861.77 Chinese Eastern/250: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
752. In conversation with the Japanese Chargé d’Affaires yesterday, Horinouchi informed me as follows: [Page 299]
- 1.
- On August 16th Karakhan informed the Japanese Ambassador at Moscow that the Soviet Government had no intention of invading Chinese territory and that it was for the present simply watching developments. The Japanese Ambassador received the impression that Karakhan was at a loss as to what measures he should take; it was also a fact that the Chinese Minister at Berlin had a consultation and sought on this occasion, through the medium of the German Government, to arrange for preliminary informal negotiations but that these overtures had been rejected because of the apprehension of the Soviet Government that its consent to hold such informal discussions might be misinterpreted as evidence of a willingness on its part to hold unconditional negotiations without a return to the status quo ante. See Legation’s 673, August 5, 6 p.m.
- 2.
- On August 20th the Chinese Minister at Tokio in an interview with Baron Shidehara stated that the Soviet troops had, from their own territory, bombarded Chalainor, apparently with the purpose of cutting railway communications between Manchouli and Hailar. The Chinese had suffered about fifty casualties. Nanking had, however, instructed that a calm attitude should be maintained and that defensive measures only should be taken. (See Legation’s 729, August 18, 2 p.m.) The Chinese Minister also remarked that his Government was determined that a Russian should not be appointed as general manager of the Chinese Eastern Railway. Shidehara thereupon inquired whether this meant that the Chinese Government considered the 1924 agreement null and void; but he did not receive a satisfactory answer from the Minister who stated that he would have to refer the question to his Government.
- 3.
- Japanese Chargé d’Affaires also stated that Minister Yoshizawa (who left Peiping August 21st, for home) would be replaced as Minister by Sadao Saburi, formerly technical adviser on the Customs Conference66 and recently Counselor of Embassy at London. Yoshizawa would in the near future be appointed Ambassador to France. The above appointments although decided upon have not yet been officially announced.
MacMurray