CO129-558-11 Mission of Sir F. Leith-Ross to China- proposals for a Hong Kong - China customs... 29-9-1936 - 30-12-1936 — Page 104

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

104

Sino-British Trade

Committee in Nanking and Sino-British

Trade Councils at important centres.

Settlement of Railway Loan

Defaults.

complaints in the many other countries that he had visited.

He desired that the whole subject should be further

investigated, and it was agreed that there should be a

further discussion at which Sir Alexander Cadogen might

be present.

SIR FREDERICK LEITH-ROSS explained that at Shanghai

and Hankow unofficial Sino-British Trade Councils had been

set up by the local British and Chinese Chambers of Commerce,

so as to give an opportunity for a friendly discussion of

questions of mutual interest between the leading trading

representatives on either side. This development was

greatly to be welcomed.

When it came to action on behalf of trade a good deal more

could often be done in China by private discussion with

the parties concerned than by official representations.

Some other centres had shown no enthusiasm for a similar

plan, and he thought it was no use forcing one on them for

the time being. He had further suggested that an official

Sino-British Trade Committee should be set up at Nanking,

and that this Committee should discuss complaints and

problems referred to it by the Trade Councils. He had

reported that General Chiang Kai-Shek, the Minister of

Finance, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, had

approved this suggestion in principle, subject to

examination of details, and had asked for the submission

of a definite proposal. It has been arranged that the

Commercial Counsellor at Shanghai should submit a

proposal. No further action need be taken until they

knew the result of the proposal to be made by the

Commercial Counsellor.

SIR FREDERICK LEITH-ROSS said that he had dealt in

his report with the question of Railway Loan defaults.

G

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