HC Deb 25 October 1954 vol 531 cc218-9W
84 and 85. Mr. H. Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the United States Administration about the freezing by executive action of the United States Treasury of the United States dollar funds of reputable British companies as a reprisal against those companies for attempting, in accordance with the policy of Her Majesty's Government, to maintain their trading contacts in China;

(2) what representations he has made to the United States Government about the action of United States consular authorities in Hong Kong blacklisting reputable British firms who continue legitimate contact with China and in threatening old-established customers of those firms with similar reprisals if they continue to trade with the firms in question and their subsidiaries.

Mr. Turton

Under the United States regulations of December, 1950, which froze Chinese accounts in the United States of America, the funds of certain British firms with interests in China were also frozen and certain firms were designated as Chinese nationals for the purposes of the regulations.

There are, of course, no grounds for representations against the regulations themselves as this is entirely a matter within the jurisdiction of the United States Government, but representations on behalf of the British interests concerned have been made to the United States Government in cases where there appeared to be reasonable justification for so doing.

I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies is writing to inform the right hon. Member that there is no evidence that United States consular officials in Hong Kong are acting in the way suggested by the right hon. Member. There is no reason, therefore, to make any representations about their activities in Hong Kong.