Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Far East, Volume VI

851G.00/1–347

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Charlton Ogburn, Jr., of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs

[Washington,] January 3, 1947.

Participants:	Mr. Tswen-ling Tsui, Counselor, Chinese Embassy
	Mr. Kenneth P. Landon2
	Mr. Charlton Ogburn, Jr.

In the course of a conversation with Mr. Tsui, we referred to his previous suggestion that the American, British, and Chinese consuls in Hanoi³ might independently and informally make known to the French authorities that their services were available if it appeared that they might be useful in the cause of peace. (Memorandum of Conversation of December 31⁴). We said that we believed that our respective consuls were already acting along the lines of his suggestion in a practical situation which threatened needless suffering and pointed out that we had heard that the Chinese Consul General in Hanoi had received a proposal from the Vietnam military commander that, subject to French agreement, the Vietnam troops withdraw from the Chinese section of Hanoi, which might obviate a costly struggle and save many Chinese lives. We added that our Consul in Hanoi had asked if the Department perceived any objection to his being present unofficially as an observer of the withdrawal inasmuch as the Vietnamese might request his presence for the sake of the added sense of security which it might give them. We told Mr. Tsui that we had informed our Consul that we had no objection to his acting on humanitarian grounds in such a situation as that which he described, or—always with the agreement of the French—in any other strictly local, military, non-political situation with the object of saving lives. We emphasized, however, that we had instructed him in no circumstances to become involved in any situation in any manner which could be interpreted as an attempt to mediate a political issue. We further informed Mr. Tsui of our understanding that the British Consul in Hanoi had been authorized to lend his services in the withdrawal of the Vietnam troops, should this take place.

Mr. Tsui stated that he had heard of none of these developments and expressed his appreciation of being informed of them.

We pointed out that we had had no information as to whether anything had come of the Vietnam proposal to withdraw from the Chinese section of Hanoi. Mr. Tsui stated that if he received any news on this, point he would let us know.

2. Assistant Chief of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs.
3. James L. O’Sullivan, Vice Consul; Arthur G. T. Wilson, Consul; and Yuen Tse-kien, Consul General, respectively.
4. Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. viii, p. 83.