893.24/835
The Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the Chinese Embassy79
The Japanese have expressed great dissatisfaction with the reply of the British Government on the Burma route question, and are now clamouring for further pressure to be brought against the British.
We earnestly hope that the American Government will immediately make known its attitude so as to strengthen the stand of the British Government. In our opinion, the American Government can make it clear that the rights of free passage of American goods through Burma to China must be respected, and that if these rights are in any [Page 46] way prejudiced by Japanese action, the American Government will be prepared to retaliate by the strict enforcement of an embargo against Japan (which may include scrap iron and petrol).
Such a stand on the part of the American Government will have a halting effect on the Japanese and thus enable the British Government to resist the demands of the Japanese.
- Translation of telegram sent by hand on July 12 to the Department by the Chinese Embassy.↩