CO129-543-16 China- protection for Anglo-Chinese 13-2-1933 - 13-3-1934 — Page 80

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Strank

(erson

92089/32.

China of British subjects of Chinese race was one of the

subjects raised by Sir Cecil Clementi and Sir John Scott.

I was shown a copy of Singapore despatch, Secret

No.365/32, of September 26th, 1932, to the Colonial Office,

in which Sir Cecil Clementi expressed the hope that the

earliest possible opportunity might be taken to effect an

arrangement with the Chinese Government along the lines

that His Majesty's Government should recognise the

Chinese nationality in China of persons of dual Anglo-

Chinese nationality on the understanding that no obstacles

would be placed in the way of such persons abandoning

Chinese nationality by the formal process of denationalisation

and subject to a special exemption in the case of transit

visitors..

And I was requested to take the matter up

with the Chinese Government and press for asettlement on

the above lines. Sir John Scott and Mr.Goodman

(Secretary for Chinese affairs) explained that they

required nothing more than a settlement on the bare

conditions outlined above and urged very strongly that

such an understanding should be reached with the least

possible delay. I had no papers with me and was in

any case unable during the short time at my disposal in

Singapore to go properly into the question; but I

undertook, provided I had not received and did not in the

• meantime receive any instructions to the contrary, to take

the matter up with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and

to seek a settlement on the above lines on my arrival

in Nanking.

During my journey North I was afforded the

opportunity

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