800.0146/161: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:45 p.m.]
1688. Department’s 1251, September 7. I communicated the proposed statement to the Acting Foreign Minister1 September 10. On September 11, Director of American Affairs Department informed me that Chinese Government concurred in the proposed statement but with the qualification that it not be considered a precedent for publication [application?] to areas in Far East. From his ensuing remarks in which he raised a number of academic questions it was apparent that he had chiefly in mind occupied areas in China.
I said in reply that the statement had been formulated in explanatory remarks, to meet a specific situation; that it obviously concerned areas in Europe in which American and British forces were conducting operations; and that I felt sure that no question or thought in regard to occupied areas of China had arisen in the mind of anyone. I pointed out that when Japanese forces should be driven out of occupied China the question of temporary military administration would assumably rest with Chinese and other commanders pending setting up by the Chinese Government of civil administration. I mentioned that Chiang Kai-shek was the Allied Commander-in-Chief in this theatre.
The Director seemed satisfied and there would not appear to be any present need of pursuing the matter further with him.
- K. C. Wu, Chinese Political Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