Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1928, Volume II

393.11/816: Telegram

The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State

Peking, May 22, 1928—10 p.m.
[Received 11:30 p.m.]

383. Referring to the second and third paragraphs of my 380, May 22, 4 p.m.⁵⁶

1. Dr. Lo Wen-kan, Minister for Foreign Affairs here, authorized publication of my confidential letter to him of May 18⁵⁷ and of his reply dated 19, but just received, of the substance of which the following is a translation:

We have the honor to observe that the Chinese Government will not shirk its responsibility for protecting the safety of foreign residents, and its troops have been repeatedly and strictly enjoined to that effect and uniformly understand this. It is hoped that the various nations will comprehend this idea.

We have the honor, Mr. Minister, to declare that there will be no activity of any nature at variance with international usage.”

2. I am instructing Shanghai to communicate to you directly in the event that General Hwang, now at Nanking, similarly assents to publication.

MacMurray

56. Not printed.
57. See last paragraph of telegram No. 359, May 17, from the Minister in China, p. 222. Texts of letters to Lo Wen-kan and Huang Fu were released to the press by the Department on May 23.