893.00/6–1347
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Chinese Affairs (Ringwalt)
On June 13, Counselor Tswen-ling Tsui of the Chinese Embassy transmitted by telephone the following oral statement from his Government on the recent Outer Mongolian—Sinkiang Border Incident.
According to a report from the Garrison Commander in Sinkiang, on June 5, Soviet planes invaded Chinese territory in Sinkiang. They bombed Peitashan, about 200 miles from the border of Sinkiang and Outer Mongolia, and strafed Chinese troops so as to protect the troops of Outer Mongolia in an attack on Chinese Garrison Forces at Peitashan. [Page 561] Both Chinese soldiers and civilians there suffered losses. In view of the fact that such acts on the part of the Soviet planes in invading Chinese territory are in violation of international law and particularly the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Amity,30 the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs31 instructed the Chinese Ambassador to Soviet Russia on June 10 to lodge a protest to the Soviet Government demanding that the Soviet Government punish those connected with this incident, and guarantee that there be no recurrence of such incidents. At the same time the Chinese Government reserved the right to demand compensation of the Soviet Government for losses sustained by Chinese civilians and soldiers.
The Chinese Ambassador has also been instructed to lodge a protest with the Outer Mongolian Minister at Moscow demanding that the Outer Mongolian troops be withdrawn immediately from Chinese territory.
Peitashan, which is about 200 miles east of Tihwa, is garrisoned by Chinese as well as Kazak troops which are loyal to the Chinese Government. The main purpose of this Soviet and Outer Mongolian invasion is to try by the use of force to intimidate the chieftain of the Kazak tribes in Sinkiang to be pro-Soviet; as well as to create disturbances in Sinkiang.
The Chinese Government has now instructed the loyal garrison forces to avoid aggravating the incident. The outcome will of course depend upon what action Soviet Russia and Outer Mongolia may take.