693.1117 American Chinese Trade Commission/11: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham)
13. Your No. 9, January 5, noon,29 and Department’s No. 5, January 8, 6 p.m. According to the most recent information furnished the Department, the National Foreign Trade Council, New York, in [Page 528] cooperation with the American-Chinese Trade Council and the Chinese-American Trade Council, has now decided to sponsor an economic mission to China which will also visit Japan and the Philippines (forming in effect separate sections in each country) for the purpose of discussing mutual problems affecting trade. The mission will comprise members selected from industrial corporations having large interests in those countries with a number of experts in economics, transportation and finance, and also several prominent men who are not now identified actively with any American corporation but who have had associations with those countries in the past.
The mission is scheduled to leave March 22 from San Francisco on the President Coolidge, to remain 2 weeks in Japan, and then to proceed to Shanghai on the President Harrison. Its itinerary in China will include visits to the principal cities which will require about 6 weeks.
For the present it is believed that Foreign Service officers should refrain from undertaking to explain the mission and should refer inquirers to the National Foreign Trade Council. Such officers may in their discretion inform inquirers that the mission will be strictly unofficial and that the Foreign Trade Council will presumably make its own announcement when its plans are matured and it deems the time opportune.
Advise Legation and Nanking.
- Not printed.↩