793.003/450: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 8—5:10 a.m.]
971. Legation’s 949, October 31, 5 p.m.73 Following from Reuter, Nanking, November 7th:
“‘Never will China regain her full sovereignty and her proper place in the family of nations unless extraterritoriality is abolished,’ declared Dr. C. T. Wang in the course of an interview this morning.
The Foreign Minister declared that the extraterritoriality question was the most important issue confronting the Nationalist Government and although the success or failure of the extraterritorial negotiation depended very much on the internal political situation, he believed that public support in China was the most important factor. The people of China should unite and fight for the abolition of extraterritoriality. The return of Shantung and the restoration to China of complete tariff autonomy were the result of vigorous public agitation.
He hoped that the powers which had expressed friendship for China, especially Britain, France and America, would give concrete evidence of it in their negotiations regarding extraterritoriality. China wanted sympathy in terms of action, not words, declared the Minister.”
- Not printed.↩