Proposal to Raise to Embassy Rejected London, June 20.
In the House of Commons to-day, Mr. Canyon Bellairs urged that, "in pursuance of our historic mission of. encouragement to China," the Government should raise the status of the British diplomatic representative in China to that of Ambassador, and negotiate with the five other Powers who have post-offices in China for the withdrawal of these post-offices in recognition of China a great Power.
The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Ceci] Harmsworth) replied that it was not proposed to raise the status of the British representative in the existing -conditions in China, nor to negotiate for the withdrawal of the post-offices, Mr. Bellairs suggested in a supplementary question "that. the pledge of the meeting of Allied Ministers in August, 1917, to do
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.