893.79694/12: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—3:56 a.m.]
228. My despatch to the Department June 1574 reporting that the British Government had invited the Chinese Government to send China National Aviation Corporation planes to Hong Kong.
I have been reliably informed that about July 15 the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese Ambassador and recalled that the Chinese Government was insisting on an integral settlement of Sino-Japanese differences. Arita observed that this would be difficult to achieve but that agreement might possibly be reached in regard to individual questions. He said no individual agreement would bring such reassurance to the Japanese public as would China’s permission for Japanese commercial planes to ply between Fukuoka and Shanghai. The Chinese Government returned a refusal of this request in line with its consistent policy to establish contact with points outside China by means of Chinese planes only.
By mail to Tokyo.