II. STATEMENT OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN, ON THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-JAPANESE BASIC TREATY, AND THE JAPAN-MANCHOUKUO-CHINA JOINT DECLARATION, ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 30, 1940
In Nanking, at 10 o'clock this morning, a Sino-Japanese Basic Treaty between Japan and China was signed between Ambassador Nobuyuki Abe and Mr. Wang Ching-wei, President of the Executive Yuan (Though Mr. Wang became the head of the National Government, he signed the Treaty in the capacity of President of the Executive Yuan), which means that Japan formally recognized the new National Government at Nanking as the legitimate government of China. And at noon General Abe and Mr. Tsang Shih-i, Plenipotentiaries of Japan and Manchoukuo, and Mr. Wang signed the Japan-Manchoukuo-China Joint Declaration, by virtue of which Manchoukuo and the National Government headed by Mr. Wang Ching-wei recognized each other. It is most gratifying that the foundation has thus been firmly laid for the construction of a new order in East Asia through the cooperation between the three Powers.
Following the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese hostilities, and with the advance of Japanese forces, there sprang up societies for the maintenance of peace and order in various parts of China. These
were gradually absorbed by and amalgamated with two régimes—namely, the Provisional Government at Peking and the Reformed Government at Nanking, paving the way for the construction of a new China, until finally there appeared the Peace and National Salvation Movement under the leadership of Mr. Wang Ching-wei.
This was a movement aiming at the construction of a new order in East Asia and at establishing for that purpose a government by rehabilitating the Kuomintang, by rejecting both communism and anti-Japanism and by joining hands with Japan. On December 18, 1938, Mr. Wang Ching-wei startled the world by his flight from Chungking.
Prime Minister Prince Konoe's statement (December 22) concerning the construction of a new order in East Asia was followed by Mr. Wang's declaration for peace and against communism (December 30). A few months later Mr. Wang arrived in Shanghai from Hanoi (May 8, 1939), where he established his headquarters for his peace movement. Shortly afterwards he visited Tokyo (May 31) and conferred with the Prime Minister, Baron Hiranuma, and also Prince Konoe, from whom he learned the true attitude of Japan toward his peace movement and decided to proceed in earnest. On August 28 the Sixth Plenary Conference of the Kuomintang was convened in Shanghai, which adopted the resolutions for the restoration of Sino-Japanese relations by fundamental adjustment and for the reorganization of the Kuomintang and the appointment of Mr. Wang as chairman of the Central Executive Committee. At the same meeting the much-abused Three People's Principles were given a proper and authentic interpretation. The Peace and National Salvation Movement now became a "Peace and National Construction" movement, and the orthodox Kuomintang, casting aside its claim of "Rule the country by the Party," embarked upon the establishment of a new Central Government of China through the co-operation of parties and factions and those belonging to no party or faction. The first important step toward the establishment of a new Central Government was the three-day conference at Nanking, attended by Mr. Wang Ching-wei, Mr. Wang Ke-min representing the Provisional Government and Mr. Liang Hungchi of the Reformed Government. Then, on January 23 this year these three leaders met again at Tsingtao. On February 12, Mr. Wang called a meeting at Shanghai, to which were invited men of social prominence as well as representatives of various parties and factions, and at which an agreement of views was reached concerning the general principles for the establishment of a Central Government and its political platform. This led to the opening on March 20 of the Central
Political Conference to decide upon the fundamentals for the establishment of the new Government.
The conference was attended by thirty delegates in all, comprising ten from the Kuomintang, five each from the Provisional and the Reformed Governments, two each from the Federated Autonomous Government of Mongolia, the National Socialist Party and the Young China Party, and four men of recognized influence in society. Twelve important matters, such for instance as the proposal for the adjustment of Sino-Japanese relations, the draft principles for the establishment of a Central Government, the platform of the National Government and the regulations for the organization of a Central Executive Committee, were approved, and the conference closed on March 25. On March 30 the rites and ceremonies marking the return of the National Government to its capital were held in Nanking, at which Mr. Wang Ching-wei issued a proclamation. Then and there the National Government made the first forward step of historic importance as a partner in the construction of a new order in East Asia.
In parallel and inseparable with the activities for the establishment of a Central Government, there progressed negotiations for the adjustment of Sino-Japanese relations. These negotiations made especially notable progress on the basis of the three principles of amity and neighbourliness, common defence against the Comintern and economic cooperation, after the Sixth Plenary Session of the Kuomintang which was held at the end of August of 1939; and on December 30 an informal agreement on basic ideas regarding the adjustment of Sino-Japanese relations was reached at Shanghai between the negotiators of the two countries.
Upon the establishment of the new Central Government on March 30 of this year, the Japanese Government appointed on April 1 General Nobuyuki Abe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, who arrived at Nanking on the 23rd of that month. After this, all preparations were completed with despatch for the restoration of Sino-Japanese relations. On July 5 the first meeting of the formal conference took place, attended by Ambassador Abe and Mr. Wang as Acting President of the Republic of China. Mr. Wang on this occasion spoke of what China expected of the conference, while Ambassador Abe set forth the views of the Japanese Government relative to the negotiations that were to begin. Since then the negotiations were continued for almost two months. It was rather the zeal on both sides for the construction of the new order in East Asia than what may merely be termed mutual concession that enabled the delegates of the two countries to solve the
many complex and vexing problems. At the 15th session held on August 28 they agreed upon a draft treaty, which was initialled on August 31. Upon examination by the two Governments from the domestic standpoint of their respective countries, this draft treaty was found to require partial alterations. Accordingly in the latter part of September the negotiations were resumed for the necessary revision, on which an agreement of views was reached, and the treaty in its final form was initialled on October 10.
On the other hand, with Manchoukuo that had always supported without reserve the cause of Sino-Japanese cooperation, negotiations were conducted concerning a Japan-Manchoukuo-China Joint Declaration. Early in November Mr. Wei Huan-chang, director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of Manchoukuo arrived in Nanking, and the Declaration as published today was initialled on November 8 by the plenipotentiaries of the three countries. Meanwhile, Ambassador Abe, returning to Japan on October 27, met Prime Minister Prince Konoe on October 29 to report on his mission. Following the Imperial Conference of November 13, the Treaty was submitted to the Privy Council, and approved at its full session of November 27. This in brief is the history of the Sino-Japanese Basic Treaty that was signed today at Nanking.