BRITISH FIRMS IN CHINA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27369, 7 June 1954, Page 10

BRITISH FIRMS IN CHINA

Peking To Aid In Closure (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 3. Communist China has agreed, two years after the first requests were made, to help British firms wind up their businesses in China. China has also granted 12 requests, many of them long-standing, for exit visas for British businessmen wishing to leave the country, the Foreign Office announced today. A spokesman said that the Chinese Vice-Minister for Trade (Mr Lei Jenmin) had made both decisions known to the British delegation at Geneva. The Chinese had also undertaken to allow entry visas to representatives of five British firms which wished to relieve their present managers in China, the spokesman said. They had also agreed to investigate the case of Mr Robert Ford, a British wireless operator, captured when the Chinese over-ran Tibet, and to allow him to receive letters from his relatives.

The New China News Agency in December, 1950, described Mr Ford as an imperialist special agent, and accused him of poisoning a high Tibetan lama, the “Living Buddha,” Gada Hutukatu? Britain has frequently pressed for Mr Ford and other Britons imprisoned in China to be brought to trial, and for permission to visit- them and arrange for their legal defence.

Closing of Businesses Two years ago British businessmen in China announced that they wished to leave the country and close their busihesses because trading conditions were unsatisfactory. China refused to allow them to go until all outstanding claims—many regarded as fictitious—against their firms, had been settled. Even after the settlement of all claims many exit visas were refused without reasons being stated. The Foreign Office spokesman said today that ‘Svhere certain firms have met with obstructions in their efforts to close, the Chinese have now given assurances that the authorities will assist in the settlement of outstanding matters.”

These firms are mostly commercial concern? rather than manufacturers. The Chinese concessions were made at Geneva in “side talks” at which the chief British representative was Mr Humphrey Trevelyan, the British Charge d’Affaires to Communist China. It is understood that Mr Trevelyan had far more meetings with Chinese officials in Geneva than he has ever been allowed in Peking. _ He has also taken part in separate talks on future British trade with China, for which the overseas director of the Federation of British Industries (Mr Peter Tennant) flew to Geneva. Assurances that entry visas will be granted to five new bank and commercial managers in China enables the firms concerned to relieve men who have been compelled to remain there.