CO129-571-15 Sino-Japanese War- manufacture and import of aircraft to China 18-1-1938 - 5-1-1939 — Page 148

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i

since all could be used for military purposes to

some extent.

Mr. Fitzmaurice asked whether the factory,

if it were set up, could supply markets other than

China or Japan, and Mr. Bigg replied that there

might possibly be some market in either the

Hetherlande Best Indies or Australia, but that he

thought it unlikely that there would be any

considerable sale to either.

Mr. Cowell eaked whether we could as sune

that as long as the present hostilities continued

no permission would be granted for the export of

airoraft from Hong Kong to either of the

belligerents.

Mr. Henderson replied that the

reasons which led to the present decision being taken

still existed.

Mr. Bigg asked whether the projected

factory could export parts of aircraft unassembled.

Group Captein Coryton replied that there would be

no point in this. The factory would import parts

and assemble them in ilgng Kont, as to set up a plant capable of manufacturing aeroplane parte would take

two years at last.

Mr. Pitsmaurice suggested that the reply

to the promotors of the scheme was that there was no

objection to the factory being set up, but that it could not be permitted to export completed aircraft

to China or Japan as long as hostilities lasted.

[•

Group Captain Coryton stated that from

the