893.00/13098: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:05 p.m.]
116. 1. During the call today on Administrative Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tang stated that in spite of difficulties over recent murder of eight [two?] Chinese editors in Tientsin and intramural penetration of Japanese troops reported in press May 21 and 22, conditions in North were becoming “more quiet,” and he indicated that first-mentioned problem was now easily settled. However, both Suma of Japanese Embassy here and Director of Department of Asiatic Affairs of the Foreign Office, say that the Japanese military and other elements regard this matter seriously and are making their dissatisfaction over it known to the Chinese.
2. In regard to the reported Japanese troop movement toward Tsunhwa, Tang said that the Japanese had accused the Chinese authorities of conniving with Sun Yung-chin but now realized that the accusation was unjustified. Tang’s explanation was that Sun, being a leader of a group of so-called volunteers, had been driven from Jehol through the Great Wall and approached Tsunhwa for lack of another convenient place to which to flee and that the Chinese authorities were attempting to effect removal of the group to some place outside the demilitarized zone. He added that the Tangku Truce denied the right of either armed Chinese troops or Japanese troops to enter the zone but the Japanese had misinterpreted the agreement to give themselves the right, following their withdrawal under its terms, to reenter the area in case of trouble there.