§ 63. Mr. TREVELYANasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is the intention of the Government to refuse to allow the Cantonese troops to enter Shanghai if they offer to guarantee the safety of the foreign concessions?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI cannot attempt to answer hypothetical questions of this kind. I can only refer the right hon. Member to the replies given on 2nd March to a question by the bon. Member for Camlachie (Mr. Stephen), and to a 817 supplementary question by the right hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood).
§ Mr. MOSLEYHave not other participants in the Chinese War been allowed to enter Shanghai, and will the Cantonese alone be debarred?
§ Mr. MOSLEYWas not General Sun permitted to occupy Shanghai?
§ Mr. THURTLECan the hon. Gentleman say whether any instructions have been given to the military commanders based on the hypothesis in this question?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThe whole point of British forces being in Shanghai is to prevent the entry of these armed Chinese forces.
§ Mr. THURTLEHave these commanders been given any instructions as to what to do in the event of this contingency arising?
§ Sir H. BRITTAINIs not the best thing we can do to trust our naval and military representatives on the spot?
§ 70. Mr. DALTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any armed Chinese troops have entered or are at present within the lines occupied by the British troops at Shanghai; and, if so, whether it is proposed to disarm and intern them?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONNo bodies of Chinese troops have entered or are within the lines occupied by British troops at Shanghai, apart possibly from isolated deserters or stragglers.
§ Mr. DALTONHave any steps been taken to disarm or in tern the isolated deserters or stragglers?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONYes; any stragglers that happen to come within the International Settlement will certainly be disarmed.
§ 72. Mr. MOSLEYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether General Chang Tsung-chang has established his headquarters behind the lines 818 occupied by the British defence force; whether any troops of General Chang Tsung-chang are behind these lines; and, if so, how many?
§ Mr. MOSLEYIs the report untrue that was published in the Press to the effect that this general had arrived at Shanghai with a train which also contained munitions?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONNo, there are no Chinese armed forces whatsoever within the International Settlement.
§ Mr. MOSLEYHas this general not been in Shanghai since the arrival of our forces in Shanghai?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONHe may have been in Shanghai, but the International Settlement is only a part of it.
§ Mr. MOSLEYThen is it the policy of the Government to allow participants in the war to enter Shanghai, provided that they do not enter into the International Settlement?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONForeign Governments cannot possibly prevent anybody from entering the Chinese city.
§ Miss LAWRENCEWill the Under-Secretary explain whether there are Chinese troops within the British lines?