NATIONALIST POLICY.
Enclosure No 4
STATEMENT BY THE NEW
NEW FOREIGN
MINISTER.
A MODERATE POLICY.
'changes?
These treaties have on the one
Nanking, May 11.-Mr. C. C. Wu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nationalist Govern- hand seriously impeded the deve- on the ment at Nanking, to-day issued the lopment of the nation;
other hand they have failed to following statement in regard to the policy of the Nanking Govern- accomplish the supposed object of protecting foreign interests and promoting foreign trade. Foreign interests are best protected and foreign trade best promoted by mutual good-will, and genuine
ment:
"With the removal on April 18 of the seat of the Nationalist
Government to the historic capital of China, Nanking, another stage has been reached in the Chinese good-will cannot exist so long as anachronistic and humiliating Nationalist movement. The op- posing forces, Progress and Reac- treaties are enforced. In the com- mon interest of Chinese and tion, which came to grips in 1911, foreigners alike, a fundamental have continued their struggle up readjustment of the existing treaty to the present time, but there can
relations is imperative. be no doubt as to the ultimate triumph of the cause of Progress which has been consistently tham- pioned by the Kuomintang.
Abrogate Unequal Treaties. The Nationalist Government addresses itself to the task of the abrogation of the unequal treaties, The principles of the Kuomin- and will employ. for that purpose tang have moulded the thought of
all legitimate means. It has taken! new China, and the Government note of the statements emanating founded on these principles has in from authorized spokesmen of the the short space of two years ex-foreign governments as to the in- tended its jurisdiction from Can- ton to more than half of China in- cluding the richest, most populous, and most progressive cities and provinces. The rest of China will in the near future also be delivered from militarism and mis- government.
The presence in the party of Communist influences at variance with the precepts of the Kuomin- tang has during the past few weeks brought what hitherto has been an internal schism to an open split. Nevertheless, as these in- fluences are small, there is every confidence that they will very shortly be completely eliminated and that solidarity will be re- established in the ranks of the
followers of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
Foreign Policy.
applicability of the existing treaties and their readiness to meet the wishes of the Chinese people.
With every confidence in the good intentions of the foreign governments, this government earnestly hopes that negotiations with a view to the conclusion of new treaties will immediately be opened. Technicalities should be discarded in order to achieve, in the shortest possible period, the aim of restoring harmonious rela- tions between China and the foreign nations.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Gov- ernment will do all in its power to protect foreign life and pro- perty according to the generally accepted rules of international
resentment ; law. The
of the Chinese to the foreigner is not to individually but to the system under which he lives. The Chinese object, not to the presence of the foreigners, but to his position of privilege. They consi- der that the foreigner should be placed on a footing of equality with the people among whom he has voluntarily chosen to live and trade.
The installation of the Nation-him alist Government at Nanking affords an opportunity to make a public statement of its foreign policy. The Government, guided by the teachings of Dr. Sun, con- siders it its paramount duty, in accordance with the will of the entire Chinese people, to emanci- pate China from her state of in- ternational bondage and to secure for her an equal status in the family of nations, a status to which her civilization, resources, and population entitle her.
Privileges of Foreigners.
In the forthcoming negotiations for the abrogation of the special privileges of foreigners in China, the Nationalist Government trusts China is fettered on every hand that the foreign governments and by treaties and conventions peoples will display farsighted modelled after those imposed upon statesmanship and practical wis- her nearly a hundred years ago. dom in the solution of the out- There are few agreements between standing problem of the world to- nations, even when concluded on day. The Chinese people, irres- terms of equality, which have pective of geographical situation survived after the lapse of a and political creed, are all united century; is it reasonable to insist in demanding international justice! upon China's observance of anti-and fair play. In the interest of quated and unequal treaties when the peace and welfare of the the political, social, and economic world, such a simple and reason- conditions of the country, affect-able request by a quarter of the ing both Chinese and foreigners, human race ought not to be made have undergone fundamental in vain.
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