803.48/11–447: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 5—5:06 a.m.]
2192. Signing of Sino–US Relief Agreement evoked surprisingly little comment in China press. Only acknowledgement it received was in Kmt3 organs which viewed it as an indication of real friendship between the two countries and as an expression of U. S. sympathy for difficulties and sufferings facing Chinese people. One Shanghai Kmt organ, however, while agreeing that this relief was of great significance to China both diplomatically and economically, regretted that terms of agreement so strongly stipulated U. S. supervision of this relief. This paper considered that emphasis which was put on American supervision reflected that U. S. “has too little confidence” in China.
General attitude of most editorials was that China was deeply grateful for this American assistance which would ward off economic collapse, but the Chinese people were strongly urged to double their own efforts to achieve national regeneration in order to become self-sufficient and not depend on outside assistance forever.
- Kuomintang.↩