893.01 Manchuria/1479: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:10 p.m.]
18. Following is the Embassy translation of memorandum December 3 from Foreign Office:
[“]The Ministry of Foreign Affairs present its compliments to the American Embassy and has the honor to state that it has received a telegraphic report from the Chinese Embassy at Rome to the effect that the Italian Government of [on] November 29 announced its recognition of the false regime of the Three Eastern Provinces and the establishment of a Legation at Changchun.
The action of the Italian Government in this regard is clearly in contravention of the Washington Nine Power Treaty of 1922,72 the [Page 947] provisions of the Covenant of the League of Nations,73 and the principles of the various resolutions of the League of Nations concerning the Sino-Japanese affair. The Chinese Ambassador to Italy has filed a protest with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a memorandum to the Italian Ambassador to China announcing reservation of the position hitherto adopted by China in the matter. Apart from transmitting copies of the memorandum to the Secretary of the League of Nations for its files and for distribution to the governments of members’ countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honor to transmit herewith to the American Embassy a copy of the memorandum mentioned above and a translation thereof with the request that they be forwarded to the American Government.”74
Following is Foreign Office translation of enclosure mentioned above:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Italian Embassy and has the honor to call its attention to a report dated November 29 from the Chinese Embassy at Rome to the effect that the Italian Government has announced on that day as [its?] recognition of the so-called ‘Manchukuo’ and the establishment of a legation at Changchun.
The action of the Italian Government in this regard is in contravention of the Washington Nine Power Treaty of February 6, 1922 to which it is a party and inconsistent with the provision of the Covenant of the League of Nations and the resolutions reputedly adopted by the League in regard to the Sino-Japanese controversy. In view of the traditional friendship between China and Italy, the Chinese Government deeply regrets that such action has been taken. The Italian Embassy is requested to inform its Government of the Chinese Government’s determination to maintain the position hitherto adopted by it in this matter.”
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Peiping, latter repeat by mail to Tokyo.
- Foreign Relations, 1922, vol. i, p. 276.↩
- Foreign Relations, The Paris Peace Conference, 1919, vol. xiii, p. 69.↩
- The Secretary General of the League of Nations circulated the Chinese protest on December 4.↩