Office of the Historian

793.94/3778: Telegram

The Consul General at Nanking (Peck) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, January 31, 1932—10 p.m.
[Received January 31—8:44 p.m.]

23. 1. The Minister of Foreign Affairs January 31, 1 p.m., asked French Minister, British Chargé d’Affaires and me to conference attended also by two Vice Ministers.

2. The Minister of Foreign Affairs made lengthy statement, principal points being as follows: [Page 148]

(a)
The present policy Chinese Government is one of self-defense. The Government has now, as in the past, absolutely no intention of declaring war on Japan. The resistance opposed to Japan at Shanghai was merely an exercise of right of every government to defend the lives and property of its citizens and the performance of its duty to protect the interests of foreign residents.
(b)
In the removal of important functioning offices of the Chinese Government to Loyang there is no thought of preparing for war. The military measures by Japan have been of a nature to warrant the claims that the capital is the objective and that it is the intention of Japan to coerce the Government to set its seal of approval on Japanese actions. The arrival today at Nanking of four additional naval vessels and the sending to China of a large number of troops and airplanes clearly indicate that more than the Shanghai situation is in the mind of the Japanese Government. Hence the necessity for removing the principal offices of the Government.
(c)
In response to appeal from China the League of Nations has been very sympathetic but China has now addressed a note to the Nine-Power Treaty signatories. China has demonstrated that she has observed all treaty obligations and hopes that signatory powers will take measures to prevent enlargement of the present controversy. China has been driven to desperation and desires to invoke every international agreement by which the signatory powers pledge support and assistance to China in a moment like the present. China anxiously awaits the remonstrances to be made for from [based upon?] the Nine-Power Treaty, the Kellogg Pact, and the League Covenant.
(d)
The Japanese Consul General at Shanghai has publicly announced that the occupation by Japanese forces of Chinese territory east of the Shanghai-Woosung Railway in Chapei was in accordance with decision of the International Settlement authorities. The Chinese Government does not know whether this statement is true or not but if it is the Government contends that the decision was ultra vires.
(e)
The area south of Soochow Creek in western extremity of the International Settlement has usually been patrolled in times of emergency by British or American forces and British troops were there until afternoon of the 30th when they were replaced by Japanese marines. The latter thus have two sections of territory and are using the International Settlement as a base of operations. The Chinese authorities wish to reduce the area of conflict which has thus been enlarged and they wish to complain of this extension through the diplomatic representatives to the authorities of the Settlement.
(f)
The Chinese Foreign Office wishes to inquire merely for information whether it is true as reported that American marines are patrolling area south of Soochow Creek in eastern part of the Settlement and have arrested Japanese plain-clothes men there.
(g)
The principal officers of the Government who left Nanking, January 30th are Chiang Kai-shek, Wang Ching-wei, Feng Yu-hsiang, Li Chai-sum, and Chu Pei-teh. At least six Ministers remain.

Repeated to Department, Legation and Shanghai.

Peck