§ 88. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received about recent negotiations for increasing British trade with China.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI am informed that some arrangements have been made between a Chinese Government agency and a group of British business men for trade up to a value of £15 million each way, subject to the granting of import and export licences. I have no further information as to the nature of this arrangement beyond what has appeared in the Press. Some Press reports suggest that a proportion of the proposed exports from this country is of goods whose export to China is prohibited. I would say now that, while it is our policy to develop trade with China in non-strategic goods, our strategic controls will not, of course, be affected in any way by any arrangements that have been made in Peking.