HC Deb 20 December 1954 vol 535 cc210-1W
Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has considered the complaint of Mr. Chou En-lai, Prime Minister of the Chinese People's Republic, that the United States of America has been building military bases on Formosa and other Chinese islands off the mainland; and whether, in view of the need for maintaining peaceful relations between Britain, China and the United States of America, he will instruct the British delegate to the United Nations, since the question of Formosa is on the agenda, to move for an independent fact-finding commission to visit these islands and that the Governments of the United States of America and China have observers present during such inspections.

Mr. Turton

As the hon. Member will be aware, the General Assembly of the United Nations is no longer in session. There would not, therefore, be an appropriate opportunity for the United Kingdom delegate to act in the manner proposed by the hon. Member. In any event, while my right hon. Friend is in entire agreement about the need for the maintenance of peaceful relations, he doubts if a fact-finding committee would help towards this end.

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