793.94/5302: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 6—2:25 a.m.]
618. Following from Reuter, Nanking, June 5th:
“With reference to Viscount Saito’s speech yesterday44 a spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Office today stated that the Shanghai agreement would not limit the movements of Chinese troops which have perfect freedom to move in Chinese territory. The Chinese troops are now remaining at their original posts instead of Viscount Saito’s allegation that they are the prescribed distance from Shanghai.
As regards Viscount Saito’s statement concerning the origin of the trouble at Shanghai the spokesman said he regarded the statement as unilateral saying that the causes of the Shanghai incident were due to Japanese aggression and if Japan did not adopt hostile action nothing untoward could happen at Shanghai.
The spokesman stated that China is willing to attend round-table conference if it is of the nature of the Washington Conference and aimed at the settlement of the Sino-Japan issue as a whole.
With reference to Manchukuo the spokesman declared that at first the Japanese Government denied any active support for Manchukuo but now Viscount Saito openly announced support for the new state. This fact is making the Chinese authorities more suspicious of Japanese sincerity in international dealings.”