The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-08-06
China's Version,

pVNliE Far EASTERN bureau oil which 4 j. W.
jerks Of New. York is a director has pub
lshed in English and distributed the official text
Of the Statement TO the civilized world issued by
Chinas foreign Office telling the story the nego-
tiations with Japan of China's resistance to sew
cral Of the Japanese demands and finally of Chinas
compliance upon receipt of an ultimatum from
Japan In issuing the statement the foreign Office
of China was prompted by desire to inform the
powers Of the world what points China was will
ing to concede and what points she resisted, It
is not improbable that the foreign office thought
the document would tend to arouse sympathy for
China and opposition to Japan. EnI g.. .st~
The statement presents pathetic story of a
very populous nation unable to defend what it
considers its highest national interests. And it
should be remembered that the weakness of China
was regarded as a menace to Japan, for it was a
constant invitation to demands for concessions to
foreign powers 1t was Japans expressed desire
that such concessions cease, though in pressing
her own demands Japan put herself in the position
of doing what she opposed on the part of other
powers Very likely Japan considered the course
she adopted the only way to accomplish the end
sought. 1. E.Es y
The statement of the foreign Office goes to show
that China was willing to eoncede much but OBJ
jected to concessions reducing her sovereignty.
China regarded the demands as whole as intend
ed to extend tho rights and interests of japan
without securing quid pro quo of any kind for
China" The China foreign Office asserts that il
entered into the negotiations in spirit of friend
Illness and sought throughout to give satisfaction
to Japan, so long,as doing SO would not sacrifice
national integrity ...2 Ss.sE g.
China evidently desired that complete record
be made Of the negotiations from day to day. The
foreign Office says the Japanese minister objected
to the customary recording and signing OF minutes
of each conference and China complied with the
objection. The foreign Office of China goes into
detail about the several demands of Japan, set
ting forth China's attitude on each of them. "All
that the Chinese government strove to maintain, -
says the statement TO the civilized world, was
China's plenary sovereignty, the treaty rights of
foreign powers in China and the principle OF equal
opportunity" 81 ..., F..
China being unwilling to concede all that was
demanded Japan sent an ultimatum May 7. The
last paragraph of Chinas statement tells Of ac-
ceptng the ultim$tum and the reasons for so doing
as follows: =
in considering the nature of the course they
should take with reference to the ultmatum the
Chinese goverpment were influenced by a desire
to preserve the Chinese people, well the large
number of foreign residents of China, from un-
necessary suffering, and also to prevent the inter
ests of friendly powers from being imperiled,
but in complying the Chinese government disclaim
any desire to associate themselves with any revi-
sion. which may thus be effected, of the various
conventions and agreements concluded between
other powers in respect of the maintenance OF
Chinas territorial independence and integrity, the
preservation of the status quo and the principle of
equal opportunitysfor the commerce and industry
If all nations in China"
After the great war in Europe is over, the Sino-
japanese controversy will, in all probability, re-
ceive much attention from the civilized world