Office of the Historian

793.94/3047: Telegram

The Chargé in France (Shaw) to the Secretary of State

Paris, December 5, 1931—4 p.m.
[Received December 5—2 p.m.40]

845. From Ambassador Dawes: Following is text Chinese memorandum handed to Committee of Twelve this morning:

“The special diplomatic commission as the result of careful deliberation has formulated the conclusions and observations indicated below:

1.
China cannot accept the Japanese proposal for a neutral zone at Chinchow.
2.
The action of the Council on November 26 leaving to neutral observers the task of avoiding a clash between the Japanese and Chinese forces is deemed to have settled the Chinchow question.
3.
It is again pointed out that Great Britain, France and the United States not being favorably disposed to the idea of their taking a guarantee from Japan the conversation with the Ministers of these powers in Peiping did not result in any proposal along this line by China.
4.
Assuming the sincerity of Japan’s declaration that she has no intention of attacking Chinchow and assuming that Japan keeps her forces, which have now been withdrawn from the neighborhood of Chinchow, within the railway zone obviously the possibility of a clash is eliminated. Furthermore, an advance by Chinese troops in Chinchow in the direction of the Japanese stations is no part of Chinese policy.
5.
The people of China would view with surprise any yielding at this time by the Council to Japan’s request for a withdrawal of Chinese forces from China’s own territory.
6.
The reservations embodied in the Japanese proposal are so broad as to permit complete occupation of Manchuria by Japan. Clause 4, for example, contains a reservation which makes the entire scheme worthless from China’s point of view. Furthermore, the conditions may be regarded by Japan as relating to local district administration rather than provincial government or to some type of administration subservient to Japan; and Japan might claim the right to exclude certain classes of troops.
7.
As already cabled the laying out of a buffer zone cannot under the decision of the Central Political Council be acquiesced in by China unless some effective arrangement is concluded whereby the guarantees of organized units of foreign powers are provided. It must be understood that if Japan attacks Chinchow and Council is ineffective appropriate measures of self-defense by China are inevitable.
8.
This so-called question of Chinchow ought to be disassociated from the plan contemplated by the Council’s resolution because it is evidently raised by Japan for the purpose of side-tracking the real issue of evacuation.
9.
The neutral zone conception not only has no support in China but public feeling is running high against it. Both the Government and informed opinion generally consider the withdrawal of Chinese forces from Chinchow within the Great Wall is nothing short of an abandonment of China’s last position in Manchuria.
10.
The foregoing statement of China’s position should be at once conveyed to the Secretary-General of the League for circulation to the members of the Committee of Twelve.

Chinese Delegation, Paris, December 5, 1931.”

  • [Dawes]
  • Shaw
  1. Telegram in two sections.↩