HC Deb 29 April 1898 vol 56 c1552
LORD CHARLES BERESFORD (York)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have obtained any assurances from the Chinese Government with regard to the British sphere of influence in the Yang-tsze Valley; whether Her Majesty's Government have received similar assurances from Russia; what importance Her Majesty's Government attaches to such assurances; and whether Her Majesty's Government are prepared to see them carried out?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.

In answer to my noble Friend, I have to say that Her Majesty's Government have received assurances from China that they will not alienate any part of the Yang-tsze district. They attach great value to these assurances; and confidently anticipate that they will be carried out.

LORD CHARLES BERESFORD

May I ask the right honourable Gentleman to answer the other part of the Question—namely, whether Her Majesty's Government have received similar assurances from Russia?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The assurance we have received from China is that they will not alienate any Yang-tsze territory which belongs to China. We could not receive any similar assurance from Russia until Russia possesses Yang-tsze territory, which she does not at the present time.