Office of the Historian

740.0011 PW (Peace)/10–947

The Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Wang) to the Secretary of State 61

strictly confidential

Aide-Mémoire on the Calling of a Peace Conference Regarding Japan

The Chinese Government deems it of great importance in the general effort to promote stability and expedite recovery in the Far [Page 529] East that the peace conference regarding Japan should ensure the participation of all Powers with a primary interest in the matter.

In the case of the Soviet Union, China has a particular reason for desiring to secure its co-operation in such a conference. Apart from the fact of geographical propinquity, Article II of the Sino-Soviet Treaty of August 14, 1945, provides:

“The High Contracting Parties undertake not to enter into separate negotiation with Japan and not to conclude, without mutual consent, any armistice or peace treaty either with the present Japanese Government or with any other government or authority set up in Japan which do not renounce all aggressive intentions.”

The non-participation of the Soviet Union in the said conference might give occasion to the Soviet Government to raise the question to the Chinese Government under the foregoing provision as to the propriety of China’s own participation and it is the consistent policy of the Chinese Government to abide by the Treaty and to give Soviet Russia no ground whatever for such deviation from it on her part as might seriously endanger the security of China and the Far East.

For this reason and also in the general interest of promoting international understanding and co-operation, the Chinese Government believes that every effort consistent with the primary purpose of convoking the peace conference regarding Japan should be made to secure the participation and co-operation of all the major Powers in the conference.

The Chinese Government considers that for the drafting of a peace treaty regarding Japan, the existing organization of the Far Eastern Commission and its procedure may be utilized or a conference with similar organization and procedure shall be called.

New York, October 9, 1947.
  1. Handed to the Secretary by Dr. Wang in New York on October 9.↩