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BOARD OF TRADE

MILLBANK,

Entre 4

S.W.1.

C.R.T.1065/45

1

Dear Sterndale-Bennett,

23rd August 1945.

23

45

As I believe Willis has mentioned informally to the Foreign Office, the President has come to

F5202 t

7644 the conclusion that it would be desirable to give

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some tangible evidence of our interest in the industrial future of China by sending out a good- will Mission of industrialists. The purpose of the Mission would be to make contacts at Chungking, to see what they could of the country, to create an impression of the live interest of British industry in future trade with China despite present supply limitations, and generally to counteract as far as possible American penetration. The Mission would not go out as representatives of individual interests though the personnel would be selected with an eye to developments in which we would be likely to find market opportunities in the future.

On the assumption that the winter is an unsuitable time to visit China the Mission should presumably take place either this autumn or next spring. Every facility for their travel should be laid on, so that the hesitation of leading business men at leaving this country should be overcome. The Mission would be under the auspices of H.M.G., which would involve payment of all travelling and accommodation expenses, and would

J.C. Sterndale-Bennett, sq., C.M.G., M.C.,

Foreign Office,

S.W.1.

✔

/be

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