CO129-585-10 Assembly of aeroplanes in Hong Kong 8-1-1940 - 31-7-1940 — Page 60

In any further communication on this subject, please quote

No.

F 80/80/10

and address-

not to any person by name

but to-

The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

| DUPL

9 JAN 1940

C. O. REGY

FOREIGN OFFICE.

GO

ENI

S.W.1.

8th January, 1940.

Sir,

55/-/39

13/-/38

to am (2) вору

I am directed by Viscount Halifax to acknowledge the

receipt of your letter No. 53846/39 of the 2nd January on the

subject of the assembly of four commercial transport planes

in Hong Kong for delivery to the Chinese Government.

2. It will be remembered that a rather similar request

was made by the Chinese Government some time ago (please see

Governor of Hong Kong's telegram No. 30 to Colonial Office of the

1st February, 1938) and that in this case permission was refused

for the assembly in Hong Kong of three passenger planes destined

for the Chinese Government, on the grounds that it was virtually

impossible to ensure that they would not be used for military

purposes.

The Japanese have attempted to create an atmosphere

of good-will by withdrawing Japanese garrisons from the Hong

Kong border and by announcing their decision to re-open the

Pearl River and it is considered important that no action

should be taken in Hong Kong, which might prejudice further

attempts to improve the situation there.

4.

Subject, therefore, to the views of the Air Ministry

as to the possibility of using the planes mentioned above for military purposes, Lord Halifax considers it desirable to intimate to the Inter-Continent Corporation, in such a manner as to give as little offence as possible, that their request

cannot be granted.

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

R. Vkowe

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