MR. J. WALTON (York, W.R., Barnsley)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the grant of a railway concession from Pekin to Han-kau, in the Yang-tsze Valley, has been made by the Chinese Government in favour of a Franco-Belgian syndicate, as announced by the French Foreign Office; and whether the Government will lay upon the Table the terms of the agreement which has been made by Great Britain with China as to the occupation of the Yang-tsze Valley?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. G. N. CURZON,) Lancashire, SouthportWe have heard that the contract with the Belgian syndicate for the construction of the Pekin-Han-kau Line was signed on the 27th of June. There has been no agreement with China as to the occupation of the Yang-tsze Valley. The agreement by which the Chinese Government undertook, in response to the request of Her Majesty's Government, never to alienate any of the Yang-tsze Provinces, has already been laid in the China Blue Book, No. 85, at page 39.
§ MR. CURZONThe honourable Member can answer that Question by referring to the Blue Book himself.