BRITISH SHIPS IN CHINA

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25954, 7 November 1949, Page 7

BRITISH SHIPS IN CHINA

NATIONALIST THREAT OF BOMBING WARNING TO VESSELS IN COMMUNIST PORTS __ . LONDON, November 4. The Chinese Nationalist Government to-day formally advised the British authorities in Hong Kong that its aeroplanes would bomb any merchantman found in Communist-held Chinese ports. The British authorities in Hong Kong immediately sent radio warnings to British ships on the China coast. It is believed 'that similar advice from the Nationalist Government has been sent to other Governments. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says that Britain may answer the Chinese Nationalist threat by giving her merchantmen full naval protection to break the blockade. British Government departments are to-night holding’ urgent consultations on the Nationalist announcement. If it is decided to extend full naval protection to merchantmen, the Foreign Minister (Mr Ernest Bevin) is likely to increase his pressure on Dominion and Atlantic Pact Governments for a speedy recognition of the Communist Government. The Chinese Ambassador (Dr. Cheng Tien Hsi) was called to the Foreign Office to-night and told that the British Government would regard any attempt to enforce the blockade of Com-mUnist-held Chinese ports by aerial attack on unarmed British merchantact 11 aS an illegitimate and unfriendly Reuter’s Hong Kong correspondent says that official sources declined to disclose how many British ships are at present in or en route *o Communist ports. 'Navy ships are continuing to patrol the China coast.