CO129-588-23 China- British extra-territorial rights- negotiations with China 28-3-1942 - 27-11-1942 — Page 161

2. You are requested to inform the British Foreign Office with respect to the above. With particular regard to questions of coastal trade and inland navigation both by public and private vessels, it has in general been our in ention to eliminate anomalous treaty relations between the United States and China. We realize at the same time that these particular questions may involve settlement of details such as ownership of and compensa- tion for wharves and other shipping facilities which may be affected by relinquishment of ri hts of inland navigation, and that discussion of details of this nature might result in undesired delay in the conclusion of the brief treaty which has been proposed by us to the Chinese Government. In general our attitude toward this question is therefore a flexible one with imalination toward including some appropriate provisions in the treaty, particularly if this is so desired by the Chinese. The Department would welcome an early expression of the British Government's thought on this matter.

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