793.94/8867: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:05 p.m.]
304. 1. The Foreign Office unofficially “for information” issued the following statement to the press last night:
“That military precautions taken by the Chinese Government are for no other purpose than self defense was emphasized by General Ho Ying Chin, Minister of War, in a talk with Major General Seirehe [Seiichi] Kita, Japanese Military Attaché, this afternoon.
Calling on the War Minister at 4 o’clock p.m., Major General Kita asked for the withdrawal of ‘Central Government troops’ from Hopei. He intimated that failure to comply with the request may result in the aggravation of the Sino-Japanese crisis which ‘is rapidly approaching the final state’.
General Ho told the Japanese visitor that the present tension in the north was entirely due to Japanese sending large military and air forces to Hopei since the outbreak of the Lukouchiao incident.
The War Minister reiterated China’s desire for a peaceful settlement as well as her intention not to aggravate the situation, but declared that precautionary measures were rendered necessary on account of the dispatch of large numbers of Japanese troops to North China.
These measures, General Ho emphasized, were purely for self defense and were without the least intent at provocation. General Ho said that all units of the Chinese Army were National forces and that there never was any distinction between ‘Central Government’ and ‘non-Central Government’ troops.
While defending China’s inalienable rights to have [move] her troops within her own territory, General Ho intimated, however, that if Japan withdraws her newly increased forces from Hopei the Chinese Government would consider making a similar move.
In conclusion, General Ho reminded the Japanese Military Attaché that whether or not the North China situation would be further aggravated depended solely upon the attitude of Japan”.
2. Sent to the Department and Peiping.