The Secretary of State to the Minister in China ( Reinsch)
Sir: The Department acknowledges the receipt of your despatch No. 1797 of December 15, 1917, in which you inquire whether the Far Eastern policies of the American Government have been modified in any particular since the Department’s telegram of July 10, 1917, 6 p.m., to the Embassy at Tokyo, defining these policies.
In reply I have to state that there has been no change in the attitude of the American Government towards political relationships in the Far East since the telegram above mentioned was sent. The so-called Lansing-Ishii agreement relating to the Far East is intended to define more clearly the attitude of the American and Japanese Governments towards the Republic of China and to remove the suspicions and distrust engendered by evil influences which might have ultimately brought about misunderstandings between the United States and Japan if no steps had been taken to counteract their efforts.
I am [etc.]