36
Q
Whations
Кто жест
3. In this connexion, I am to draw attention to
Nanking telegrams to the Foreign Office Nos. 417, 421, 539
and 557, copies of which are enclosed herein. From the two
latter, and from other information which has reached Mr.
Eden, it would appear that the Germans are taking advantage
of the opportunity presented to them by China's present
difficulties in order to pave the way for future trade
advantages. Indifference on the part of British authorities
in China's hour of need may have far-reaching results: and
it may well be that after the hostilities are over, assuming
China to have escaped entire defeat and disruption, the
Germans may well be in a fair way to obtain many of those
posts in China which are regarded as essential for the
promotion and safeguarding of British interests unless efforts
are made to retain Chinese good-will by every available
legitimate means.
4. Having regard to the foregoing considerations, as
well as to the fact that from the wider political point of
view, as Mr. Ormsby-Gore is aware, it is the desire of His
Majesty's Government that every assistance should be given
to China, within the bounds of propriety, to enable her to
keep up her resistance to aggression, I am to express the
hope that Mr. Ormsby-Gore may be moved to issue instructions
to the authorities in Hong Kong to adopt in future as
accommodating an attitude as is possible towards legitimate
suggestions from Chinese authorities. He would deprecate
the use of such language as that of "firmly repudiating any
"idea of possible alliance against a common foe", but would
urge that whenever proposals have to be rejected this may be
done in friendly and moderate terms.
5./
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.