§ 29. Earl WINTERTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state in which areas or provinces of China, excluding Manchukuo, Communist and other organisations dispute the authority of the Government at Nanking to the extent of preventing the latter from exercising its constitutional functions; and what is the proportion of those areas or provinces to the total land area of China, excluding Manchukuo?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)The provinces which are at present chiefly affected by Communist-bandit activities, or have recently been so are the five central Yangtze provinces of Hupei, Honan, Anhui, Hunan and Kiangsi, together with the coastal provinces of Fukien and Kwangtung. The main Communist concentrations in Hupei, Honan and Anhui have been broken up, but there has recently been an irruption of Communist armies into the north-east of Szechuan in west China. Accurate figures of the extent of territory controlled by these organisations are not available, and 1434 I am therefore unable to state what proportion they form to the total land area of China proper. I hope my Noble Friend will appreciate that Communist control does not by any means extend over the whole area of the provinces named and is for the most part confined to regions where two or more provinces meet.
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONWhat action has the League of Nations taken to restore Chinese sovereignty in those areas?
§ Mr. McGOVERNDoes the right hon. Gentleman think that the proposed Japanese authorities manage to control the whole of this Province by Communist activities?
§ Earl WINTERTONIs it a fact that the right hon. Gentleman receives from time to time reports from His Majesty's diplomatic and Consular representatives in China as to the extent of Communist activities in particular Provinces; and would it be possible to furnish the House, from the point of view of affording information to traders, information as to where these disturbances take place from time to time?
§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESIn there anything in the constitution of the League of Nations to prevent the whole Chinese nation turning Socialist?
§ Sir J. SIMONIn reply to the question put to me by the Noble Lord, of course from time to time reports are received from our diplomatic and Consular representatives. I cannot say without close examination how far they would supply material on the point mentioned by the Noble Lord, but I will look into it.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs there much to choose between the Communist and the other two Chings?
§ Sir J. SIMONI am not choosing anything.
§ Mr. DAVIESIs there anything in the constitution of the League of Nations to prevent any people in any country turning Communist, Socialist, Conservative or National?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat certainly does not arise out of the question on the Paper.
§ 30. Earl WINTERTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which areas or provinces in China, excluding Manchukuo, British subjects are advised by His Majesty's consuls to avoid entering owing to the inability of the Government at Nanking to afford them protection from the lawless elements in those areas or provinces?
§ Sir J. SIMONI am not aware of any general advice of the nature referred to having been given by His Majesty's Consuls in China, though naturally British subjects taking out passports for the interior are advised not to proceed to Communist controlled areas or such districts as may from time to time be the subject of bandit activities.
§ Sir W. DAVISONHas my right hon. Friend any information with regard to Manchukuo to the effect that if Japanese control were withdrawn Chinese sovereignty could be maintained?
§ Sir J. SIMONI think my hon. Friend will observe that this question is not so framed as to include Manchukuo.