711.932/14a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Gauss )
568. Unless you perceive objection please inform Foreign Minister orally that Department hopes to complete in the not distant future a draft commercial treaty21 as contemplated by Art. VII of the Extraterritoriality Treaty and discuss orally with him the situs of preliminary conversations and negotiations concerning it. Department believes it advantageous to conduct such conversations and negotiations in Chungking. It is assumed that Foreign Minister would also prefer Chungking but it would appear desirable that he initiate the suggestion. If, however, he does not do so you should at this time indicate our preference for Chungking.
- On April 22, the Department in instruction No. 609 had sent a tentative draft to Ambassador Gauss for his comment (711.9321/29). The Ambassador replied on May 17 in despatch No. 2572, giving his observations article by article (711.932/26).↩