Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East, Volume VIII

851G.00/12–3146

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Charlton Ogburn, Jr., of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs⁹⁴

[Washington,] December 31, 1946.

Participants:	Mr. Tswen-ling Tsui, First Secretary of Chinese Embassy
	Mr. Kenneth P. Landon
	Mr. Charlton Ogburn, Jr.

Mr. Tsui called by appointment to discuss the situation in Indochina. He said that he considered that the United States, United Kingdom and China might well offer to extend their good offices in the French-Vietnamese dispute, and wondered what our reaction would be. We replied that we believed such an offer would be resented and emphatically declined by the French, and that consideration of “good offices” at this time was perhaps premature in view of Moutet’s mission to Indochina and of the interim nature of the present French government.

We inquired what Mr. Tsui’s thoughts might be on the possible Communist connections of the present Vietnam government. Mr. Tsui, replying in terms of direct connections, said that he did not believe any communications could exist between the USSR and Vietnam, and that while President Ho might receive moral support from the Russian Communists he did not believe any material assistance could be extended even through the agency of the Chinese Communists.

Mr. Tsui said that of course what the Chinese most feared was the emergence of a Communist state in Indochina and that their desire to see peace restored stemmed chiefly from their realization that chronically unsettled conditions might prove a breeding ground for Communism. He reverted several times to the desirability of the joint extension of our good offices. We made the further point that such an offer might add to the difficulties of the present French Government and could be seized upon by the French Communists as a means of embarrassing the Government. We noted that the French Communist press is now harping upon the danger of “foreign intervention” in Indochina. Mr. Tsui, however, appeared to feel that the offer might be put in such terms as to make it difficult for the French to decline it, although he stated that he respected the consideration of “face” which must weigh heavily with the French at present.

At the end of the discussion Mr. Tsui suggested that the offer of our good offices need not be made in a formal approach to Paris and need not even be made jointly but could consist of the American, British and Chinese Consuls in Hanoi independently suggesting to the local French authorities that they would be glad to extend their services in the cause of peace. Observing that both his and our Consul in Hanoi had probably already been discussing the situation together, we replied that we would give further consideration to this possibility.

Mr. Tsui asked us to inform him of any reports we received of important developments in Indochina and promised that he would keep us similarly informed.

94. Initialed by the Assistant Chief of the Division (Landon).