Monday, 4 September

Fine

I studied Russian in the morning.

In the afternoon, Shaozhou went to the Soviet Foreign Office. I asked him to inform them about the appointment of the new Chairman to Xinjiang province. Section Head Litvinov replied that if this was intended to improve the Sino-Soviet relationship, then

the Soviet side would view this as one of the most satisfactory issues but they had to wait and see the new Chairman’s attitude towards the Soviet Union, because since China’s resistance war the Soviet Union has been most enthusiastic and willing to help. The huge amount of money spent in Xinjiang naturally served this purpose. Furthermore what the Soviet Union did in Xinjiang the Chinese Government was very clear about but on the Chinese side someone interpreted this friendly act out of malice to make diverse propaganda. In the past few years, Xinjiang authority hatched an anti-Soviet atmosphere, and manipulated Germany to invade the Soviet Union. At that time the Soviet Union was in great difficulty so this act was extremely threatening. So when the Soviet authority talked of the Xinjiang Incident it felt really painful. Now the Chinese Government if it could have such a move under such trying circumstances, the Soviet Union would certainly deem it as a most friendly gesture but it would be a little bit too early to say the Soviet attitude towards Xinjiang will change immediately. They had to decide it after the arrival of the new Chairman and see if he would change the policies of his predecessor. In the past the Chinese Central Government always based how to cope with the Soviet Union on incorrect reports from Xinjiang province. For instance there was a certain Soviet doctor living in Xinjiang. The local authority did not allow people to sell him food for six days. Ambassador Panyushkin raised this issue with the Chinese Foreign Ministry. But the Chinese Foreign Ministry answered that if he had no food for six days he would have died already. This type of reply was depressing, and he found that the reply from the Chinese Foreign Ministry was completely based on the words of Xinjiang Province. From what Litvinov said, his answer was already prepared. It showed that it was the first step and that they were satisfied. But it was totally accepted that they had to wait until the arrival of the new Chairman to decide whether they would change their policies or not. The Soviet Government could not completely lay the faults on Sheng Shicai leaving other issues unattended. Shaozhou told Litvinov Wu Zongxin’s personal history and character, and I believed strongly that Wu Zongxin could implement the policy of the Central Government and he genuinely understood the Central Government’s principles. Shaozhou asked him to send a telegram to the new Soviet Consul in Xinjiang to inform him about easier cooperation in the future. Litvinov said he would immediately convey the message to Foreign Minister Molotov and Deputy Foreign Minister Lozovski,

The British army has advanced very quickly.  Yesterday they captured the Belgian capital Brussels.