§ Mr. NUNNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the text of the Note recently received from the Chinese Government referring to the Treaty of Tientsin of 1858 and the commercial treaty of 1902, together with any relevant information relating thereto?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe substance of the Note mentioned was given in the reply made to my hon. Friend on 19th March, and the publication of the full text, which would require the assent of the Chinese Government, would add nothing to the information already given. I would not therefore propose to lay the text upon the Table of the House. The nature of the reply to be returned to the Chinese Government is now under consideration in consultation with the Departments of His Majesty's Government concerned, and until this consultation is completed it is not possible for me to make any statement regarding its terms.
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