FO371-23517 — Page 161

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Will you give way to the Japanese in the face of Japanese

pressure and your preoccupation in Europe? Forgive us if such

questions have sometimes cropped up in the minds even of those

who entertain the friendliest feelings towards you, especially

during your recent negotiations with Japan in Tokyo and again now

that you are involved in wer in Europe, but we have not relinqui shed

the belief that you will not "let China down"

Indeed, we believe this hope and trust are well founded.

You have just made a courageous decision by which you have made

clear to the world where you stand. Great Britain and China are

now brothers in arms fighting for the same principles, for is it

not for the sanctity of treaties, resistance to aggression end

the upholding of international peace and order, that we are both

fighting, though facing different enemies ? Yes, unfortunately,

es experience has shown us, force can only be stopped by force,

for appeasement as a policy nowadays only invites further ects

on the part of aggressors whose greed is insatiable. Fighting as

we are for the same ideals, we believe England will be better

able to understand China's struggle and the need of more generous

assistance to enable us successfully to defeat aggression in

this part of the world. Even less prepared than Poland, China

has been fighting alone for more then two years. It cannot be

claimed that China is fighting for her independence only; our

success is essential for the maintenance of the Open Door" in

the Far East where Britain especially holds immense interests.

One may think that England would be fully occupied with the war

in Europe and thus not able to render assistance to China, even

to as great an extent as before. We, however, dispute this and

say that China's resistance is a part of the general resistence

to aggression; that as an agressor Japan will never be satisfied

until she has driven out all foreign interests, particularly

British, from China, and this would be a serious blow to the

British Empire/

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