PACIFIC RELATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 8

PACIFIC RELATIONS.

THE PROBLEM OF CHINA. REVIEW AT HONOLULU. GRAVITY OF DISCUSSION. JAPANESE POINT OF VIEW. BY J. B. CONDLIFFE. By universal consent the chief iom c of the conference just ended at Honolulu was China's external political relations. The Programme Committee, much, to the satisfaction of the British and Chinese groups, gave up the whole time of the conference for the first three days after the formal opening, to round tables and forums on China. Four round tables were set up to conduct simultaneous detailed discussions first of tariff autonomy, then of extraterritoriality, finally of the thorny problems of concessions, leases and similar privileges. Each round table was built up of representatives from each national group and as far as possible of different points of views. The chairmen and secretaries met after each session to compare notes and plan for further progress. Generally in the evenings a forum was held at' which all the groups combined for general discussion. The chief data material was provided by three small books specially written for the conference. Sir Frederick Whyte prepared a detailed historical statement of European policy in China which was published by the Royal Institute of International Affairs; the World Peace Foundation published a large pamphlet by Dr. < S. K. Hornbeck, of Harvard; and Dr. 11. J. Bau, of Peking, presented in the form of data papers the chapters of his new unpublished book on the subject These were supplemented by mimeographed copies of various important state- : ments, so that every member of the conference had before him the actual text of the British, Chinese, Japanese and American notes. Educative Debate. The discussions were illuminating and helpful except in one or two cases where eager souls, impressed by the urgency and reality of the problems, imagined themselves to be carrying on important unofficial but semi-diplomatic exchanges. The good sense and humour of the president, however, dispelled the important mists of secrecy which were beginning to gather about certain private suggestions and thereafter definitive solutions were tabu, both because they were seen to be delusive and because they spoiled the real object of the conference which is discussion and mutual enlightenment. It , may well be that influential members returning home with new light on certain problems may be able t% convey to governmental circles the information tkey have received; but the obvious futility of the one attempt to provide at the conference a final plan for solution of a knotty problem has effectively killed any the institute pro ceeding further along' that blind alley:' The purpose of the institute is not di plomacy, but education. Note ol Reality. «* At the same time, everyone was mi ... pressed by the note of reality in the dis cussions. The municipal government ol Shanghai, or the problem of navigation on the upper Yangtse, ceased to be acad emic or legalistic questions when men who had gathered the facts on the spot spoke of the urgency of the problem in terms of human suffering, and life. Both of these questions-were remitted to the secretariat for further research and report. The sudden displacement of junks and other native methods of transport by modern steamers has brought economic disaster to a population estimated as high as half a million. The political and sociological consequences- provide a very suitable subject for investigation and so does the history, ' growth, municipal organisation and general description of Shanghai. Here again :no political solution is intended; but merely the provision of facts out of which the proper authorities may find a solution. In the same way the round table - on foreign investments disclosed the paucity of information on this basic subject, and steps will be taken to make an economic measurement as distinct from a legal description of the extent of foreign capital in China. For the value of tht; actual discussions at the recent conference one must rely upon the estimate of those who participated. • There ' seems general agreement concerning their helpful character. The Chinese present, despite the disturbed state of the country, were quite capable of presenting the nationalist viewpoint. At the last moment their delegation was cut in half by the Nationalist advance ut the North taking several members of the group for administrative work. Their leader, Dr. David iuj, showed statesmanlike qualities ot a high order and the direct contact between the group and Chiang-Kai-shek, the Nationalist leader, was very useful. Chiang-Kai-shek not only expressed sympathy with the conference, but made a handsome gift toward the expenses of the Chinese group. Britain's Worthy Policy. The real divergence of opinion in the discussions was not so much between bn tish and Chinese as between the Japaiies and Chinese viewpoints; but this cias of opinion seldom came to the suriat • A very .short but significant statement made one evening by a Japanesesp 0 ' " man concerning the language aimai • Ho spoke of the difficulty oi understan ing foreigners through translation anid the subtle sympathies resulting froni knowledge of a foreign language. ■ he drew attention to. the fact that institute's discussions in English , premium upon participation by kufe and American-speaking Chinese, « in China there were many important Chinese leaders who- had been educa. in Japan and spoke Japanese. - w » them he mentioned Chiang Kai-sne ■ • the other hand the Chinese .elt tha chief obstacle to the nationalist a v in the North was the fear of Japanese tervention. 1 j Upon one point everyone seemed a £ Chinese nationalism has come o -•. ? The relinquishment of extrat eltl '-a privileges was taken for granted, autonomy was assumed, ihe pom u discussion at every stage was the • • mannei in which China might ass " m v 0 responsibilities and privileges, w a , needed to do to set her house m , and the way in which other P P might help. ' Perhaps this acqmescence m China's new nationalism might no p' * the treaty-port newspapers: but resp sible British leaders, including bir -t Chamberlain, have publicly accep a | and it is Britain's steadfast policy-