793.003/11–1042
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The Ambassador of China, accompanied by Minister Liu Chieh, called at his request and handed me three documents. One entitled “Treaty with regard to Relations Between China and the United States of America”,66 related to the present negotiations on the general question of extraterritoriality. The second related to a clarification and some modification of the pending proposal on the subject of extraterritoriality.67 The third document related to a proposed exchange of notes between our two Governments for the purposes set out therein.68 I thanked him and said that my associates and I would give these matters prompt and careful attention.
The Ambassador then said that his Government would be interested in the question of liberalizing the Chinese immigration situation. I said that this brought to my mind the many important questions that would arise in solving the peace problems and establishing a suitable post-war economic and political peace structure in international affairs. In this connection, there must exist a complete relationship of trust and confidence, friendliness and mutual cooperation among the principal governments of the United Nations, such as China, Russia, Great Britain and the United States, to speak without [Page 345] invidious distinction. I stated that there are today numerous trouble-making persons who travel from one world capital to another and speak recklessly and too often wilfully along the lines calculated to create misunderstanding or suspicion in regard to the motives of friendship and the spirit of teamwork existing among these great governments today. I added that this Government has suffered somewhat from such loose mischievous lines of talk by persons who make their living in this manner and who seek at all times to get themselves in the press, and that many of these busybodies are increasingly endeavoring to excite coolness and misunderstanding between these four governments and their official heads.
After referring to our friendly relations with Russia and our difficulties in fending off troublemaking utterances, such as referred to above, I referred to China and said it was inconceivable to me that the Generalissimo would allow any person to prejudice him in any manner against any of the official heads of the principal United Nations even though some other Chinese officials might be thus influenced; that the high officials of China, I am sure, would immediately disregard the attempts of professional agitators to arouse coolness between our governments, especially in the light of the record of friendship and assistance furnished to China by the United State beginning as far back as 1931, including our far-reaching steps to aid China against Japanese aggression. I said that in so doing we ran the extreme risk of war many times before the conflict actually came. All the time we were safeguarding Chinese interests in dealing with the Japanese, just as much as our own interests, and refusing to concede any Chinese rights to Japan even for the sake of prolonging peace.
The Ambassador listened intently and said he understood everything I was bringing out and that it was important to avoid the interference of trouble-making persons whose activities I had correctly described.