'Comments on Note to Belgian' Government Refusing Invitation to Nine-Power Parleys Nanking, Nov. 2.
'EMINENTING on the statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Office on October 28, a Waichiaopu spokesman made the following observations:
"The note sent by the Japanese Government to the Belgian Embassy in Tokyo on October 27 and the lengthy statement issued on the following day purporting to be a clarification of Japan's stand in respect of her refusal to participate in the forthcoming Nine-Power Conference at Brussels, not only contain many unwarranted statements concerning China but also show a definite antipathy toward the efforts of the League of Nations and the Uniled States for the re-establishment of peace.
"The Japanese statement contended that the fundamental cause of the the puppet Manchoukuo and the so-Sino-Japanese conflict was the antly called "East Hopel Autonomour foreign policy of the Chinese Gov-Council,' she is now busily engaged ernment' since the Revolution of In the creation of a so-called 'Mon~ 1011, especially in its anti-Japanese kukuo,' or Mongol State in the aspects, that being sympathetic to Charhar and Suiyuan provinces. No China's national aspirations Javan. nation can be expected to endure had" rendered assistance toward such humiliation, and yet China, their realization, that instead of hoping that Japan would nally showing grateful appreciation awaken to her mistakes, has time 'Japan's goodwill, China had amassed fund again admonished her people to weapons of war' against her, thereby practise forbearance. In every unfeausing the present conflet,'and that fortunate incident which occurred the key to the solution of the Sino-between Chinese and Japanese Japanese dispute lay in the abandon nationals the Chinese Government ment of China's anti-Japanese policy sought for an amicable settlement for one of ce-operation with Japan, even though the fault usually did not tle with the Chinese involved.
Contentions Pals "During the past three years riy one who is familiar with Japan's trade with China increased recent events in the Far East, will Jannually, while customs statistics for readily perceive. the fallacy of the the first' six months of the current above contentions, China's foreign year show that she almost attained policy since the Revolution has been. the first place in China's foreign based on the legitimate aspiration to trade; That such a steady developfatlain "independence and equality. ment of Japan's trade with China It has been generally understood and was possible should in itself be ample sympathetically supported by all proof that there has been no anti-friendly nations. 'The Chinese Gov-Japanese policy on the part of the ernment has always respected Chinese' Government.
Jogitimate foreign interests in China and welcomed. foreign capital Mass Evacuati well as technical assistance. 'The 'The evacuation of Japanese nation-ever-increasing volume of Sinoals from various parts of China after foreign trade and the very friendly the Lukouchiao Incident was, In fact, relations existing between the Chin-Intended to spare them' from such ese people and those of other coun-mass. slaughters as were perpetrated tries to-day are concrete proofs by Japanese airmen at Canton, Han-China's good neighbour policy which kow and elsewhere. The Chinese doty distortion by the Japanese.
Government provided the" Japanese "Chinn and Japan are close with every facility in their evacua-neighbours, who are moreover tied on and undertook to protect Japan-by racial and Vinguistle affinity, Tt ese property left In' its custody although Chinese evacuation from cannot but be the fervent desire of the Chinese Government and people Japan was impeded by the Japanese authorities, The telling contrast in to befriend their neighbouring coun this ease is sueient indication of the try. Unfortunately ever since the underlying sentiment entertained by days of the Revolution of 1911, Japan each of the parties concerned., has been pursuing her continental "There is, however, a definite limit ambitions at the expense of Chi in human endurance. "The relentless The episode of the Twenty-One De pressure of Japan's aggressive aclivimands is-still fresh in_our memory.
Ues in China has, at. last compelled During the Nationalist Revolution, the Chinese people to rise in' self Japan. deliberately obstructed the defence, but in this armed resistance northward advance of the Nationalist the Chinese people have clearly per~ Army and prevented the unifteation ceived that China's enemy is not the of China under the new regime by JJapanese people but the Japanese precipitating the 'Tsinan Incident of militarists who are bent on ageres-1028," One can hardly imagine that sion. What the Chinese people want any nation which professes to wel-to do is not to eliminate legitimate come the awakening of China'
JJapanese interests in China but to national spirit would have behaved halt the acts of aggression on the in such amanner. part of the Japanese militarists. In short. there is no such thing as anti-Customs Autonomy foreignism in China, nor is there in regards the claim that Japan reality anything that may be regarded took the lead in restoring to China Jas antI-Japanese. 'The present her customs autonomy and "pri {fortunate situation has arisen entirely claimed her sympathy toward China'
Jout of the intolerable and ceaseless aspirations for the abolition of ex-pressure of Japanese aggression in traterritoriality, all recorded facts China, prove that the contrary was the case, Facts Ignored Tu 1928 China had concluded with "the Japanese statement further the other Powers treaties providing alleged that the immediate cause of for the unconditional restoration of the Sino-Japanese conflict In North bhar customs autonomy but it was not China was China's violation of the until 1930 that Japan consented to Jso-called Ho-Umetsu Agreement by conclude a similar tariff agreement sending troops to the North and that subject (o certain conditions, favour-the hostilities at' Shangha were able to herself. In the past two caused by China's disregard of the years Japan has inspired and given 1092 Agreement. Therefore, it was protection to large scale smuggling contended, Japan's actions in Hopel In China and. actively interfered fand Shanghai were taken purely with her customs preventive service, self-defence and did not violate the causing enormous losses in China's Nine-Power Treaty. "Such "specious Fevene and dislocation of her Jargument totally ignores the facts. customs administration, "The outbreak of the Lukouchiao "With regard to extraterritoriality, and Hungjao Acrodrome incidents as japan has of late taken every ad-'8 a result of the provocative actions Vantage of this special privilege to of the Japanese army: the earnest carry on numerous illegal activities and repeated endeavours made by the in China, such as unauthorized flying Chinese Government to seek a peace-over Chinese territory, the establishful solution of these. incidents; the ment of espionage organizations, the Lack of sincerity on the part of the supplying of ammunition to bandits [Japanese in keeping the peace, as fund the protection of the drug traffe. Such being the case, it Is inconceivable how these facts' could be recon-lied with the claim that Japan had pursued a policy designed to satisfy the legitimate wishes of the Chinese people.
Acts of Aggression "Since September 18, 1931, Japan's ets of aggression in" China have taken on an ever increasing degree of audacity and vast tracts of territory were seized from China. Following upon the orgahigation of manifested by their concentration of huge military, naval and air forces {for offensive purposes: the consequent Jattacks made.on Chinese troops who were forced to resist in self-defence: the indiscriminate killing of Chinese Jnon-combatants by the Japanese Jarmed forces and the destruction of Chinese cultural and educational festablishments—all these are facts which the Chinese Government has repeatedly declared and which have been.attested to by Impartial reports. The same facts are dealt with justly and thoroughly in the report of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.