793.94/5962
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to the Chinese
Legation20
Nanking, February 23, 1933.
Mr. Uyemura, Secretary of the Japanese Legation, handed to Dr. Lo the
following memorandum at five p.m. today:
- “(1) The presence of troops under Chang Hsueh-liang and
other anti-Manchukuo forces is incompatible not only with
the sovereignty of Manchukuo but also with the restoration
of peace and order in
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Jehol. The Manchukuo army is now
putting into execution its plan to exterminate bandits and
remnants of soldier-bandits in the Province of Jehol and the
Japanese army is obligated to give assistance to it under
the terms of the Protocol concluded between Japan and
Manchukuo. Manchukuo government has repeatedly demanded
Chang Hsueh-liang to withdraw his troops to regions inside
of the Great Wall but these demands were unheeded. Should
this campaign in Jehol lead to an armed conflict between the
Japanese army in cooperation with the Manchukuo army and
Chang Hsueh-liang’s troops and other anti-Manchukuo forces,
it will be entirely due to the presence of Chang
Hsueh-liang’s troops in Jehol and the responsibility shall
therefore rest with China who has rejected the demands of
Manchukuo.
- “(2) The activities of the Japanese troops in Jehol whose
aim is the purification of Jehol Province as stated above
and who are in cooperation with Manchukuo forces have no
other objective than to insure order and tranquility in that
Province. In principle, they will remain within the
territory of Manchukuo. But if Chang Hsueh-liang’s troops
and other anti-Manchukuo forces persist in taking positive
action it will be difficult to guarantee that fighting will
not spread to North China. If any situation should arise as
a result thereof the responsibility shall rest entirely with
China.
- “(3) Manchukuo has always accorded generous treatment to
anti-Manchukuo forces who surrender themselves. Should Tang
Yu-lin and his troops as well as other anti-Manchukuo forces
surrender to Manchukuo, they will be dealt with leniently in
accordance with the policy hitherto followed.”
