CO129-611-2 Liaison with British Embassy and consulates in China- appointment of political advisor 1-9-1945 - 20-10-1947 — Page 41

(F 12575/376/G)

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FOREIGN OFFICE, S. W. 1.

13th October, 1947.

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Dear Mayle,

Thank you for your letters 54226/47 of the 1st and 10th September about liaison between Hong Kong and His Majesty's Embassy and Consulates in China. A reply got held up owing to my absence on leave.

Certainly, we agree in principle to the proposal that an officer of the Hong Kong Service should be attached to His Majesty's Embassy at Nanking, if suitable arrangements can be made. It is clear from Lamb's letter No. 610 of the 30th July (copied to you as an enclosure in my letter F11419/G of the 27th August) that the Embassy welcome the idea.

As regards the last paragraph of your letter, as I said in my letter F 9621/G of the 29th July, we see no objection to direct discussions between Hong Kong and our Embassy, subject to reference home before any arrangements are finally concluded. In this connexion, I should like to refer to the suggestion, made by MacDougall, which you quote in your letter of the 14th July, that Nanking should provide "free quarters and the local cost of living allowances". Our Establishment and Organisation

Department

N. L. Mayle, Esq.,

Colonial Office.

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