393.1163/866: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China ( Clubb ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 11—7 a.m.]
6. Missionary rights. In a long statement issued to press February 8, Foreign Minister Chen, Reform Government, stated inter alia (translation): [Page 282]
“The missionaries in various places in our country are chiefly foreigners. In 1927, on one occasion there was discussion with the various missions in regard to the restriction of foreigners preaching in China, but as yet there is no result. This Ministry understands that in the area under the control of the Reform Government there are more than 6000 foreign missionaries, with more than 20 in the Nanking municipality. Those of French nationality are the most numerous. It is therefore intended to find means of reducing their numbers by stages, and where there are Chinese preachers of prestige foreign missionaries ought promptly to retire and their places be taken by Chinese Fathers (Catholic Priests) until such time as there are no missionaries of foreign nationality.”
The statement ends with the observation that all the items treated (a total of six) are urgent matters to be dealt with this year. A complete translation of the statements will be forwarded.91
Repeated Peiping, Shanghai.
- Not printed.↩