893.01/287

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

The British Chargé called and asked me what the Chinese Minister said about representing the Nationalists. I told him that he called and simply said that he had received a cable from the Nationalist Government or authorities asking him to continue to represent China [Page 184] in the United States. I thanked him for the information. He did not present credentials. He did not discuss recognition.

I said that if the Nationalist authorities settle down now to establish a reasonably stable government, we would have to meet the question of either de facto or de jure recognition as the government of China and if they did succeed in establishing such a government, I saw no reason why we should not extend at least de facto recognition and perhaps take up the question of negotiations again. I asked him what was the attitude of the British Government. He said that he did not know. He wanted to know what the status of Sze was and I said he had the same status that he had always had; that he did at one time represent the Tuan Chi Jui provisional government which we had all recognized as a de facto government making certain reservations at the time. He continued after that government disappeared to some time discuss matters pertaining to Chang Tso Lin and matters pertaining to the Nanking Government and any matters which he or any of the others seemed to be interested in. That is the substance of the conversation. The British Chargé promised to inquire of his Government as to its attitude on the subject of recognition.