793.94/15483
The President of the Chinese Executive Yuan (Kung) to President Roosevelt 94
Dear Mr. President: I take great pleasure in sending you this message of remembrance and greetings through Dr. W. W. Yen, former Chinese Ambassador to Washington, who is on his way to attend the Institute of Pacific Relations Conference in Victoria as head of the Chinese Delegation.
Allow me to thank you for your esteemed letter95 received sometime ago through the courtesy of the American Embassy here and for your kind sentiments expressed therein toward the Chinese Government and people. Through Ambassador Johnson I was glad to learn also that you were enjoying good health and giving close and sympathetic consideration to the situation in China.
It is a source of satisfaction to me, as it must be to you also, to note the extension of economic cooperation between our two countries, particularly at the present moment. For your leadership which has [Page 707] made such friendly cooperation possible, I wish to assure you of my hearty appreciation.
I cannot let this opportunity pass without expressing my high admiration of the courageous and statesmanlike step you have recently taken in declaring the abrogation of the American Trade Treaty with Japan. Prompted though it was by the necessity of protecting America’s commercial interests, this timely measure was heartily welcomed and appreciated in China, especially as it came at a time when international developments were none too encouraging. I cannot sum up the reaction of the Chinese nation better than to quote Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek who, only a few days before the world knew of your historic move, expressed the following belief: “The power making for justice held in the hands of friendly nations is now in process of gathering energy, and when the fitting moment comes it will make itself felt in a very effective manner. We believe that no friends will abandon or betray us while we ourselves remain sound and upright.”
To you, Mr. President, I need hardly say that China is in effect fighting the battle of all democratic nations. The oft-recurring incidents in which the Japanese have trampled upon American rights and interests with impunity make me feel indeed sorry that our invaders have, in their undeclared war in this land, brought American rights and interests within the ambit of their lawlessness and aggression. Clearly, for America to help China financially and otherwise in checking the aggressor’s ambition is to safeguard the security of America itself. On the other hand, I feel confident that if America should exert the full weight of its economic pressure on Japan, the latter’s feet of clay must give way.
I look forward to ever closer friendship and cooperation between our two countries under your illustrious leadership.
With kindest personal regards,
Sincerely yours,