View source for Chinese Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, January 9, 1917

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'''Chinese Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, January 9, 1917<sup>1</sup>'''<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State</i><br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[TELEGRAM]<br>
  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AMERICAN LEGATION, <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>Peking, January 9, 1917.</i> <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Minister for Foreign Affairs has written as follows in answer to <br>
my note transmitting the President's note to the belligerent powers: <br>
“I have examined, with the care which the gravity of the questions <br>
raised demands, the note concerning peace which President Wilson <br>
has addressed to the Governments of the Allies and the Central <br>
Powers now at war and the text of which Your Excellency has been <br>
good enough to transmit to me under instructions of your Govern- <br>
ment. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"China, a nation traditionally pacific, has recently again manifested <br>
her sentiments in concluding treaties concerning the pacific settlement <br>
of international disputes, responding thus to the (. . . .)<sup>2</sup> of the <br>
peace conferences held at The Hague. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"On the other hand the present war, by its prolongation, has seri- <br>
ously affected the interests of China more so perhaps than those of <br>
other powers which have remained neutral. She is at present at a <br>
time of reorganization which demands economically and industrially <br>
the cooperation of foreign countries, cooperation which a large num- <br>
ber of them are unable to accord on account of the war in which <br>
they are engaged. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"In manifesting her sympathy for the spirit of the President's note, <br>
having in view the ending as soon as possible of the hostilities, China<br>
is but acting in conformity with not only her interest but also with <br>
her profound sentiments. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"On account of the extent which modern wars are apt to assume <br>
and the repercussion which they bring about, their effects are no <br>
longer limited to belligerent states. All countries are interested in <br>
seeing wars becoming as rare as possible. Consequently China can <br>
not but show satisfaction with the views of the Government and peo- <br>
ple of the United States of America who declare themselves ready <br>
and even eager to cooperate when the war is over by all proper <br>
means to assure the respect of the principle of the equality of nations <br>
whatever their power may be and to relieve them of the peril of <br>
wrong and violence. China is ready to join her efforts with theirs <br>
for the attainment of such results which can only be obtained through <br>
the help of all." <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;REINSCH.<br>

<hr>
<sup>1</sup>Official print of the Department of State.<br>
<sup>2</sup>Apparent omission.