693.0023/2–447: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 4—2:36 a.m.]
196. Following is full text Foreign Office note dated Feb. 1 handed to Minister Counselor by Vice Minister Foreign Affairs on Feb. 3:
“The Minister for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to His Excellency the American Ambassador and has the honor to refer to the Embassy’s note of Jan. 6, 194721 on the subject of port of Dairen.
Under the Chinese-Soviet agreement of August 14, 1945 concerning Dairen, the Chinese Government agrees to declare Dairen a free port open to the commerce and shipping of all nations. It is expressly provided in the agreement that the administration in Dairen belongs to China and that Dairen is not subject to the supervision or control of the military authorities in Port Arthur except in case of war against Japan.
Since the surrender of Japan, it has been the intention of the Chinese Government to effect prompt implementation of the provisions of the above-mentioned agreement and to open the port of Dairen to international commerce. On account, however, of the existence of certain de facto obstacles, the Chinese Government has so far been unable to take over the administration of Dairen, although earnest efforts have been made to overcome these obstacles. For the same reasons, attempt to restore traffic on the Chinese–Changchun railway have also proved unsuccessful up to the present.
The Chinese Government entirely shares the view that the implementation of the agreements concerning Dairen and the Chinese–Changchun [Page 490] railway22 would contribute considerably to the re-establishment of normal conditions in the Far East, and wishes to assure the United States Government that the most earnest efforts have been and will continue to be made to this end.”