793.94/6530
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 18.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith, as of possible interest, a memorandum of a conversation held on November 1692 between Mr. Y. Suma, First Secretary of the Japanese Legation, who accompanied his Minister on the latter’s recent trip to Peiping, and a member of the Legation staff.
Mr. Suma discussed negotiations at Peiping between Chinese officials and Japanese military and other authorities, asserting that negotiations had ceased and would not be resumed until they could be conducted on a solid basis; the separatist movement in Fukien Province, which he interpreted as being principally directed toward ousting certain allegedly pro-Japanese Chinese officials and as possibly having some connection with Mr. T. V. Soong; General Chiang Kai-shek’s anti-communist campaign, which Mr. Suma does not believe will succeed; and rumors with regard to American assistance to China, which he felt could be allayed to some extent by a freer interchange of information between Japanese and American officials.
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Legation
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