893.24/1490: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State

82. Bond of China National Aviation Corporation is urgently requesting consignment of five passenger transport planes for use in maintaining communications with northwest China and between China and India.

Corporation now has only three passenger planes with which it endeavors, with highly commendable efficiency, to maintain three flights a week between Chungking and Calcutta via Kunming, biweekly flights to Lanchow. Flights every week or so to Kweilin. Bond is convinced, and states that the Minister of Communications supports his claim, that additional planes are required to permit a minimum of essential official travel which the situation in China now demands. With additional planes requested he would increase the frequency of service to Kunming and Calcutta, would establish a weekly service to Lanchow and Tihua and would have more frequent flights to Chengtu and Kweilin and possibly other centers in Free China. He is also looking into the future when, as Japanese forces are pushed eastward from Central China, it will be necessary to establish air transport to newly recovered centers.

We believe that Bond’s request is deserving of early and favorable action. There is no doubt that present passenger transport facilities are most inadequate to serve the essential needs in China; furthermore an extension of air transport service would go far towards fostering a greater degree of political unity in the country. A service to Tihua, for instance, would no doubt contribute materially towards the Generalissimo’s2 plan to draw Sinkiang, and the Northwest as a whole, closer to the Central authority. If it is not practicable to supply the five planes which Bond is requesting we urge that favorable consideration [Page 662] be given to supplying C.N.A.C. with an additional minimum three planes absolutely essential to meet present needs.

Gauss
  1. Chiang Kai-shek, President of the Chinese Executive Yuan (Premier).