793.94/6841: Telegram
The Counselor of Legation in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 28—9:50 a.m.]
18. 1. On January 28, 11 a.m., I called on the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs in pursuance of a standing invitation from him and questioned him in regard to recent reports of Japanese diplomatic activities. In my January 25, 5 p.m., I transmitted a statement made by an official of the Ministry of Finance as recounted to me by an American newspaper correspondent. My January 26, 1 p.m., paragraph (1) was based on statement made by a member of the Central Political Council as recounted to me by a Chinese newspaper correspondent. My Harbin [My January 28, 9 a.m?] reported informal statements by Madame Chiang. I regret that the general result of these items is to leave it in doubt whether such steps have actually been taken by the Japanese to draw the two countries closer together but an explanation of apparent conflicts is doubtless to be found in the practice of the Japanese Army to bring pressure to bear in many forms and through many channels simultaneously. I shall continue to explore other sources of information.
2. The Minister for Foreign Affairs denied that a proposal for an offensive and defensive alliance had been made to him either formally [Page 24] or informally or even a proposal for a nonaggression pact although he had received information that latter was under consideration by the Japanese Government.
3. He said his Government is investigating in countries the possibility of making a large loan but he denied that any affirmative steps had been taken toward concluding a Japanese loan.
4. He said that on many occasions the Japanese had pointed to the foreign advisers of many nationalities engaged by the Chinese Government and had not [now?] pressed for the employment of Japanese advisers civil and military to which the Chinese had replied that this must await restoration of friendly attitude to Chinese-Japanese relations.
5. The Minister for Foreign Affairs said that Hirota had informed the Chinese Minister in Tokyo of his desire to draw near China but the protectorate appeared to have been dropped.
6. The interview ended with a cordial assurance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs that if any change occurred in Chinese-Japanese relations he would inform me.