§ Q6. Mr. Zilliacusasked the Prime Minister what consultations he has had with President Kennedy regarding the committal of British forces to assist the United States Government in taking military action to prevent the Chinese Government recovering the possession of the Chinese coastal islands of Quemoy and Matsu.
§ Q7. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Prime Miniser what discussions he has had with President Kennedy on the question of British participation in the defence of Formosa and the Pescadores.
§ The Prime MinisterAny discussions which I may have with President Kennedy would be confidential. Britain has no obligation or commitment of any kind to take military action for the defence of Quemoy, Matsu or Formosa.
§ Mr. ZilliacusWhile I am grateful for this small mercy, will the Prime Minister confirm that the Government continue to recognise that Quemoy and Matsu are part of the territory of the People's Republic of China, and will he draw the attention of President Kennedy to that fact?
§ The Prime MinisterThis matter has been discussed for some time. I think that it was Mr. Anthony Eden, as he then was, who laid down the doctrine we hold on this, and we have not departed from it.
§ Mr. A. HendersonIn view of the statement yesterday of Mr. Khrushchev 278 as to the danger of a world conflict, can the House take it that Her Majesty's Government will be in close consultation with the United States Government with a view to preventing any aggressive action by the Chinese Nationalist authorities in Formosa against the Chinese mainland?
§ The Prime MinisterHer Majesty's Government are always in the very closest consultation on this and other matters with the American Government.
§ Mr. RidsdaleIn spite of the warlike utterances coming out from China at the moment, is it not time that the initiative was taken to try to get trade going between the Chinese mainland and the free world?
§ The Prime MinisterWe, the Board of Trade and our own traders, have done a good deal, and I think that it is very satisfactory how far our trade with China has increased. This, of course, is limited by the fact that China has only a limited amount of exports with which to purchase the necessary currency to pay for her imports.
§ Mr. GaitskellCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is any serious threat on the part of the nationalist forces in Formosa to invade the mainland, on the one hand, or any serious threat from the Chinese Communists to invade Quemoy and Matsu, on the other?
§ The Prime MinisterI would have thought very little, but in view of the high authority quoted by the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson), I thought it better to be fairly quiet about it.