Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXII, Northeast Asia

22. Telegram From the Embassy in Poland to the Department of State ⁰

Warsaw, April 18, 1961, 5 p.m.

1509. Beam-Wang talks. 104th meeting one hour forty minutes.¹ I opened with paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Deptel 1125.² Wang replied his side indeed desired improve relations as he had stated last meeting but it was now three months since new administration had taken office in Washington and they have seen no signs of any change in US policy. US still occupied Chinese territory Taiwan and its military forces had made nine additional incursions into China’s territorial sea and air. If US would only renounce use of force against China and withdraw from Taiwan relations would improve. His government had noted US had been massing military strength in South China; and had been interfering in Laos instigating use of “KMT remnant forces” against Laotian people.

I briefly restated US position on Taiwan and denied his allegations concerning Laos pointing out US had encouraged evacuation Chinese irregulars to Taiwan. I then referred to our newsmen proposal at last meeting³ expressing hope his side might now accept.

Wang repeated charges US violating Geneva accords and interfering in Laos. Then restated Chinese Communist position on Taiwan drawing analogy with US civil war. Of correspondents he said US refusal accept their September 6, 1960 proposal and attempt after last meeting to shift blame to Peiping proved US unwillingness exchange correspondents and improve relations with his country.

I pointed out Wang had glossed over growing Soviet aid to Pathet Lao rebels but suggested our differing views on Laos could probably not be reconciled here and expressed hope peaceful solution would be reached through actions now underway elsewhere. I then presented new draft agreed announcement on newsmen in accordance paragraph 4 reftel.⁴

Wang said our job is to find means of settling Taiwan issue. If US would end armed occupation Taiwan the remaining internal matter could be readily settled. Then question of use of force would not arise. Regarding our latest proposal on correspondents he reserved position until next meeting.

I then inquired regarding Tora as instructed paragraph 5 reftel ⁵ to which Wang said they had no information. I urged that should any information come to their attention they let us know.

Next meeting May 25, 2 p.m.⁶

Beam

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/4-1861. Confidential; Niact; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Taipei, Hong Kong, and Moscow.
1. Beam commented on the meeting and sent recommendations in telegram 1518, April 19, and transmitted a detailed, apparently verbatim report in airgram G-427, April 21. (Ibid., 611.93/4-1961 and 611.93/4-2161, respectively)
2. Telegram 1125, April 14, transmitted Beam’s instructions for the meeting. The paragraphs under reference instructed him to state that the United States had consistently sought to improve relations and that it had never demanded that Wang’s side abandon its claim to Taiwan but only that it should not press its claim by threat or use of force, to express appreciation for the news that one U.S. national imprisoned in China (Robert E. McCann) was to be released, and to state that there was great public concern over the situation of the imprisoned Americans and that their release would improve the atmosphere of the talks and eliminate a practical obstacle to better relations between the two countries. (Ibid., 611.93/4-1461)
3. See Document 11.
4. Paragraph 4 authorized Beam to expand his March 7 proposal by accepting the language of a Chinese draft agreed announcement of September 12, 1957, modified to take the form of parallel unilateral statements of intentions of the two governments, thus avoiding the “governments agree” formulation of the Chinese draft. Beam transmitted the text of the draft he intended to give Wang in telegram 1497, April 17. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/4-1761) For text of the Chinese draft of September 12, 1957, see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, vol. II, p. 601, footnote 2.
5. Paragraph 5 instructed Beam to renew an earlier inquiry for any information concerning the crew members of the yacht Tora, which had disappeared in the Taiwan Strait in July 1958.
6. Telegram 1695 from Warsaw, May 19, reported that the date had been changed to June 29 at Chinese request. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/5-1961)