Monday, 11 January

Li Zhuoxian (李卓賢) came to talk about his tobacco monopoly.

Zhaoxian told me about Chen Hua (陳華)’s private life and how he was killed. His knowledge was limited and he was not suitable for this kind of work.

I invited the Minister of Czechoslovakia and March, the representative of Bata[1], to afternoon tea in the hotel and introduced them to Xie Baoqiao (謝保樵), Zhang Bojun (章伯鈞)[2] and Li Zhuoxian for discussion about establishing a shoe factory.

Zheng Zhenyu (鄭震宇) came to talk about a personnel matter. He was satisfied with the arrangement.

Ma Chaojun (馬超俊)[3] invited me to dinner. Chen Jianru (陳劍如)[4] mentioned the affairs in Guangdong. I suggested Wu Tiecheng (吳鐵城)[5] discuss the matter with Premier Dai Jitao (戴季陶)[6] and ask him to raise the issue.

The new Sino-American and Sino-British treaties will be signed this afternoon in Washington and Chongqing respectively. It is exactly one hundred years since we signed the first unequal treaties. During these past one hundred years we, as diplomats, have felt particularly strongly the pains of our country having no freedom and no independence. Dr Sun Yat-sen had warned about this in his will. Not until now have the treaties been abolished and it is the most important thing in our history. As a matter of fact, I was involved in the negotiations, and I feel quite heartened. Long Renrui came.

[1] A shoe company.

[2] Zhang Bojun (1896-1969) was a politician.

[3] Ma Chaojun (1886-1977) was identified as associated with the Prince’s Clique. He was Cantonese.

[4] Chen Jianru was the brother of Sun Fo’s wife.

[5] Wu Tiecheng (1888-1953) was a Cantonese politician.

[6] Dai Jitao (1890-1949) was an expert of Japan and a leading politician in the Nationalist era.