740.0011 Pacific War/2419: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Vincent) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 6—3:02 p.m.]
498. Reference Department’s 307, April 21, 6 p.m. Conference in late March was of Chinese Moslem National Salvation Confederation, another loose union of various Chinese Moslem organizations. Emphasis was on internal problems of resistance to Japan and counteraction of Japanese efforts to win support of North China Moslems. There was no formal consideration of foreign relations although private disappointment was reportedly expressed that Chiang Kai-shek slighted Moslem leaders in recent visit to India.10
The purport of the Department’s idea has been informally discussed with a number of Chinese officials. The Chinese Government is aware of advantages of closer relations with Moslem countries of Near and Middle East. (See Embassy’s 321, April 2, 1 p.m.,11 paragraph 3.) Treaties of amity were recently concluded with Iran and Iraq and agreements made to exchange envoys with Egypt. Nominations of envoys to all three countries is still under consideration. Chinese Government is now making renewed approach to Afghanistan Government through London. Relations with these countries have been based on geographical and political considerations. Chinese have intentionally avoided religious angle because of desire to keep this factor out of their treatment of and relations with Chinese Moslems.
While anxious to promote and develop close relations with Moslem countries, Chinese Government has no present intentions of further good-will missions. Two such missions toured Near East and Malaya in 1938 and 1939 under auspices of Moslem Federation. Study by Chinese in Egypt and Turkey and pilgrimages to Mecca have been stopped by war.
The dearth of well-educated influential and politically acceptable Chinese Moslems as well as travel difficulties rendered adoption of Department’s suggestion impracticable. There are in fact no Chinese Moslems with suitable qualifications and experience to head diplomatic missions to Moslem countries. The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs12 informed me, for example, that Egypt had asked that Chinese Minister to Cairo be a Moslem but that Chinese Government was unable to comply. He added that when he came to the Foreign Office last summer, training of six Chinese Moslems for diplomatic service was undertaken. Two of these will be assigned to Cairo and other to Turkey, Iran and Iraq. He commented on the recent appointment [Page 197] of an American Minister to Kabul and queried whether the American Government might not be able to support China’s negotiations for diplomatic representation in Afghanistan.