CO129-538-1 Hong Kong University 31-12-1931 - 6-8-1932 — Page 172

No. 530.

4

278

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG, 22nd December, 1931.

Sir,

82747/31

Po

(38)

I have the honour to refer to the second

paragraph of Lord Passfield's despatch No. 166 of the 13th

June, 1931, on the subject of those sections of the report

of the British Economic Mission to the Far East which deal

with the importance of closer cultural contacts and of attracting greater numbers of Chinese to British universities

and workshops.

2. I am in entire agreement with the views of the

Mission, more particularly in regard to the influence of the

United States in China, and am of opinion that strong efforts

should be made on the lines indicated to strengthen our

relations with China and to foster our trade with it.

3. It is by no means an easy task for, apart from the geographical advantages possessed by the United States

owing to its proximity to China, we have allowed the former

country to get a long start of us. I venture to think more-

over that we lost a golden opportunity in not insisting on

adequate guarantees that a sufficient income from the Boxer

Indemnity should be definitely set apart for scholarships

for students from China to enable the latter to study at

Hong Kong and English Universities and to acquire training at British workshops.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

SIR P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER, G.B.E., M.C., M.P.,

&c.,

&c.

c.,

4.