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 73

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C. O.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Sir C. Parkinson.

Sir G. Tomlinson.

Sir C. Bottomley.

Sir J. Shuckburgh.

Permt. U.S. of S.

Parly. U.S. of S.

Secretary of State.

DRAFT.

probable

s'ti' is posible

hat that is an

averstatement,

lut

such trade certami

custamis

constitutes the

I.K.'s commence.

much of H.K.

FURTHER ACTION.

the great Powers have been prepared to

go to meet the wishes of the Chinese

Government in this respect.

It has long been obvious that,

whatever the political position of

Hong Kong, the Port is economically a

part of China and more particularly of

It was stated As was pointed out by

South China.

the local Commission appointed in 1934

to inquire into the causes and effects of

trade depression in Hong Kong, the export

of goods destined for South China from

overseas or from North China or vice versa

constitutes four-fifths of its external

trade. Moreover, Hong Kong handles

about one-fourth of the total of Chinese

oversea trade. It is clear, therefore,

that for the present and for a consider-

able time to come China could not do

without the facilities afforded by

Hong Kong without a serious dislocation

not only of its foreign trade but also

of