Parliamentary Delegation to China.
Five of the six members of the recent Parliamentary Delegation to China (Lord Amulrée and Messrs. Roberts, Harrison, McLeavy and Lindsay), were present at a Meeting held at the Foreign Office at 3.30 p.m. on the 16th December, Mr. Mayhew being in the chair. The following were also present: Mr. Dening, Messrs. Scarlett, Scott and Coates (China Department), Messrs. Murray and McDonald (Far Eastern Information Department), Mr. B.C. MacDermot Cultural Relations Department), Mr. Chataway (Board of Trade), Miss Loughnane (Treasury), Mrs. Monck (Export Promotion Department), Major-General Money (Ministry of Transport), and Mr. Wallace (Colonial office).
Mr. Mayhew explained that the political aspects of the Delegation's tour were discussed when the Delegation were received by the Prime Minister, and that the present Meeting had been called to discuss any non-political matters arising out of the tour. The following were the major points raised in the ensuing discussion.
COMMERCIAL TREATY. Mr. Lindsay stated that at every press conference during the tour the Delegation had been asked the reason for the delay in the conclusion of this tro-ty. The Chinese felt that there was some sinister motive behind the delay, and that to expedite the conclusion of the treaty would engender good-will. Mr. Harrison said that he had that afternoon, after a lunch at the Anglo-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, but down a Question on the Order Paper on the subjects In reply to a question by Mr. Dening, the Delegation greed that British merchants in China had not pressed the, Delegation for an early tresty, and that such pressure had come from the Chinese. Mr. Scott explained that the delay had been caused by the absorption of the Board of Trade's commercial treaty exports on International Trade Organisation work, but that it was hoped in the near future to send our revised draft of the treaty to His Majesty's Ambassador at Nanking for his comments. Mr. Scott suggested that the question might perhaps come better after these comments had been received, and that it would do no harm to keep the Chinese guessing as to our motivos in delaying the dispatch of a reply to the Chinese counter-draft of the treaty. Mr. Harrison did not comment on this suggestion.
TRADE MISSION REPORT. The Delegation thought the reason which had been given for the delay in the appearance of the report, namely, difficulties in binding, was rather wook.
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TRADE. In reply to a question by Mrs. Monck, Mr. Lindsay said that British merchants were very dissatisfied with the size of the import quotas allowed them. Mr. Roberts felt that as Ching's main exports were bulky ones, an increase in railway facilities and shipping services was necessary if China was to increase her exports. (Lord Amulroe thought this impossible as long as the civil war lasted). He had heard that soya beans and wheat were available for export in Communist-controlled Manchuria,
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