Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1932, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/4374

Statement of the Chinese Government³³

undated

With the full realization of its responsibility to the civilized world and willingness to submit the accuracy of these statements to an impartial international inquiry and adjudication the Chinese National Government presents the following summary of the Sino-Japanese imbroglio from its inception.

At no time since the Russo-Japanese War has the Chinese Government doubted the purpose of Japan to seize Manchuria whenever an opportune occasion arose. At the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War which was fought chiefly on China’s soil against China’s protests, Japan put strong pressure on China to implement Japan’s gains from Russia and to grant Japan additional special privileges impairing China’s sovereignty and contravening the Open Door policy in Manchuria. China resisted those demands to the utmost of her ability.

When the World War arose Japan took advantage of the preoccupation of the Powers and China’s military weakness to present the Twenty-one Demands which if conceded would have destroyed China’s sovereignty not only in Manchuria but in other parts of China as well. Under Japan’s ultimatum China was forced to concede some of those demands which she did under protest and so notified all friendly powers.

At the Paris Peace Conference, at the Washington Conference and before the League of Nations China reiterated her protests to those exactions of Japan and repudiated them on all suitable occasions. At the Washington Conference China refused to conduct separate negotiations with Japan and insisted that the Sino-Japanese questions must be discussed in purview of the whole conference. By signing the Nine Power Treaty at Washington China’s territorial integrity and administrative autonomy was guaranteed by all the Powers and it was definitely stated that Manchuria was an integral part of China’s territory. That Treaty also provided for appeal to the signatory powers in the event of disagreement about the interpretation of the Treaty and infraction of its terms.

Subsequent to the signing of the Nine Power Treaty the Chinese Government has invariably in its relations with Japan and other Powers insisted on observing the terms of the principles of that Treaty but owing to Japan’s continuously trying to step outside the Treaty and insist on having special rights in China especially in Manchuria the Chinese Government has been unable to avoid disputes and frictions with Japan which when serious China tried to refer to the League of Nations and the Court of International Justice. China gladly became a party to the Kellogg-Briand Pact renouncing force as a means to settle international disputes and obtain political objectives and has associated herself with all similar plans to secure peace. On several occasions China sought without success to invoke the provision of the League of Nations Covenant that obsolete and unsatisfactory treaties might be revised.

That broadly was the situation last September when without any provocation justifying such action the Japanese troops attacked the Chinese at Mukden and usurped the control there. A careful analysis shows without doubt that Japan’s military coup was premeditated and carefully planned. Dispositions were commenced days before September the eighteenth.

It is scarcely necessary to review the events in Manchuria since then. By using various pretexts the Japanese army has overturned Chinese authority in Manchuria and taken control of almost the whole of those provinces while China appealed in vain to the League of Nations and other peace pacts.

At times since the Mukden attack Japan has tried to draw the Chinese Government into separate negotiations but China, following the precedents set at Paris, Washington and Geneva, has refused to negotiate without the presence or participation of neutral powers knowing full well that she cannot singly resist Japan’s pressure backed by its unbridled military force which aims at the annexation of Manchuria.

Those tactics failing to frighten the Chinese Government Japan decided to carry military action into the heart of China showing her contempt and indifference to the world’s opinion with the purpose of convincing the Chinese that it was hopeless to appeal for outside help. During four months of continuous Japanese military aggression the indignation of the Chinese people was aroused to the highest pitch while the Chinese Government already harassed by natural calamities was faced with the task of dealing with an invasion from without and restraining popular feelings within.

Having sent naval forces to Shanghai with the stated purpose to protect the Japanese residents’ property there the Japanese Government presented through the Japanese Consul-General certain demands to the Chinese local authorities at Shanghai requiring complete acquiescence by six o’clock P.M. on January 28th. At two o’clock that afternoon the Chinese replied fully accepting Japan’s demands and was assured by the Japanese Consul-General that the reply was satisfactory. Nevertheless at midnight that night the Japanese naval forces advanced into the Chinese territory and attacked the Chinese police and garrison troops. The Chinese Government has no doubt that disinterested foreigners on the scene have more or less correctly informed the world of the events at Shanghai since January the 28th, but the Chinese Government wishes to emphasize the following points.

The Japanese naval and military forces have used the international settlement at Shanghai both as a base for their attacks on the Chinese police and troops and as a sanctuary where they can retire when repulsed and for recuperation and re-supply.

