CO129-571-15 Sino-Japanese War- manufacture and import of aircraft to China 18-1-1938 - 5-1-1939 — Page 61

In any further communication on this subject, please quote

No.F 13198/742/10.

and address--

not to any person by name

but to-

The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

I dupl

Sir,

3 JAN 939

140

61

FOREIGN OFFICE.

S.W.1.

2nd January, 1939.

132

With reference to Colonial Office letter No. 53846/38 of

the 12th December relative to the assembly in Hong Kong of

ambulance aircraft for the Chinese Red Cross, I am directed

by Viscount Halifax to inform you that he concurs in the

view expressed therein.

2. As China and Japan are both parties to the Geneva

Red Cross Convention of 1929, ambulance aircraft belonging

to the regular medical service of either of the contending

armed forces are entitled to the respect enjoined by the

Convention if they comply with the provisions of Article 18

thereof, but not otherwise. It appears however, to be open

to question whether ambulance aircraft belonging to the

Chinese Red Cross Society and manned by voluntary aid

personnel, as distinct from personnel belonging to the

regular medical service of the Chinese (or Japanese) armed

forces, would, in strictness, be entitled to respect, unless

the provisions of Article 10 of the Convention relating to

the recognition and notification to the other belligerent

of the use of voluntary aid personnel had previously been

complied with.

3.

So far as Lord Halifax is aware there is no

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

general/