793.94/14212
The President of the Chinese Executive Yuan (Kung) to President Roosevelt74
Dear Mr. President: As Mr. K. P. Chen, Adviser of the Ministry of Finance, is coming to your country, I am pleased to take this opportunity to convey to you through him my best wishes and sincere greetings. I recall the great kindness you extended to me during my sojourn in Washington last year, and enjoyed the luncheon and talk with you.
On Mr. Chen’s departure for America, we recall with renewed appreciation the kind reception which you extended to him and his colleagues during their monetary mission to Washington in 1936 and particularly the friendly cooperation of your Government which made his mission a success.
Mr. Chen is now coming to America on another mission. Your friendship towards our Government justifies my hope that Mr. Chen’s mission will again receive the ready assistance of your Government.75
[Page 273]Ever since the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese hostilities, you and your Government and people have shown unmistakable signs of friendship towards China. Your sympathy and moral support of our national cause and the humanitarian services which your nation has rendered in the relief of our war refugees have won the deep gratitude of our Government and people. The timely and courageous utterances you have made in the interest of peace and justice, particularly, not only represent America’s traditional policy in the Far East but ring through the world like clarion calls warning all peace-loving and democratic peoples against the grave dangers of the forces of aggression and lawlessness. Indeed, they symbolize America’s moral leadership in world affairs, so ably strengthened by your statesmanship.
Much as we regret the interruptions to our financial and economic development that have been caused by Japan’s armed aggression, we are nevertheless resolutely and courageously facing the urgent problems that confront us in the present crisis. I need hardly say that the continued friendship and assistance of America will not only be helpful in the successful prosecution of our war against Japan’s aggression but will be even more valuable when we come to tackle the greater problems that will arise at the end of the hostilities. I have every confidence that, under your illustrious leadership, our two nations will cooperate closer than ever in protecting our common ideals of peace and democracy in the Pacific and in promoting your noble policy of “Good Neighborhood.”
I am [etc.]