893.00/9992: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
393. My telegram number 378, May 21, 6 p.m.59
- 1.
- The Peking Government has today issued a formal declaration in the
following terms:
“On May 18, 1928, His Excellency, the Japanese Minister, Mr. Yoshizawa, expressed certain views to Marshal Chang Tso-lin which in brief were as follows: [Here follows quotation of the Japanese note.]60
[Page 232]Japan’s desire to see an early termination to the civil strife in this country is, in the opinion of the Chinese Government, exactly in harmony with Marshal Chang’s circular telegram of May 19 [9?], 1928,60a advocating the cessation of hostilities, and inasmuch as such desire is motivated by friendly sentiments it is deeply appreciated by the Chinese Government. On the other hand, the Chinese Government can never agree to the proposition that, should the disturbances develop further in the direction of Peking and Tientsin so as to affect Manchuria, the Japanese Government may be constrained to adopt appropriate and effective measures to cope with the situation.
The Chinese Government hereby emphatically declares that inasmuch as Manchuria and the Peking and Tientsin area are Chinese territory and any violation of the integrity thereof would involve China’s sovereignty it cannot maintain an attitude of indifference. Whether the localities in question are peaceful or otherwise the Chinese Government will be responsible for the safety of foreign nationals resident therein. It is therefore earnestly hoped that the Japanese Government will, in the light of the regrettable incidents in Tsinanfu, be dissuaded from further acts in violation of international law and usage so that the traditional friendly relations between the two countries may be preserved. A declaration to this effect was communicated to His Excellency, the Japanese Minister, in the Waichiaopu’s note of May 25, 1928.
Moreover, the action contemplated by the Japanese Government is obviously at variance with the two principles enunciated by the nine-power treaty concerning policies in China, signed at Washington on February 6, 1922, namely, that the powers should respect China’s independence and ‘sovereignty as well as its territorial and administrative integrity and refrain from taking advantage of conditions of China in order to seek special rights or privileges, and as such it can only be deplored by the Chinese people.’”
- 2.
- Repeated to Tokyo.