WIRELESS IN CHINA

Southland Times, Issue 20396, 27 January 1928, Page 8

WIRELESS IN CHINA

STATIONS AT SHANGHAI. DISMANTLING REQUESTED. Shanghai, December 6. The Chinese Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, at Shanghai, acting under instructions from the Nanking Government, has lodged a protest with the Consular representatives of the Foreign Powers, against the erection of the various wireless stations in the Settlement of Shanghai. In his communication to the Senior-Consul and the the French Consul-General, the Commissioner claims that wireless telegraphy is a national right of China, which no foreign Power is allowed to exercise in any part of China, including all Foreign Concessions and Settlements. It is asserted that foreign countries and and nationals by usurping China’s rights are infringing upon China’s sovereignty and violating a fundamental provision of international law. The Nationalist Government demands that all wireless stations in China, with the exception of those erected at the foreign Consulates and used exclusively by Consular officials shall be taken down within a given period. The Nationalist Government further states that they will “permit” the wireless stations at the various Consulates to remain for the time being, but the Consular authorities are requested to limit the use of their stations to official messages only, all other messages, both private and commercial, being strictly prohibited. In addition, the time of despatching messages and the wave-length of the station must be communicated to the Chinese Government stations so as to avoid interference. There are five main wireless stations at Shanghai, belonging to foreign interests and operating in the International Settlement and French Concession. One, British-owned, is erected on the building of the North China Daily News, another is at the American Consulate, while three are in the French Concession. The main wireless station is the French one, known as “Koukaza,” and was first erected in 1913 with an important addition made in 1925; of the other two French stations, one was completed this year, while the remaining one is still under construction, the building is finished and the masts are in position but the instruments have not yet arrived from France. The Nationalists claim that the French wireless stations rendered valuable assistance to the Northern militarists during the fighting between Canton and the North early in the present year. In accordance with the procedure adopted by the Nanking Government in respect to the Notes from the Foreign Powers regarding the Nanking outrages of last March, the protests regarding wireless stations, together with a few more Nationalists protests on divers subjects, have been filed for future reference.