CO129-588-24 China- British extra-territorial rights- negotiations with China 23-11-1942 - 1-1-1943 — Page 314

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The Chinese Government also wish to insert in the Sino- British exchange of notes a final sentence which reads:-

questions which are not covered by the present treaty and exchange of notes annexed thereto and which affeet the sovereignty of the Republic of China shall be discussed by the representatives of the High Contracting Parties and shall be decided in accordance with the generally accepted principles of international law and with modern international practice". The Foreign office are not clear as to the purpose underlying this proposal mỏ are asking for an explanation.

It should be added in conclusion that apart from the questions of common interest to the United States and Great Britain and India, the Chinese Government have asked for the inclusion in Article 5 of the Sino-British treaty of additional clauses terminating the Convention for the Extension of the Hong Kong Territory signed at Peking in 1898.

The Foreign Office share the desire of the Department of State that the negotiations should if possible be concluded in the next three or four weeks. It is proposed therefore to instruct His Majesty'a ambassador at once in the sense of the observations made above, but he will not be authorised to act upon them until the further views of the Department of State are received.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 8.W.1.

23rd November, 1942.