793.94/9000: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in China ( Lockhart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 27—4:30 a.m.]
303. Embassy’s 302, July 27, 1 p.m. A local Chinese official in a position to know the facts has informed the Embassy that the Chinese and Japanese sides entered into negotiations last night in regard to the demands for the withdrawal of the 37th Division, with Matsui87 representing the Japanese side; that verbal agreement was nearly reached in regard to certain items, but that a general agreement was yet to be reached; that negotiations were still in progress. The official intimated at the same time that the Chinese side would find it difficult to accept Japanese demands made without basis in reason; and this expression seems to accord fairly closely to that discovered in other important sections of Chinese opinion.
Repeated to Nanking and Tokyo.
- Col. Gennosuke Matsui, Peiping representative of the Japanese North China garrison.↩