Office of the Historian

693.002 Manchuria/263: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, September 16, 1932—11 a.m.
[Received September 16—1:20 a.m.]

234. The Embassy has received a telegram dated September 15 from the “Foreign Minister of Manchukuo” of which the following is a summary:

Since Manchukuo has been received as an independent state it can no longer place the Republic of China on the same footing as the territory of Manchukuo in regard to customs, the tariff, commerce and navigation, and China will hereafter be treated as entirely alien nation. The following regulations will therefore be enforced from September 25, 1932:

1.
Export duties at present rates shall be imposed on merchandise forwarded to China from Manchukuo by land or sea.
2.
Import duties at present rates shall be imposed on merchandise entering Manchukuo from China by land or sea.
3.
Regarding tonnage dues, certificates issued by China showing that such dues have been paid will have no validity in Manchukuo.
4.
Rights of inland or riparian navigation shall not be recognized between the various seaports of China and those of Manchukuo and permits granting such rights issued by China shall have no validity in Manchukuo.
5.
Customs stations shall be established at Shanhaikwan and other necessary points for collection of duties.

Reasonable consideration will be given to goods which had without knowledge of the new situation been shipped from ports outside China prior to date of enforcement of the new ruling and which having paid import duties at ports of China may arrive at ports of Manchukuo after date of enforcement.

Copy by mail.

Repeated to Peiping.

Grew