HC Deb 01 November 1939 vol 352 cc1903-4
1. Mr. R. Morgan

asked the Prime Minister whether he can make any state- ment as to the situation in Shanghai, and more especially on the origin of the attacks on employés of the Municipal Council?

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Butler)

There has been some deterioration in the situation in the western area at Shanghai (that is to say, the area outside the western boundary of the International Settlement but inside the British defence perimeter). On two occasions Chinese plain clothes gunmen have fired on patrols of the Shanghai Municipal Police on duty on extra-settlement roads. These attacks resulted, I regret to say, in the deaths of two Chinese officers of the Shanghai Municipal Police Force. Representations have been made to the Japanese Government by His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo pressing for the enclaves between the extra-settlement roads to be cleaned up, and it is understood that parallel action has been taken by the United States Ambassador.

6. Mr. Noel-Baker

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any further statement to make on the situation in China?

Mr. Butler

The general situation in China remains unchanged. There has been fighting in the provinces of Hunan and North Kiangsi. Both sides now appear to hold the same lines as before the opening of the recent offensive by the Japanese. I am glad to say that agreement was reached at Amoy on 17th October between the Kulangsu Municipal Council and the Japanese Consul-General, providing for the appointment of additional Japanese police officers. The United States and Japanese landing parties were withdrawn on the following day: the British and French landing parties had already been withdrawn on the outbreak of war in Europe. There has been no appreciable relaxation in anti-British agitation in North China, although there are Press reports to-day that orders have been given to cease this agitation. Further representations were recently addressed to the Japanese Government by His Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo. There are no important changes to report at Tientsin.