HL Deb 20 February 1952 vol 175 cc104-5

3.7 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in recent weeks they have intimated to the Government of the United States that in certain circumstances they would intervene in the Chinese civil war by giving military, naval or air assistance to the Chinese nationalists on the island of Formosa.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)

My Lords, the answer to the noble Viscount is, No. The noble Viscount will have seen the statement made by the Prime Minister on January 30 in another place on the results of his visit to Washington. His statement was in the following terms: No issue has arisen as to the question of employing General Chiang Kai-shek on the Continent. What I have said and repeat is that he and those who fought with him against the Communists and have taken refuge upon the island of Formosa should not be invaded and massacred there while the United Nations forces possess such overwhelming naval superiority. My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have no intention whatever of intervening in the Chinese civil war, and have assumed no commitment of any sort in that direction.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to thank Her Majesty's Government for the reply which they have given to my Question, the last sentence of which I have heard with much gratification. However, the remainder of the answer to the Question requires further study, and I therefore propose to defer any further remarks on the subject until the debate on Foreign Affairs on March 12 arising on the Motion of the noble and learned Earl the Leader of the Opposition.