893.01 Provisional/70
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Aide-Mémoire
Reference is made to the aide-mémoire of the British Embassy of February 14, 1938, in regard to the matter of calls to be paid on the representatives of the Provisional Government at Peiping and on territorial officials. In the aide-mémoire there was given the substance of instructions which were being sent by the British Government to the British Embassy in China on that subject, and the hope was expressed that this Government might see its way clear to adopting a similar procedure.
It will be recalled that on January 21, 1938, during a call at the Department of Mr. Mallet, Counselor of the British Embassy, Mr. Hamilton informed Mr. Mallet of the substance of the Department’s instructions to the American Embassy at Peiping in regard to the question of calls on representatives of the new régime. This Government has given further consideration to this matter, and as a result it has issued to the American Embassy in Peiping supplementary instructions to the effect that informal relations, including exchange of calls, with representatives of the new régime should, so far as is practicable, be restricted to officers acting in their consular capacity. It may be mentioned that three members of the staff of the American Embassy at Peiping have the dual status of diplomatic officer and consular officer.