Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1929, Volume II

861.77 Chinese Eastern/76

The Chinese Minister (C. C. Wu) to the Secretary of State¹⁰

undated

[Translation]

Manifesto of Chinese Government

During 1919 and 1920 the new Russian Government repeatedly published to the Chinese people and Government declarations of friendship which the latter, in accordance with their long cherished principle of universal brotherhood and peace, readily accepted with an open heart.

Hence the Sino-Russian Agreement of 1924 was signed definitely establishing the relations of the two countries. Since then, the Chinese Government and people have never failed to deal with the Russian Government and people in a spirit of frankness and mutual assistance.

However in the course of 1927 there was repeatedly discovered both in the north and south of China the fact that the Soviet Government was utilizing its Embassy, consulates, and state commercial agencies to carry on communist propaganda and to harbor communists with the object of overthrowing the Chinese Government and disrupting Chinese national unity.

For this reason the Chinese Government was constrained to withdraw recognition from the diplomatic and consular representatives of Soviet Russia in China and to suspend the Soviet state commercial agencies in order to prevent sudden uprisings and disturbances. The Chinese Government however still entertained the hope that the Soviet Government would realize its mistakes and that normal relations between the two countries might be gradually restored. This was the reason that during the past few years the Chinese Government has tolerated and permitted those Soviet diplomatic, consular, and trading representatives and other state commercial agencies that have remained in northern China, to carry on their functions.

On May 27, 1929, the Soviet communist leaders in northern Manchuria held a communist propaganda meeting of the Third International at the Soviet Consulate in Harbin. They were surprised and caught by the Chinese authorities of the Special Area of the Eastern Provinces. During the search at the consulate, documents were found disclosing Soviet plots for the destruction of the political unity of China, for the organization of a corps of assassins to be active in Nanking, Mukden and other important centres, and for the organization of a secret army to destroy the Chinese Eastern Railway. Other evidence was also discovered proving conclusively an attempt to carry on communist propaganda and to aggravate the internal strife in China. Most of the culprits arrested were important officials of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the managers and members of committees of the Railway Labor Union, the Soviet Central Trading Association, the Soviet Shipping Bureau, the Soviet Far Eastern Petroleum Syndicate and the Far Eastern State Trading Bureau. To remove the source of trouble and to maintain peace and order, the local authorities asked the Government that appropriate measures be adopted in regard to the Railway and to close the above-mentioned Soviet organizations. Such remedial methods of dealing with the situation were entirely within the realm of necessity, as the Chinese Government and people with their tradition of peace, would never overreach themselves even though under compelling circumstances.

Unfortunately, the Government of Soviet Russia failed to realize its mistakes and suddenly on July 13 presented a note to China embodying conditions contrary to the facts of the case, and demanding a reply within a specified time.

The Chinese Government in accordance with its traditional and consistent policy of forbearance, sent an appropriate reply based on the facts of the case hoping that the Soviet Government would come to a self-realization and that the pending questions between China and Russia might find a reasonable and legitimate solution through negotiation.

A second note from the Soviet Government again ignores the facts of the case and raises further complications. It announces (1) the recall of the Soviet diplomatic, consular and commercial representatives in China, (2) the recall of all Soviet officials of the Chinese Eastern Railway, (3) the suspension of railway communication between China and Russia, and (4) the demand that all Chinese diplomatic and consular representatives in Russia at once leave Russian territory. The entire text of the communication contains nothing but empty phrases designed to mislead the world. No reference whatever was made to China’s proposal in the reply dated July 17 suggesting the dispatch of a representative for negotiation. This is sufficient proof of the customary evasion of Soviet Russia in its international dealings as well as of its aggressive aspirations towards China and its determination to violate the Agreement.

In sum, the precipitation of the present incident of the Chinese Eastern Railway represents the culmination of the violation by the Soviet Government of the Agreement of 1924, the instructions to the Soviet consular authorities in Harbin and the utilization of the organization and staff of the Chinese Eastern Railway for the purpose of communist propaganda, and the attempts to overthrow the Chinese Government and to disturb the peace in Manchuria without stopping at the falsification of the seals of diplomatic and consular authorities of various other countries. It is not merely a question of the rights over the Chinese Eastern Railway.

Furthermore the Agreement of 1924 was concluded in the spirit that the Chinese Eastern Railway should be a purely commercial organization. It is clearly provided therein that the contracting parties pledge themselves not to engage in propaganda directed against the political and social systems of either contracting party. Soviet Russia, however, has not only utilized the Railway, its staff and its revenues for communist propaganda and to assist various counter-revolutionary elements in China, but is engaged in plotting for the overthrow of the Chinese Government. This at once constitutes a total violation of the spirit of the Agreement and an illegal action in breach of international good faith. Having discovered that the Soviet Government’s illegal utilization of the Railway and its consulates for the purpose of carrying out assassinations, instigating internal strife in China and organizing secret corps for destructive purposes, the Chinese Government, in its action in regard to the Railway has but acted in self-defense. It was a justifiable measure for prevention of crime.

Various documentary evidence discovered at the Soviet consulate in Harbin is therefore published for the information of the friendly Powers of the world in order to reveal the true facts upon which correct judgment may be based and to emphasize the seriousness of the Soviet responsibility in cutting off international communication, in disregarding the principles of justice and the agreement, and in attempting to create internal disturbance in China.

China however will devote itself to the maintenance of peace, as it is the cherished wish of the Government and people that world peace be preserved. She will, to the utmost of her ability and consonant with the right of self-protection, abide by the spirit of the Treaty for the Renunciation of War. The right of self-defense is an undeniable right, and should the Soviet Government flagrantly violate it, the responsibility for the breach of peace must rest entirely upon the Soviet Union and not upon China.

The Chinese Government and people earnestly hope that the Governments and peoples of the various Powers will take note of the Chinese Government’s exposure of the Soviet plots for internal uprisings and communist propaganda in China as well as the documentary evidence of schemes to destroy China’s unity, to resort to assassination, and to organize secret corps to damage the Chinese Eastern Railway.

The Chinese Government also declares that the railway communication between Russia and China is not a matter in which only China and Russia have interest; and that in cutting off the Chinese Eastern Railway, the Soviet Government must assume the full responsibility for the disruption of international communications.

10. This undated document was received in the Department July 23, 1929. In telegram No. 606, July 21, 3 p.m., the Minister in China conveyed the information that the manifesto had been issued by the Nanking Government the evening of July 19, 1929 (861.77 Chinese Eastern/56).