China joined the United States and United Kingdom in issuing the Potsdam Declaration in 1945. The three governments released the declaration on 26 July 1945, calling on Japan to surrender and stating the consequences of refusal.
The declaration was issued during the Potsdam Conference in Germany. China’s leader Chiang Kai-shek was not present at the conference, but China participated in the declaration through the concurrence of its government. The Soviet Union did not initially sign it because it was still neutral in its war with Japan; it later accepted the declaration after entering the conflict.
The document demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan’s armed forces and warned of “prompt and utter destruction” if Japan rejected the terms. It also stated that Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the main islands and other islands determined by the Allies. Japan’s eventual surrender instrument referred to accepting the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.