§ 3.36 p.m.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, by leave of the House I desire now to make the statement which at an earlier stage I undertook to make in answer to the noble and learned Earl's Private Notice Question. On July 24 the United States Secretary of State announced that two United States aircraft carriers had been ordered to proceed to the scene of the Chinese attack upon the Cathay Pacific airliner as a result al which three United States nationals were killed and three were still missing. The task of these ships and their aircraft was to conduct and protect further search and rescue operations in the vicinity of they crash. We have been informed by the United States Government that on July 26, at approximately 10.5 in the morning, local time, two of these carrier-based 139 aircraft, while on rescue operations seeking possible survivors, were attacked over the high seas, approximately thirteen miles from Hainan, by two Chinese fighter aircraft, apparently of the same type as that which shot down our airliner. A Chinese gunboat also opened fire upon these United States 'planes. The United States aircraft returned the fire from the 'planes and the two Chinese aircraft were shot down.
We have been requested to instruct Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Pekin to convey a protest to the Chinese Government, on behalf of the United States Government, both in respect of the six United States citizens killed and wounded in the attack on the British airliner, and in respect of the wanton interference with search and rescue operations in the area of the incident. Instructions have been sent to Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires accordingly. I would add that on July 23, on being informed of the Cathay Pacific crash, the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department communicated with White Cloud airfield, Canton, by radio, stating that there had been a crash of Hainan and that search aircraft, of which details and markings were given, were taking off. About an hour later a message was received from Canton Air Traffic Control that a Sunderland already in the area would be permitted to remain but that any other war 'planes sent to search would be fired on without warning if they approached land This message was against all international custom and behaviour. Her Majesty's representative has been instructed to make a protest at Pekin in respect of the nature of this message.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Marquess for making that statement. From it I understand—and I think this will be observed with satisfaction—that it is quite plain that the action taken by the American 'planes was taken only after they themselves had been attacked by the Chinese and was taken in self-defence. I gather that is the effect of the statement.
§ EARL JOWITTI am much obliged.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, I feel sure that the action taken by Her Majesty's Government in these circumstances will have the full approval of every section of your Lordships' House, and of national opinion in general, both with regard to the criminal attack upon a British civilian 'plane flying over international waters and also in support of the American air action and diplomatic protest which has been made in respect of the similar attack on the American 'planes and ships engaged in rescue work. Any comments that we may have to make about the possible effects of these deplorable events on the relations between the Western Powers and the Chinese Government we naturally reserve for to-morrow's debate on foreign affairs.