893.00/2–2447: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 25—3:50 a.m.]
359. General Chou En-lai, in an exclusive interview in Yenan with United Press, on Feb. 22, stated the Chinese Communists will henceforth work out their own problems without mediation by the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the U. S. or any other foreign country. Chou [Page 42] blamed General Marshall for the failure of peace negotiations since his mediation failed because he “was partial to Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang except in the first 2 months of his stay in China”. He also accused American Army, Navy and Air Forces of assisting Central Govt.
He added, “However, we still will welcome an American liaison officer or Military Attaché, whom we understand the American Embassy in Nanking has an idea of sending here shortly”. (This refers to the recent proposal by General Yeh Chien-ying in Peiping that Major Young, Chinese American Army officer, be sent to Yunan as Assistant Military Attaché.) Chou added American businessmen and foreign missionaries could be welcome provided they conform to local laws. Regarding missionaries, he said, “We don’t place restrictions on religion. The problem of Christian churches and missionaries is one of land reform, not beliefs. The trouble is some of these missions have taken illegally land from the peasants and today the peasants want to take back that land.
“If the land was taken back by the missionaries for feudalistic exploitation then the local Communist Govts will take it back and return it to the rightful tenants—the peasants. Also it must be remembered that some Polish and German missionaries worked hand in glove with the Japanese and puppets, actually resulting in harm and death befalling our people who were opposing the Japanese.
“Generally speaking, we don’t place any restrictions on missionary work, and more detailed regulations in this matter will be issued shortly by the local govt.”