The Chinese troops defending China’s soil from the ruthless invaders have been unable to reply effectively to the Japanese attacks without endangering the lives and property of thousands of friendly neutral foreigners residing in the International Settlement and surrounding suburbs and have been unable to pursue their Japanese attackers without risking a conflict with friendly neutral foreign police and troops protecting the Settlement.

The Japanese naval and military forces have used riverfront docks within the International Settlement to land their troops, artillery and supplies. The Japanese warships anchored at the Whangpoo River alongside the International Settlement fired over the Settlement at the Chinese forces resisting the Japanese attacks in the Chinese territory outside the Settlement and the Chinese artillery cannot reply effectively without gravely endangering scores of neutral vessels in the port. The Japanese flagship with the Japanese Admiral and Staff directing attacks lies alongside the wharf near the center of the Settlement.

The Japanese airplanes bombed all parts of the Chinese sections at Shanghai and also parts of the International Settlement and then withdrew over the mid-section of the International Settlement.

The Japanese military forces and civilian ununiformed elements have killed and injured presently an incalculable number of Chinese—peaceable, unarmed men, women and children—estimated between one and two thousand, and imprisoned and maltreated many others and executed many without trial.

Japanese bombings and fires started by bombs already have destroyed property roughly estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Japanese Government excuses these atrocities by alleging military peril due to the proximity of the Chinese troops. The Chinese Government solemnly declares that excuse as a transparent pretext. It is impossible to send Japanese troops anywhere in China without being surrounded by Chinese population and near Chinese troops occupying their regular stations. The Japanese military forces have pushed forward into China’s territory always making the excuse that nearby the Chinese troops constitute a menace. It is evident that such reasoning provides an excuse for the complete conquest of China by Japan.

When the United States, Great Britain and France supported by Germany and Italy recently presented to Japan and China a note in five categories designed to end the hostilities to bring about a liquidation of this situation worse than war, the Chinese Government without hesitation accepted the proposals of the Powers in full.

In flatly turning down at first the proposals of the International Shanghai Defense Committee, then the Powers’ five proposals and more recently still British Admiral Kelly’s scheme, Japan is thus closing every avenue to peace, leaving China no alternative but to continue to adopt appropriate measures of self-defense to the best of her ability.

The Chinese Government asks the world to contrast the known facts on Japan’s acts in China during the last few months with the Japanese Government’s latest statement that: “It is the immutable policy of the Japanese Government to ensure tranquility in the Far East”. Also contrast Japan’s statement that: “Her troops are in China only to discharge international duty”. With the efforts of the League of Nations and Washington the Treaty Powers induce Japan to withdraw her troops from China and cease warfare. Also contrast Japan’s frequent declarations that she has no territorial ambitions vis-à-vis China with her refusal to submit Manchuria and other Sino-Japanese questions before a conference of Treaty Powers. Also contrast Japan’s acts at Shanghai causing an immense destruction of property of all nationals and loss of lives with her statement that she has acted at Shanghai only to protect the lives and property. Also contrast Japan’s latest statement that she has acted at Shanghai in cooperation with other foreign defense forces and foreign municipal authorities with the latest statement of the Shanghai Foreign Municipal Council that: “The Japanese Government and not the Municipal Council is solely responsible for acts of the Japanese armed forces in Shanghai”.

The Chinese Government positively denies that the Chinese have violated the temporary truce arranged on January the 29th. Because of the suddenness of the armistice it was not possible to get orders to all outposts resulting during the night in desultory firing between the outposts of both sides. The Japanese command resumed attacks at daybreak on January the 30th.

Since Japan’s astounding action at Mukden in last September it has been the unswerving policy of the Chinese Government to avoid by all means at its command to an outright state of war and to that end endured intense humiliation, risked its own existence in the face of popular feeling in the hope that world wide pacific measures might check Japan’s reckless course. Despite the failure so far of pacific agencies the Chinese Government adheres to its faith in world justice but cannot passively submit to Japan’s invasion into China’s territory and the slaughter of Chinese people and therefore solemnly declares to the world that she will continue to resist in self-defense against Japan’s attacks at all points and with all forces at its command.

The Chinese Government further declares that it is China’s desire to settle the issues in connection with the present crisis in purview of interested Powers and in accordance with the principles guaranteeing the world peace and the sovereignty, independence, and territorial and administrative integrity of China.

33. Received by the Chinese Legation, February 12; handed to the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs by the Counselor of the Chinese Legation, apparently on February 13.