793.94/14666: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:30 p.m.]
66. Embassy’s 60, January 30, noon.16 An official of the Chinese Foreign Office on February 1 confirmed to a member of the Embassy staff that Wang Ching Wei had been issued a passport at the specific instructions of General Chiang Kai Shek. He interpreted this action on the part of the Generalissimo (1) as an effort to maintain the friendly relations that have hitherto existed between the two leaders and (2) as a move to facilitate Wang Ching Wei’s departure for Europe in order to lessen the chances of the latter’s possible alignment with the Japanese or Japanese sponsored regimes in China. This official expressed the view however that Wang Ching Wei would not participate in any Japanese movement for the formation of new governments in the occupied areas.
[Page 136]Peng Shou Pei, Vice Minister of Communications and a former close adherent of Wang Ching Wei, has on two occasions told members of the Embassy that Wang positively has no intention of working with the Japanese or their puppet organizations.
Repeated to Peiping.
- Not printed.↩