CO129-588-24 China- British extra-territorial rights- negotiations with China 23-11-1942 - 1-1-1943 — Page 199

19

7 - DEC 1942

F 8081/828/10) My dear

145

12h

Ambassador'

Many thanks for your letter of the 2nd December enclosing a message from the Department of state of the 1st December concerning coastal trade and inland navigation in China.

I enclose herein our comments on this subject which I hope will be taken into consideration by your government. It is nevertheless to be feared that as a draft article making the maximum concession to the Chinese has already been shown to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs the possibilities

of negotiation will have been severely limited.

I take this opportunity to point out that on several occasions in the latest phase of the discussions the United States Government have, with the object of saving time, conceded to the Chinese points of great importance to His Majesty's Government before our Ambassador in Chungking could be in position to discuss them with the Chinese Government.

While we realise the political advantages of concluding agreement without undue delay and appreciate to the full the collaboration of the United States Government in this matter, we are dealing with questions of the greatest importance to our commercial, financial and shipping interests in the Far East and the decisions which we reach now will have an inevitable effect on the negotiations for the comprehensive modern treaty to be concluded subsequently. We should have hoped therefore that before these decisions were taken we should have had sufficie time to consider the points at issue and to arrive at an agreement with the Chinese Government by orderly process of negotiation.

we do not feel that the reasons given by the Chinese Minister Counsellor in Washington for asking that the whole matter should be rushed through within a very brief period were of sufficient weight to override these considerations; and indeed according to my information the last session of the Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang took place on the 2nd December.

I observe from the message from the Department of state date 27th November contained in your letter of the 28th November that the Department intend, for the sole purpose of cooperating with His Majesty's Government, to suggest to the Chinese that the signing of the treaty be deferred for approximately ten days. I shall be grateful if you will inform me from what date the ten days will run.

His Excellency

The Honourable

John G. Winant.

Sgd Anthony Eden.