CO129-344 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 673

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

CHINA TRADE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[26472]

No. 1.

670

[July 30.]

SECTION 1,

-6.0.

29969

NEO?

AREC 21 AUG 07

Question asked in the House of Commons, July 30, 1907.

Sir Henry Cotton,-To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Chinese Government bave formally given their consent to the proposals presented by the American Minister inviting China to co-operate with the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Holland, and Japan in an inquiry into the whole question of the opium trade and production; and whether there is any objection to laying papers on the subject.

Answer.

I have not yet heard that the formal consent of the Chinese Government has been given. With regard to the second part of the honourable Member's question, the arrangements are not yet in a sufficiently advanced state to justify the laying of papers.

[2664 gg-1]