CO129-557-9 British protection of companies in China 26-3-1936 - 27-2-1937 — Page 50

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fees by the Hong Kong Government in respect

of the companies affected, and I should

have imagined that it would also affect (in general most adversely by foreventing Hong Kong trade by putting difficulties

in the way of such companies operating

at all.

The strongest objections,

however, come from Malaya (see (15) on t

file).

53680/36 H.K

There are a number of important

China companies incorporated in the

Straits Settlements which carry on business

in China and whose headquarters are in the

Colony. Of the greater number, and

certainly of the most important of these

companies, both the Directors and members

are mainly Straits-born Chinese who are

recognised there as British subjects,

though they may also be claimed as

Chinese subjects by the Chinese Government.

The present proposals would exclude such

companies from operation in China by the

application of the dual nationality rule,

since in fact few Straits-born Chinese

have as yet been successful in obtaining

denationalisation certificates from the

not unnatural Further the various

Chinese Government.

branches in China of locally incorporated

Chinese-owned companies are managed in

most cases by persons who are full Chinese

subjects and are not even Straits born.

This is the case also with such European

controlled companies as the Great Eastern

Life

the cercumstances,

مد سما

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