890.114 Narcotics/39
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
No. 1865
Chungking, November 29,
1943.
[Received December 16.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s
telegram no. 1653 November [September] 8, 10
a.m.22 and previous
correspondence, in
[Page 1082]
regard to the
abolition of opium smoking in territories freed from enemy occupation, and
to enclose a copy of a statement read by Dr. K. C. Wu, Political Vice
Minister for Foreign Affairs, at a press conference on November 24, 1943 in
which satisfaction is expressed in regard to a statement issued on November
10 by the British and Netherlands Governments announcing their decision that
opium smoking will be prohibited and opium monopolies will not be
reestablished in their territories to be freed from Japanese occupation.
In the second paragraph of the statement reference is made to the problem of
opium smoking in the Far Eastern territories of “certain powers” where most
of the victims were Chinese who, although they would have been severely
punished for smoking opium in China, “were allowed freely to indulge in this
vice” in those territories. In response to a correspondent’s question as to
the identity of these “certain powers” Dr. Wu is reported to have replied
that it was the intention of the Chinese Government not to make names too
clear.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure]
Statement Read by the Chinese Political Vice Minister
for Foreign Afairs (Wu) at a Press Conference November 1943
The Chinese Government has noted with great satisfaction the statement of
the British and the Netherlands Governments of November 10 announcing
their decision that opium smoking will be prohibited and opium
monopolies will not be re-established in their territories to be freed
from Japanese occupation. This announcement is most welcome for it has
been the constant policy of the Chinese Government to seek the
eradication of the abuse of opium, its derivatives and other dangerous
drugs. A two-year program for the suppression of the illegal use of
manufactured drugs and a six-year program for the suppression of opium
smoking have been strictly carried out in Free China since 1934 in spite
of the Sino-Japanese War. Since 1940, opium smoking and poppy
cultivation are absolutely prohibited in this country and it is the firm
intention of the Chinese Government to enforce this prohibition also in
all the areas which will be liberated from the Japanese occupation and
in which our enemy has been deliberately spreading the use of narcotics
in order to weaken our resistance and demoralize our people.
The Chinese Government has equally been concerned about the problem of
opium smoking in the Far Eastern territories of certain Powers, where
most of the victims were Chinese. Although opium smokers in China were
severely punished, Chinese nationals who lived in those territories were
allowed freely to indulge in this vice.
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Moreover, the fact that opium smoking was legally
allowed to exist impaired the success of the policy of total prohibition
of which China and the United States were the principal advocates, and
was inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the Hague Convention of
1912. The recent decision of the British and Netherlands Governments,
therefore, has filled a gap in the anti-opium front and augurs well for
the future co-operation of all the United Nations in their common
struggle against the scourge of drug addiction.
With regard to the question of limitation and control of opium production
mentioned in the statement made by the British and the Netherlands
Governments, it goes without saying that China strongly favours such
limitation and control as testified by the fact that China has already
prohibited the cultivation of poppy since 1940. In view of the recent
decision of the British and the Netherlands Governments, a satisfactory
solution of the opium problem has surely been brought much nearer than
before.
