893.00/12520: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 17—8:55 a.m.]
861. Reference Legation’s 847, November 11, noon [11 a.m.?] It is apparent that negotiations between Chinese officials at Peiping and Japanese have ceased as a result of the instruction sent from Nanking to General Huang Fu to refrain from making agreements with the Japanese with regard to customs, postal facilities and through railway traffic. The Vice Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army left Peiping on November 10th after a stay of 4 days and the Japanese Minister who has been in Peiping for the past month will leave for Shanghai on November 19th, both seemingly without accomplishing their objectives.
Local Chinese officials are extremely reticent about commenting on the situation but the First Secretary of the Japanese Legation, Mr. Suma, accompanying his Minister stated yesterday to a member of Legation staff that all negotiations had ceased and would not be resumed until they could be conducted on a solid basis. By this he apparently meant that they would not be resumed until the officials at Nanking had studied the proposals discussed at Peiping and had clarified their attitude toward negotiations with the Japanese.
The Japanese are apparently waiting quietly for the situation in [Page 458] Nanking to clear. Political observers point out, however, that if necessary the Japanese can bring pressure at the proper time to influence Nanking’s decisions by inciting disturbances such as those which occurred in the demilitarized area this autumn. Tokyo informed by mail.