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[CY: HER]
SPECIAL (FOOD
FROM CHUNGKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Sir H. Seymour No. 405
15th March, 1946
Repeated to Bangkok,
Singapore, Washin ton,
Hong Kong.
SOUTH EAST ASIA)
D. 12.50 p.m. 15th March, 1946
R. 1.47 p.m. 15th March, 1948
IMMEDIA LE
******
My telegram No. 400.
A
You should know two press items which are likely to cause reaction here.
2.
United Press telegram from Washin_ton dated March 13th states that Chinese officials are agitated at the prospect of Food Board cutting China's request for 360,000 tons of rice by the end of June and blaming the British for pressing the Board for "disproportionately large allocations to small areas like Hong_Kong" and for mishandling food situation in South East Asia. Tele rain adds that while 47,800 tons we allocated to China up to the end of March, 47,000 tons were allocated to Hong Kong or the same period.
3. Central News telegram from New York dated March 13th quotes New York Herald Tribune's comments on Siamese explanation that Siam cannot, export rice to China because the Anglo-Siamese treaty (of which we have had no copy) forbids such exports outside the British Empire. Article describes treaty as "unfair" but says it would have been even worse except for American protests etc.
4. While Chinese Government must now know the facts they will certainly not issue any explanations. It seems that an authoritative statement by Combined Food Board is required.
Singapore please pass to Bangkok as my telegram No. 3 and Hong Kong as my telegram No. 119.
(0.T.F)
2
cms
Ref.:
CO 537/1402
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