693.116/202: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)
57. Shanghai’s despatch no. 2947, February 27,61 in regard to embargo on imports of certain grades of cigarettes. In the absence of evidence of discrimination no basis is perceived for a protest against the application of this embargo to cigarettes containing American tobacco. The Department desires, however, that upon some suitable occasion in the near future you informally bring to the attention of the appropriate Chinese authorities the circumstance that any further depreciation in the Chinese currency will, under the existing regulations, cause the embargo to bear very heavily upon the sales of American leaf tobacco to China. Say that this Government fully appreciates the purpose of the Chinese Government in limiting the importation into China of articles classified as luxuries but hopes that it may be possible for the regulations to be so interpreted and administered as not to work undue hardship upon the importation into China of American leaf tobacco.
Sent to Chungking. Repeated to Shanghai.
- Not printed.↩