CO129-523-4 China- protection of Anglo-Chinese 13-11-1929 - 10-1-1931 — Page 126

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entitled ( if they are legally British subjects) to

the general good offices and advice of His Majesty's

Consuls, they will, unless denationalized under the

Jhinese Law, he recognized by us as possessing also

Chinese nationality and therefore according to

international practice be entitled to no protection

or support of any kind against the Chinese Authorities

in China. I feel indeed that if this happens and we

frankly recognize the dual nationality of all these

people and require all of them to secure denationalis-

ation certificates (and thus surrender the rights and

Friviinges which only Chinese citizens can enjoy), we

shall find that there will be comparatively few

applicants for British consular registration and

protection and that these few will be represented by

rona fide Inglish subjects content to accept both the

advantages and disadvantages of British nationality in

China."

The Minister does not seem to think there is

much hope of getting the Chinesc Govern cnt to introduce

at this late date any material modification of their

law or even to consider its modification, and after

enquiring of the principal Consuls concerned whether

they had any difficulty in the present law he finds

that there was practically nonc, and he seems inclined

to

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