1936年前后,在日本暗中支持之下,华北地区走私活动泛滥,不仅严重侵犯了中国的主权,致使中国的关税收入锐减,也严重侵害了英国在华经济利益。在中国政府的要求下,英国与日本就此问题进行了交涉。以下一组外交函电①反映了英日之间就此问题进行交涉的状况,从中可以看出当时日本对华政策及英国对日本侵华所持态度。 Before and after 1936, with the secret support of Japan, the smuggling of smuggling in North China not only seriously violated China’s sovereignty, resulting in a sharp drop in China’s tariff revenue but also a serious infringement on Britain’s economic interests in China. At the request of the Chinese government, Britain and Japan held representations on the issue. The following set of diplomatic messages 1 reflects the situation of negotiations between Britain and Japan on this issue. It shows the then Japanese policy toward China and the British attitude toward Japan’s invasion of China.