In any further communication on this subject, please quote
No. F 6535/5423/10
and address-
not to any person by name,
but to-
"The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
Sir,
RECE!
110SEP 1932
OOL OFFICE
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W. 1.
194
9th September, 1932.
อ
94
With reference to Foreign Office letter No. F 6422/ 5423/10 of the 2nd instant regarding the desire of the
Chinese Goverment to establish a vice-consulate in
Hongkong, I am directed by Secretary Sir John Simon to
state that the First Secretary of the Chinese Legation
called at this office on the 3rd instant and asked whether
a reply could now be given to his Government's application.
2. Mr. Tan was informed that it was not apparent that
the establishment of a vice-consulate would meet any real
need beyond providing machinery for the issue of consular
invoices under the system which the Chinese Government now
wished to introduce. It seemed to His Majesty's Government
that the Chinese Commissioner of Customs in Hongkong would be perfectly capable of performing this duty, more so
indeed than a consular officer. Mr. Tan, who is a
Cantonese, argued that a consul could do much to foster
good relations between China and Hongkong; it was observed
in reply that since the Canton authorities and the Central
Government did not always see eye to eye the presence of
a consul might possibly on occasion lead to embarrassment,
and the previous statement of the attitude of His Majesty's
Government was repeated. Mr. Tan urged that this attitude
should be reconsidered but finally said that it would be
reported to the Chinese Government.
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant
2
Gw.Onde
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