893.01/938
Memorandum Prepared in the Department of State52
The American Government has for a hundred years pursued a policy favoring maintenance of the independence and the integrity of China. In pursuing this policy, this Government has at all times believed it desirable that the Chinese nation be and continue to be united. It has used its influence in opposition to events, movements and trends directed or leading toward disintegration, partitioning, break-up or subjugation of China. An outstanding and accurate expression of this Government’s attitude was that which was given in 1900 when President McKinley declared, “the policy of the Government of the United States is to seek a solution which may bring about permanent safety and peace to China, preserve China’s territorial and administrative entity, protect all rights granted [guaranteed] to friendly powers by treaty and international law, and safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire.”53
It has been this Government’s practice not to interfere in China’s internal affairs. Officials of the American Government have developed and maintained outstandingly cordial relations with officials of the Chinese Government, both in official and in personal contacts. On rare occasions the American Government has in an utterly friendly manner expressed to the Chinese Government views relating to political situations and developments within China. On every such occasion the expression of views has been in line and in harmony with the broad principles of policy mentioned above. Believing in the principle of Chinese unity because of its advantages to the Chinese people, the Chinese state and the Family of Nations, and desiring that China prosper and be strong and be able to preserve her independence, the Government of the United States has deprecated civil strife in China and has suggested conciliatory attitudes and procedures by and on the part of contending groups or factions among the Chinese. At no time have we suggested use of force by Chinese against each other, or use of force by China for any purpose of aggression against any other country. At no time have we made any suggestions to the Chinese regarding the distribution of their armed forces.
The only suggestions which the Department of State or any of its officials have ever made bearing in any way upon the relations between [Page 251] the Chinese National Government and the “Communists” in China have been suggestions that civil strife under existing conditions would be most unfortunate. We have made no suggestions whatever that armed force be used.
- Original, bearing stamp of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs, October 14, 1942, transmitted on October 15 to Mr. Welles by Mr. Hamilton. Copy bearing penciled notation “October 12, 1942 (?)” in FE Files, Lot 52–354 (Box #1, “October”).↩
- Department circular telegram of July 3, 1900, Foreign Relations, 1900, p. 299.↩