Office of the Historian

793.00/192: Telegram

The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State

Peking, November 28, 1927—9 p.m.
[Received November 28—10:50 a.m.]

1042. Following in plain from American consul general at Shanghai: “November 26, noon. C. C. Wu14 issued following statement at Nanking under date of November 24th:

‘In order to reiterate the attitude of Nationalist Government of the Republic of China in regard to treaties and agreements with foreign governments and their nationals, the Minister of Foreign Affairs deems it appropriate to make the following declaration:

  • “1. As there is no reason for the existence of the unequal treaties and agreements concluded between former Chinese governments and the governments, corporation[s] and individual[s] of foreign states, they shall be abrogated by the Nationalist Government within the quickest possible period.
  • 2. Those treaties and agreements whose term has expired have, as a matter of course, become null and void.
  • 3. Any treaty or agreement purporting to be made by any Chinese authority with any foreign government, corporation or individual without the participation or sanction of the Nationalist Government is of no validity whatsoever.
  • 4. No treaty or agreement relating to China, to which the Nationalist Government is not a party, shall be deemed binding on China.”’”

Mayer
  1. Minister for Foreign Affairs in Nanking Government.↩