Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1931, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/2356

Press Release Issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs⁷¹

[Translation]

[Nanking,] September 25, 1931.

Unofficial

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal communiqué yesterday stating:

“The other day, when the Japanese Minister of War interviewed press reporters, he stated that according to the provisions of Sino-Japanese treaties, Japan may send 15 soldiers to each kilometer of the South Manchuria Railway. The total number of soldiers Japan may send would therefore be 16,500 for the whole railway. In fact, only 15,000 Japanese soldiers have been despatched to that railway. Judging from this, Japan intends to misrepresent facts which other nations have not been fully aware of.

“The strength of Japanese troops now in Manchuria has exceeded 50,000 and the Japanese parliament has appropriated 2,200 Yen per month for these troops, excluding emergency expenditures. Considering how many Chinese citizens have been killed, how vast an area has been occupied, how many cities have been taken and how much property seized, can there be any reason to support the statement that the activities of Japanese troops are in accordance with the provisions of existing treaties?

“What the Japanese Minister of War said might be based on Article 1 of the supplementary treaty of the Russo-Japanese Treaty of 1905.⁷² However, none of the Sino-Japanese treaties has ever recognized such a provision. Article 2 of the Supplementary Treaty signed during 1905 concerning Manchuria⁷³ provides that ‘Japanese Government promises to take the same action if Russia promises to withdraw troops which have been stationed to protect the railway.’ Russian troops on the Chinese Eastern Railway had been withdrawn long ago. At present the Railway is protected by Chinese troops only. The stationing of Japanese troops on the South Manchuria Railway has absolutely no foundation in treaties. Whatever excuse Japan may have in the matter, there is no reason why her troops should occupy our territory, kill our people and seize our properties.”

71. Copy transmitted to the Department by the Consul General at Nanking in his despatch No. D–114, October 1; received October 26.
72. For text of Russo-Japanese treaty of peace and additional articles, signed at Portsmouth September 5, 1905, see Foreign Relations, 1905, pp. 824 and 827.
73. For text of the supplementary agreement between China and Japan relative to Manchuria, signed at Peking December 22, 1905, see ibid., 1906, pt. 2, p. 997.