761.93/1570: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 30—6:40 a.m.]
115. 1. Foreign Office has released following statement in English to the press.
“The persistent reports in the Japanese press of an alleged secret treaty between China and Soviet Russia were deplored by Dr. T. T. Li, director of intelligence and publicity department of the Foreign Office, in the course of a press interview this afternoon.
Declaring that such reports were absolutely groundless, Dr. Li said that their repeated appearance in the Japanese newspapers in spite of China’s denials led to the suspicion of some willful purpose.
The circulation by the Japanese papers of such sensational but totally unfounded rumors, he emphasized, would in no way serve the cause of Sino-Japanese understanding.”
2. To Department. By mail to Peiping, Moscow and Tokyo.