893.918/151
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 3.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose25 (a) copy of a letter of April 18, 1944, together with its enclosures, addressed by the Foreign Press Correspondents Association at Chungking to Generalissimo Chiang Kaishek requesting a liberalization of Chinese censorship and (b) copy of a Central News Agency despatch of April 19 in regard to restrictions on freedom of speech in China.
Summary of Enclosures. The foreign press correspondents in their letter to the Generalissimo state that Chinese censorship as now enforced prevents their sending abroad a balanced picture of conditions in China. They explain that the American, British and Russian people are beginning to suspect that the picture of China which the censorship permits and fosters is not an accurate one and that the correspondents, like many people in the Chinese Government, are concerned with the bitter reaction to the suppression of news now begining to appear in foreign publications. The correspondents point out that a true picture of China involves both the unpleasant and things of which China and the world can be proud and that their experience in China makes it possible for them to write articles more judiciously than can journalists abroad who do not know the current situation at first hand. They request a liberalization of the Chinese censorship in the best interests of everyone concerned.
The Minister of Information is quoted in the enclosed Central News Agency despatch as saying that it has always been the policy of the Kuomintang to uphold the principle of freedom of speech but that certain restrictions on freedom of speech are necessary as a measure for ensuring national security. He adds that revision of the censorship [Page 406] regulations has been under consideration for the past six months and that the revision may be effected in the near future. End of Summary.
It is difficult to see how there can be any real relaxation of the Chinese censorship regulations although the Chinese authorities are fully aware that the favorable picture of China built up over a period of years, both by Chinese publicity organs and by foreign press correspondents, is beginning to be suspect abroad. Some of the censorship represents near-stupidity, such as the former ban on the use of the word “inflation” when everyone familiar with the Chinese scene was completely aware of the existing inflationary conditions in China. The taboo on the Kuomintang–Communist situation was feasible for a long time when relations between the two parties were relatively stalemated but even the strict censorship did not prevent news of the seriousness of the situation in 1943 from reaching foreign ears. The correspondents maintain that a better picture of such subjects could be written here than by persons abroad receiving second hand information. As regards comfort to the enemy, there is little of importance that happens in free China that does not reach the Japanese if one is to judge by the Domei English language broadcasts and it is well known that Chinese businessmen and others constantly pass to and from the occupied areas.
Much of the dissatisfaction with Chinese censorship probably derives from the impatience of the western correspondent with the obviously staged and planned nature of news and events and the mouthing of homilies at the press conferences. The Government spokesmen often make obvious misstatements, known both by them and by the correspondents to be untruths. If the Chinese Government cannot permit criticism of the Government or its policies by its own press, there seems to be no reason to believe that foreign press correspondents could be permitted to send abroad articles giving a true picture of present day China.
In connection with the question of the weekly press conferences held by the Ministry of Information, the foreign press correspondents have recently felt that the discussions at the press conference have become somewhat of “a show” and that the attendance of Chinese newspaper representatives and members of the various foreign Embassy staffs prevented the Government spokesmen from talking as freely as they might before the foreign correspondents alone. The correspondents, therefore, requested the Ministry to exclude all persons from the press conferences except representatives of the foreign press. In accordance with that request, the Ministry on April 21 addressed letters to those persons who customarily attend the press conferences stating that hereafter “only bona fide correspondents of [Page 407] the foreign press registered with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be admitted”. It is believed that the Ministry is relieved to have this excuse for excluding Chinese press representatives and members of foreign diplomatic missions as some of the discussions at the conferences have been embarrassing for the spokesmen. It is not felt, however, that the foreign press correspondents will find the conferences any more productive than in the past and it is likely that the Chinese newspaper correspondents will resent what they may consider discrimination against them. There have already been instances of such feeling, said to have first been aroused during the trip by Chinese and foreign newspaper correspondents to the Changteh battle area in December 1943 when foreigners were given preferential treatment; this feeling was perhaps increased by an effort on the part of some of the foreign newspaper representatives to exclude Chinese press correspondents from the list of personnel for the proposed trip to the Communist areas.
The lead in this effort to obtain a liberalization of Chinese censorship has been taken by American and British correspondents while representatives of Tass News Agency refused to sign the letter to the Generalissimo. The correspondents have requested early action on this matter and have expressed a desire to discuss the question with the Generalissimo in person. This request is not likely to be pleasing to General Chiang and some Chinese observers express the opinion that the petition is much too strong and direct. Coming as it does on top of ever increasing published criticism abroad, Dr. Sun Fo’s critical speeches at home and the request by the foreign correspondents for permission to visit the Communist areas, the Generalissimo will probably be resentful but is sufficiently astute to be aware that he cannot ignore, however much he may desire to do so, the opinion of the foreign press. However, it is felt that the question of the liberalization of the Chinese censorship is one that should have been considered several years ago. The Chinese authorities will probably feel that any considerable relaxation at the present time, unless gradually applied, might be as harmful as the existing system under which an accurate picture of the situation cannot be transmitted abroad.
Respectfully yours,
- Enclosures not printed.↩