§ The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Eden)On 10th September last you informed the House, Sir, that a Mission of Members of both Houses, Lord Ailwyn, Lord Teviot, and the hon. Members for West Renfrew (Mr. Wedderburn) and Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson) had accepted an invitation from His Excellency Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to visit China. The Mission has now returned, and I am sure hon. Members will wish to give its Members a warm welcome, and to congratulate them on the highly successful outcome of their journey. They have travelled, I am told, about 35,000 miles. They left this country by air last October; they arrived in China about 10th November. The accounts which I have received from all sources—and they are many—all indicate that their visit was an outstanding success. During a month spent in fulfilling an exhaustive programme, which included a visit to the battle front, they saw a variety of aspects of the Chinese war effort, and were able to explain to their Chinese hosts something of our own. They were also, I have no doubt, able to bring home to those with whom they came in contact the determination of this country, in collaboration with China and her other Allies, to pursue the war against Japan, no less than the other members of the Axis, to its inexorable and victorious end. In a country where tact and politeness are among the most highly valued of the virtues, the fact that representatives 1060 of Parliament won the unqualified approval and esteem of their hosts is no small tribute to their qualities.
I would like to pay a tribute to the excellence of the arrangements made by the Chinese authorities for the care and entertainment of the Mission, and to thank in this respect their hosts, who maintained fully those high standards of courtesy and consideration which have made Chinese hospitality famous all over the world. I would like to add a word of thanks to the Chinese Ambassador to this country, Dr. Wellington Koo, who, though spending what was nominally a holiday, was assiduous in his attendance on the Mission and assisted them in their task of conveying to the Chinese people an understanding of the part which we are playing in the common cause. I should add that on their way home the Mission made a 10-days diversion to Turkey, thus being the forerunners of another interesting meeting, at the invitation of the Turkish Government, where they were most warmly and hospitably received and carried out a full and interesting programme. The House is deeply indebted to those of our. Members who by this work for us have done service to us, to the nation, and to our relations with China, and we sincerely thank them.
§ Mr. Lawson (Chester-le-Street)I wonder whether the House would allow me to say a few words in reference to the kind welcome and the generous remarks the right hon. Gentleman has made concerning the results of the Mission? If the right hon. Gentleman's estimate is justified, it is not due to any particular virtues of the members of the Mission so much as to the great esteem in which this Parliament is held abroad. That has been to me an astonishing thing. But there is something else. We were fortunate enough to enter China just after the North African victory. I think this House and the country, and also the men who have been doing the fighting, ought to know that the repercussions of that victory have been, in China and in the world outside, wherever we have travelled, very great indeed. In view of the kindness and the enthusiasm of the Chinese people, both in crowded towns and in remote areas, an enthusiasm which was amazingly spontaneous, it would have been almost impossible not to be successful in our Mission. I want 1061 to endorse what the right hon. Gentleman has said concerning Dr. Wellington Koo. The Chinese Government and its great leader, the Generalissimo, were the essence of kindness and care. The Chinese Ambassador accompanied us, and was very thoughtful about our welfare. The Chinese themselves are ever courteous and hospitable. The same applies to our staffs abroad, and in particular to the British Ambassador, Sir Horace Seymour. It has been an honourable thing to have been a member of a Mission representing this House—the first mission, I believe, that has ever been sent out by this House. It has been a very great thing to see in the various countries the admiration that the world has for the self-discipline and the self-denial of this country. So great has it been that we are glad to be back to share that self-discipline and self-denial, and proud to be members of a country such as this.
Mr. Wedderburn (Renfrew, West)I have only one word to add to what has been said by my hon. Friend. This is not the occasion on which to give any kind of account of our Mission, but my hon. Friend and I, who arrived home last night, both wish to take the earliest opportunity of telling our colleagues in this House of the extraordinary kindness and generosity which were extended to us and the great cordiality of the welcome displayed by all classes of the Chinese people towards us, who were representing the British Parliament. We travelled some 3,000 miles through Chinese territory, in three of their greatest Provinces, visiting Sian, Chengtu and Kunming, as well as Chungking. Everywhere, among all classes of people, we found a firm resolution to continue the struggle until our enemies have unconditionally surrendered. We found, equally, a strong desire among the whole people that the present comradeship in war between the British and the Chinese people shall be followed by a lasting friendship in peace. I would like to add my thanks to our Ambassador to China, who already, after a short sojourn there, has won the highest regard of all classes of Chinese. My right hon. Friend alluded to the fact that we have flown some 35,000 miles. I think we were flown altogether by about 20 different pilots. I know my hon. Friend would like to join me in expressing thanks to 1062 these men, whose cheerfulness and kindness meant a great deal to us on some very arduous flights, and our admiration for the work of these men, who are keeping open the communications of the British Empire and its Allies.
§ Sir John Wardlaw-Milne (Kidderminster)In supporting what my right hon. Friend has said, and thanking our own Members for the work which they have done, may I make a suggestion to the House? Perhaps it is not generally known that to-morrow is the Chinese New Year and that the day is being observed throughout China not only as the beginning of the New Year, but also in celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Extra-territoriality with this country. It is a great day in Chinese history, and I suggest to the House that we might ask the Government to take this opportunity of sending a special message thanking the Chinese for what has been done for our representatives—as I have no doubt the Government have already done—and also expressing good will for the future, on this special day of celebration.
§ Mr. Bellenger (Bassetlaw)I wish to put a question to the Leader of the House. A precedent has been created by this visit paid by Members of both Houses of Parliament to China. My right hon. Friend will probably know that suggestions have been made that Members of Parliament should visit other Allied countries and that considerable opposition has been made to such visits. May I ask him, then, whether he will extend the principle which has been applied so successfully in the case of this visit to China to certain other countries? At present, although certain of our colleagues are resident for the time being in some of these countries, there is no opportunity other than that provided by the British Council for Members of Parliament to visit in a friendly way other Allied countries as well as China.
§ Mr. Astor (Fulham, East)May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will consider inviting a Chinese delegation to pay a visit to this country? May I also take this opportunity of expressing the thanks of all of us who have been associated with China and Anglo-Chinese relations in the past for the reception given to this Mission, and to say how happy we are to see the good atmosphere which has been created? 1063 May I also say how deeply grateful British communities in China and British firms associated with China will be to the delegation for the successful way in which they have carried out their task?
§ Captain Poole (Lichfield)While appreciating to the full the work which I am sure this delegation must have done, may I respectfully suggest that much of the good which it has achieved will be lost, unless we can back up everything that has been said there by this delegation with the utmost assistance in arms and supplies to the Chinese people.
§ Mr. EdenPerhaps I may say that I will bear in mind the suggestion which has been made by my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Sir J. Wardlaw-Milne), and the other suggestion.
§ Sir J. Wardlaw-MilneIt would have to be done to-day.
§ Mr. EdenI will have that in mind. I do not think this would be quite the moment to go into the other questions which have been raised.
§ Mr. BellengerIs not that a rather summary rejection of my proposal?