761.93/1456: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 9—6:14 a.m.]
637. Following from American Consul at Nanking:
“June 8, 2 p.m. The following has been told me by an unofficial but generally reliable source: On June 6 Chiang Kai-shek and Wang Ching-wei held a long argument regarding the proposed resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. Chiang has always opposed this step and Wang favors it. Chiang yielded and at the meeting of the Central Political Council held the same day five resolutions were passed including decisions as follows:
- 1.
- To make positive proposals to Moscow for the resumption of diplomatic relations.
- 2.
- To send full powers to Chinese diplomats at important capitals to explain to foreign governments confidentially that resumption of relations with Russia would not indicate any relaxation on the part of China of efforts to suppress communistic activities in China.
- 3.
- To issue an explanation of generally similar purport to the Chinese nation.
- 4.
- A resolution setting forth the object of the proposed resumption of relations as the hastening of war between Russia and Japan.
These resolutions were passed at a very secret meeting. It was explained to me that the object of the preliminary statements to foreign governments was to prevent foreign nations, especially France, from extending aid to Japan as an offset to the increase of Soviet influence in China.
My informant thought that probably representations had already been made to the more important foreign governments including the United States and that a public statement would be issued by the Chinese Government within a day or so. My informant agreed with me in thinking that one object of the Chinese Government in reopening diplomatic relations may be to make it possible to obtain munitions from Europe by a land route. My informant also said that secrecy was being observed by the Chinese Government in this connection in order to prevent a premature disclosure being utilized by Japan to enlist for herself the sympathy of Great Britain, the United States and other countries on the pretext of a threatened alliance between China and Soviet Russia. He explained that the Chinese Government did not have an alliance in mind but merely relations [Page 71] with Soviet Russia such as that country has with other powers. My informant said that the departure of Chiang Kai-shek for Hankow June 7, 6 p.m., was intended to convince foreign governments that the Chinese Government still intends to suppress communistic activities in China.[”]