Attempts by Chinese Squadrons to procure second-hand warships from Britain and Japan
In the interwar period China had three navies:
- Nanking – Nationalist Government
- North China – Manchurian Clique = N.E. Squadron
- South China – Kwangtung Government = Canton Squadron.
Although these navies were loosely connected politically, they were actually rivals. In 1932 an Admiralty briefing paper reported that the Nanking and North China squadrons had for some time been attempting to secure superiority over each other by purchasing second-hand ships from Britain and Japan, despite it being prohibited by Treaty.