811.42793/1816: Airgram
The Ambassador in China ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 19—1 p.m.]
A–61. With reference to the Embassy’s despatch No. 2628, May 30, 1944, regarding the ban on the sending abroad of Chinese students, the Embassy has now been informed that the students who were undergoing training at the Central Training Institute in preparation for proceeding abroad for study have been graduated from the Institute. It is understood that those students who had not given up their employment will return to their former positions while those who had resigned from their employment will be given temporary places in the Government until such time as they may be permitted to leave the country. The Embassy’s informant states that the Ministry of Education has written to the Ministry of Communications requesting the latter to employ eight students and that this procedure will be followed with other Government organizations.
With regard to the purchase of foreign exchange in the future by students who had received permission to go abroad for study but have been temporarily prohibited from leaving the country, the Embassy understands that those students who have fulfilled the necessary requirements (Embassy’s despatch No. 2423, April 11, 194438) will be permitted to purchase the stipulated amount of foreign exchange at the present official rate (20 to 1 for U. S. currency) irrespective of the rate prevailing at the time of their departure.
This concern on the part of the Chinese Government for students whose plans to study abroad have been upset would seem to indicate that the ban on student travel is of more than a temporary nature and may very likely continue for the duration of the war. The local Associated Press correspondent has stated to an officer of the Embassy that he has received a similar impression from a recent interview with Chen Li-f u.
- Not printed.↩