893.01/738
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hamilton)
Mr. Tsui, First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy, called at his request. He explained that he was acting on behalf of the Ambassador who is absent in California. Mr. Tsui said that the Chinese Embassy had received a telegraphic instruction from the Chinese Government to the effect that the Chinese Government had received information that the Italian Government had decided shortly to recognize the Wang Ching-wei regime and that the Italian Ambassador to China, now at Shanghai, who had never proceeded to Chungking to present his credentials to the Chinese Government, would proceed to Nanking in a few days. Mr. Tsui said that his Government has instructed the Embassy to bring this matter to the Department’s attention and to express the hope that this Government might, by calling the Italian Government’s attention to its obligations under [Page 305] the Nine Power Treaty, cause the Italian Government not to proceed with such a course of action. Mr. Tsui said that his Government had also sent instructions to the Chinese Embassy in Rome directing the Embassy to explore the situation there with a view to preventing such action by the Italian Government.
I told Mr. Tsui that I could make no definitive statement but that I would make record of what he had said and would bring it to the attention of appropriate officers here.