, of the meeting which the Foreign Office had with the Parliamentary Delegation which recently went to China. The smuggling agreement, referred to in the paragraph headed "Hong Kong", is on the point of being concluded. The delay has been due firstly to an attempt, which it was decided should be made to get a quid pro quo from the Chinese to assist Hong Kong's entrepot trade; and later to a revision of the form of the agreement.
7
The brief which was given to the Parliamentary Delegation before it sent off toChina is below No.8 on this file. The confidential note on the status of Hong Kong, at the end of the brief, was added at our suggestion.
Seen, 4052/1/48
Lymanle
31.12.47.