Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/8791: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, July 16, 1937—11 a.m.
[Received July 16—10:50 a.m.]

285. My 284, July 15, 7 p.m.

1. The occasion of the informant’s presentation of Japan’s attitude toward China indicated to me hopeless divergence between their conceptions of fundamental issues. Informant described organization of society in Japan which makes the group responsible for individuals and enjoins the duty of admonishing neighbors who offend against the social code. He said it was foolish for the Chinese stubbornly to demand settlement of the political issues first of all when they have failed to demonstrate good faith with Japan by settling any practical details in dispute. He said China has repeatedly, rudely and most unwisely rebuffed Japan’s offers of friendship and of neighborly economic cooperation, as for example, when an economic mission recently visited China, so that even former advocates of the friendly policy of Shidehara¹⁷ are convinced that the Chinese respond favorably only to force. Chinese diplomacy at best consists of empty promises never fulfilled. Informant observed that whereas in one respect China occupied the superior position because China could exist even if “Japan were submerged in the ocean” and Japan could not possibly exist without economic relations with China, nevertheless in another respect Japan holds the superior position. His remarks showed that he meant Japan has the military power to enforce its will. Almost the only reasonableness conceded by the informant to China’s dislike of Japan was in connection with China’s objection to “Manchukuo” and he urged that the existence of this country is an unalterable fact which China in its own interest would be wise to recognize.

2. During informant’s explanation I exerted every effort to grasp his point of view and opposed no arguments beyond merely suggesting that the friendly advances of Japan possibly would be received more favorably if Japan would try to dissipate China’s fear. He said this policy had failed. He seemed ignorant of, or to dismiss as unworthy of argument, the prevalent Chinese belief that every so-called offer of “friendly economic cooperation” is attempted exploitation and the fear and indignation inspired in the Chinese by the idea of Japanese hegemony in the Far East as well as the suspicion prompting China to reject Japan’s offer of friendly supervision of China’s international and economic development which offer the Chinese believe is prompted solely by self interest. The informant admitted that China is imbued with a new and sometimes extreme nationalistic feeling but he strongly depreciated this feeling on the ground, as I inferred, that China has not sufficient military strength to justify it.

3. The informant recalled that he had at the first opportunity called on the American Ambassador when the latter was in Nanking and had tried to explain to him as he had to me true inwardness of Japanese feeling toward China. Among Chinese officials he had recently directed his efforts at persuasion principally at the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and the Interior. In leaving he expressed a wish to revive the “intimate relations” which he and I enjoyed during his service in Nanking about 3 years ago.

4. The informant impressed me with his sincere devotion to peace if Japan’s justifiable moderate expectations were met by China and it seemed to me that he expressed his honest conviction on all points. This impression has led me to report his remarks in detail although in condensed form as exhibiting the conflict between Japanese and Chinese views on even basic questions.

5. Sent to the Department and Peiping.

Peck

17. Baron Kijuro Shidehara, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs who retired in December 1931.