Evening star., 1950-12-06
Red China and japan

Echoing the Kremlin's recent aide memoire
on the subject Foreign Minister Chou En-lai Of
Red China has now made clear-in language
lot less diplomatic than that used by the
Russians-that the Chinese Communists will re-
gard as illegal and invalid" any Japanese
peace treaty embracing the proposals the United
States has placed before the Soviet Union.
The proposals-which have been put forward
on purely suggestive and tentative" basis
are aimed at having such a treaty drafted as
soon as possible by "any or all" qualified nations
willing to join in the undertaking. Among other
things, they call for United Nations trusteeship,
to be administered by the United States, over the
Ryukyu and Bonin Islands. They also call for
joint Chinese Russian British American de-
cison to determine the future status of Formosa,
the Pescadores, South sakhaln and the Kuriles,
or decision by the U. N. General Assembly If the
four powers cannot agree. Further, pending
satisfactory alternative security arrangements"
they advocate that Japan and our own country
continue to share the responsibility of main
tanning peace in the area.
Since the proposals imply that the United
States and minded nations will draw up
the treaty with or without Soviet participation,
and since it is doubtful-to put it mildly-that
Red China will be invited to take part in place
of the still-recognized Nationalist government
of Chang Kai-shek, Chou En-lai has been at
pains to talk toughly about how the Chinese
Communists demand that they, not the Nation
alists, play key role in drafting the settlement.
In effect, he has served notice that there can
be no Japanese peace agreement unless Peiping
and Moscow are parties to it, and he has left
no room for doubt that If they are parties to 1t,
1t will be far different from the kind of agreement
we have suggested. For they are opposed to an
American administered trusteeship over the
Rv, md ha nd i,,siS OF I'm
point they can argue effectively that the Cairo,
Yalta and Potsdam decisions have already de-
termined that Formosa and the Pescadores be-
long to China and that South Sakhalin and the
Kuriles are to remain in Russia's hands. AS for
our proposal for security arrangements between
the Japanese and ourselves, they regard that
evidence that we are bent on rearmng Japan and
maintaining bases there.
Indeed, going much further than the rela-
lively restrained Russian aide memore the state
ment by the Chinese Communist Foreign Minister
brands our proposals as measures designed to
rebuild "the aggressive force" of Japan, encroach
on the legitimate rights of China and the Soviet
Union" and pave the way-in concert with the
Japanese-for further aggression against the
people Of Asia" 1t is interesting, and probably
more than little significant, that this line of
propaganda fits in very neatly with recent talk
Of the same kind in the Moscow press-talk that
made point of reminding everybody of the 80
year pact pledging the Kremn and Peiping to
immediate military cooperation in case either
is attacked by Japan or any associated country.
There is thus threat implied in the Chou
declaration that Red China-together with the
Soviet Union-must participate In drafting a
treaty for Japan If that treaty is to be regarded
as valid and not just prelude to Japanese
American aggression" In the circumstances,
especially since this view undoubtedly has the
Kremlins backing the issue seems to have ar
rived at point where the United States and its
friends should act on their own in drafting
settlement. Certainly, If progress can be made
along that line Peipings tough talk should not
be allowed to stop it.