793.94/5993
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to the Chinese
Legation21
Nanking, February 23, 1933.
The following is the reply to the Japanese memorandum already despatched
to the Japanese Legation:
- “(1) Since September 18, 1931, Japan has effected the
military occupation of the Three Eastern Provinces and has
established therein a puppet regime. Japan is now again
concentrating large forces and attacking Jehol which, like
the Three Eastern Provinces, is an integral part of China’s
territory. The Chinese Government, in despatching troops to
Jehol for the defence against external military aggression,
is exercising its inherent sovereign right. That the
Japanese Government should demand the withdrawal of Chinese
forces from Jehol is manifestly to extend the sphere of such
aggression and to further violate the territorial
sovereignty of China. The Japanese Government should
therefore be absolutely responsible for the invasion of
Jehol. As for the puppet regime in the Three Eastern
Provinces, it is a Japanese creation pure and simple—a fact
which is known to the whole world. For all its illegal
activities, Japan
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should all the more bear the entire responsibility. Against
the puppet regime in the Three Eastern Provinces and the
so-called Japan-Manchukuo protocol,22 the
Chinese Government has repeatedly lodged strong protests
with the Japanese Government, declaring that the Chinese
Government could never give them recognition. It is
therefore unnecessary to enlarge on this subject.
- “(2) That Japan should bear the full responsibility for
the attack on Jehol has already been stated. The fact that
Japan is not only bent upon attacking and seizing Jehol but
also declares that her military operations may be extended
to North China is sufficient to prove that her long
cherished policy of aggression remains unchanged. Chinese
troops, in resisting Japanese troops and other forces under
Japanese direction or command in Jehol or in taking
necessary defensive measures in any other part of Chinese
territory, will be acting within their rights. If the
Japanese military operations should spread to North China,
Chinese troops will naturally exercise their right of
self-defence in protection of Chinese territory. Full
responsibility for any situation which may be thus brought
about should be borne by Japan.
- “(3) General Tang Yu-lin, Chairman of Jehol Province, is
the high Provincial authority of the Chinese Government.
Being in command of Chinese military forces in Jehol, he has
the duty to defend that Province. The statement made by the
Japanese Government concerning the Chairman of Jehol
Province must be regarded as a deliberate affront. The
Chinese Government hereby lodges its protest.”
