893.00/10–2246
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 22—10:30 p.m.]
1711. Minority party leaders, top Government representatives and others, having persuaded Chou En-lai to return to capital from Shanghai with them, President Chiang sent for me on morning of October 21, before leaving for Formosa, to define his policy as follows:
Having formally delivered his published communication of October 18 [16] through General Marshall and me to the Communist delegates, he indicated they should in like manner send a written reply. If favorable, the discussions should follow the procedure and be confined within the terms of his communication. Every encouragement should be given the minority parties to take an active share in preparation for and joining in the National Assembly.
Generalissimo’s trip to Formosa had been long planned and his departure postponed one day in order to see Chou and minority party leaders, its coming at this time being purely a coincidence.