793.94/16701: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Clubb) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9 p.m.]
Information obtained from various sources suggests the following analysis of the underlying reasons for Wang Ching-wei’s mission to Tokyo.
That Chinese politician has exercised nominal authority as head of a new government and a new Kuomintang for more than a year without contributing substantially to political rehabilitation in China. The opposition of Japanese army and navy groups in the field has prevented him from obtaining for his Government basic administrative powers, and the machinations of certain Chinese cliques abetted by Japanese elements have kept him from consolidating under one régime the several parts of occupied China; finally, he has failed in his original primary function of effecting peace between Chungking and Tokyo. Hampered by political factors, Wang is also confronted by a growth of economic distress in the area under his control which increases popular resentment against both him and the invaders.
The invitation to Wang to proceed to Tokyo therefore came when both partners were dissatisfied with the existing state of Sino-Japanese cooperation. An informed political personage states that Wang is determined to obtain substantial concessions in some respects (there were mentioned specifically the problems of military notes, transportation of commercial goods by railway, the Nanking army, the position of Wang Yi-tang); and the informant suggested that if Wang fails he may feel compelled to resign. Although such an eventuality [Page 510] is possible it would seem probable only if either Wang or the Japanese could discern a better alternative to the present arrangement. There are obvious political disadvantages which would derive from such a radical change at this time, Wang is reported to be supported by Abe,96 Honda and even Matsuoka, and new minor compromises and additional temporizing would appear to be more likely.
Wang is scheduled to begin his return journey June 28.
Sent to Peiping.
Repeated to the Department, Chungking, Shanghai. Code text by airmail to Tokyo.
- Gen. Nobuyuki Abe, former Japanese Prime Minister and Special Ambassador at Nanking, April-December 1940.↩