CO129-543-16 China- protection for Anglo-Chinese 13-2-1933 - 13-3-1934 — Page 8

7

case any any case further attempt seems foredoomed to failure

wers

registered, except in cases of the birth or

death of a British subject. The Foreign

Office stated that they would be prepared, however, to give sympathetic consideration to any further suggestions which the Colonial authorities concerned might wish to make on

the subject of transient visitors. To this invitation Malaya has replied that it concurs in the proposal to abandon all attempt to contest the standpoint of the Chinese Govern- ment in regard to transient visitors, and that if no diplomatic protection is to be afforded them, the Consular good offices and advice

will not be of sufficient value to justify

making any special arrangements. Hong Kong states simply that it would have liked some arrangement to have been made for the protection of transient visitors, but does not wish to press the point. I think we may take it, therefore, that no further attempt need be made to secure any concession for or to make any special arrangements on behalf of transient

visitors.

It is, however, essential if the new policy is to be adopted that no obstacles should be placed in the way of those Anglo-Chinese of dual nationality who wish to divest themselves of their Chinese nationality and so become entitled to British Consular protection when in China. In February 1933 the Chinese Vice- Minister for Foreign Affairs assured Sir Miles Lampson that "if all was in order and the

requirements

Page

Page

age 9

8

་

There is no

Chinese consulate

in Hong Kong. Конд

requirements of the law were met, the obtaining

of a certificate was merely a routine matter" (paragraph 6 of enclosure to (1)). The Foreign Office regard this as a "satisfactory assurance" (paragraph 4 of (1)). Sir C. Clementi takes note of this assurance but expresses some scepticism

as to whether it will be carried out in practice, and urges that His Majesty's Government should press the Chinese Government for a simplification of the

procedure that has to be followed by applicants

for certificates of denationalization, and a

reduction of the time required. He urges such

certificates should be issued at Chinese Consulates

x

That

Λ

in Malaya to any person in possession of a British passport, and that the time that should elapse between the date of application and the date of

issue should be reduced to a minimum. Sir William

Peel also asks that the Chinese Government should be

pressed for assurances that such certificates will

not be refused without good cause, and that the

facilities for obtaining them will be such that no unreasonable delay will intervene between application

and issue.

It certainly seems desirable that something

more definite than the verbal assurance of the

Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs should be obtained,

and I think we might endorse this suggestion in

writing to Foreign uffice. It seems advisable to ask for this definite assurance before formal steps

are taken in abandonment of the claim to protect undenationalized Anglo-Chinese in China. We should

also support Foreign Office suggestion that an authoritative ruling should be obtained from the

Chinese

age 9

Page

Page

q

Chinese Government as regards the position

of the children of denationalized Chinese.

J

am

sonny

That awing

pressure

Jother

work

I have considerably delayed this ple

I accordingly

send

it-

forward with a

dropt

for consor.

11/8 Astan

5·3·34

I see nootation to the course proposed

huvif the

Chinese

are

unwilling

to essive

certificates of denationalisation

we cannot

Compel them to do so.

For this reason

therefore

I dons whether the blunère will give

the

Assurance desvied by bir 6blementi, and we

may

be compelled to proued without it.

водоведе

6/3/34

I do not think that we can go further than

is proposed in the draft submitted. In fact

I think that the decision will actually re-

lieve us from some embarrassment. aturally

enough the Chinese overnment are not anxious

to admit the pretensions of persons of Chin-

ese race who try to get the best out of botn

sides of their dual nationality. If such

persons wish to maintain in China their

position as ritish subjects they may properly

be required to go through the formality of

riduing themselves of their Chinese nation-

ge 10

ge 10Page 11