893.5034 Registration/4–2045: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Hurley )
639. 1. Department has given careful consideration to Embassy’s 648, April 20, 8 a.m. reporting latest developments in regard to the question of the registration of foreign companies.
2. Please say to Dr. Wong, Minister of Economic Affairs, that the Department is very much disappointed that drafting of new registration regulations is proceeding so slowly although this question has been under consideration and study for over a year; that the National Foreign Trade Council, the China–America Council of Commerce and Industry and Judge Helmick who recently visited Chungking, have made a number of suggestions which it had been our hope would be of assistance to the Chinese authorities in the drafting of simplified and reasonable registration regulations; that American companies are very much concerned over this matter and hesitate to enter into business relations with China on the basis of the existing obscure and onerous registration regulations. Please impress upon Dr. Wong that the Department is seriously concerned over the adverse effect this matter is likely to have upon commercial relations between the two countries and strongly urge that new legislation prescribing clear and reasonable requirements for the registration of American and other foreign firms be enacted without further delay.
3. This matter will also be brought to the attention of Dr. T. V. Soong.