893.00/7–1445: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 14—6:35 a.m.]
1163. During a conversation with Counselor Smyth a member of the staff of the British Embassy expressed concern over the statements regarding overseas Chinese contained in Vice Minister Wu’s report on foreign affairs to the People’s Political Council on July 9 (Embassy’s 1143, July 11). He referred to the large Chinese populations in Burma and Malaya, and appeared to feel that efforts by a “chauvinistic Chinese government” to exercise control over persons of Chinese race residing in Burma and Malaya might cause considerable difficulties. (1944 China Tear Book claims approximately 8,170,000 overseas Chinese in Asia in 1942, of whom some 193,000 are in Burma—out of population of 15 to 16,000,000; about 2,360,000 in British Malaya—out of population of 5 to 6 million; and 923,000 in Hong Kong.)
He mentioned the promptness with which the United States Government had allowed the British Consulate to reopen in Manila and said that they would like to reciprocate in the case of Rangoon. However, the delay in authorizing the reopening of our Consulate [at] Rangoon was influenced by the fact that the Chinese also wished to reopen their Consulate there, and the British were reluctant to acquiesce because of “certain problems” which had arisen.