893.00/5724: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 7—11 a.m.]
435. 1. Following is the most significant paragraph of the statement given to press by Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday.
“As Minister for Foreign Affairs I wish to speak frankly. We shall live up to the letter and spirit of our treaty engagements. In so doing we wish to remind the friendly powers that China has a right of her own existence. Any conditions derogatory to her rights to exist as a free and independent nation must by necessity be rectified by mutual arrangement as quickly as the exigency of circumstances requires. It will be my bounden duty to promote better understanding and to develop greater confidence between the Chinese people and Government and the peoples and governments of all friendly powers. We are particularly conscious of our duty in [collaboration?] with all neighboring and friendly powers to carry out the provisions of the Washington Conference and thus to ensure durable peace on the Pacific. For the attainment of that end, we the people of China, must first stand on our own feet. In the name of my fellow countrymen I [fervently?] invoke the assistance of and cooperation of all friends during the hour of our need.”
2. Preceding portion of statement contained justification of coup d’état of October 23rd and caustic criticism of previous administration of Government.
3. Quoted statement would seem necessarily to imply that Dr. Wang intends shortly to take up question of treaty revision.