Removed to Fanzhuang
Tuesday, 19 December
At 10.00 a.m. there was an air-raid siren. It was cancelled at 2.00 p.m. Wu Tiecheng and Gan Jiehou (甘介侯)[1] and others also came. Both Wang Chonghui and Sun Fo mentioned Counsellors Wang Shijie and others’ irrational views. For example: 1) When Germany invaded Poland, they advocated that we should bring the matter to the attention of the League of Nations, so that the latter could advocate sanctions on behalf of Poland. Luckily Wang Chonghui strived hard to dissuade them and the suggestion was cancelled. Otherwise if the Soviet Union joined we would be greatly embarrassed. 2) During the Britain-France-Soviet Union negotiations, they advocated we should persuade two of them to come into agreement earlier. There were plenty of such absurdities, which reflected they were devoid of common sense. It was a pity that General Chiang took them as diplomatic advisers.
Originally Li Wenfan, Lin Yungai (林雲陔),[2] and Liu Jiwen (劉紀文)[3] invited us to have lunch, but because of the siren, it was deferred to 5.00 p.m. I went there with Ling Jidong. Sun Fo was unable to attend as he had to see General Chiang.
In the evening I moved to Fanzhuang. It was spacious but no good. It was also quite cold there.
Sun Fo told me that he discussed with General Chiang the approval of the Sino-Soviet Commercial Treaty. At the beginning General Chiang suspected that all personnel of the commercial representative bureau enjoyed extra-territoriality. Also the number was not limited therefore in the future many Chinese would not be governed by Chinese law. Sun Fo explained it did not work that way. In the embassy only the general commercial representative and deputy representatives (which were three in total) enjoyed diplomatic rights. For the rest they were treated based on various other countries’ methods treating the personnel from friendly nations’ governments. (The provisional British-Soviet commercial regulation of 1934 was also the same.) That they would not pay revenue tax or be conscripted. Also these were only restricted to Soviet staff. General Chiang had understood the whole thing, saying that he would discuss it with Wang Chonghui and others and then it could be approved immediately.
[1] Gan Jiehiu(1897-1984) was a politician from Jiangsu who had studied at Harvard University,
[2] Lin Yungai(1884-1948) was a Cantonese politician who had studied at Syracuse University.
[3] Liu Jiwen(1890-1957) was a Cantonese politician. He had studied at Waseda University and done research in Britain. He had been the Mayor of Canton (Guangzhou).