893.00/6–1847: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 18—7:25 a.m.]
1332. Following is statement by director of Chinese Government Information Office at weekly press conference June 18:
“On behalf of the Government I wish to make the following statement in regard to question raised in connection with Sinkiang. There cannot be any dispute regarding the fact that Peitashan lies within the province of Sinkiang and therefore on Chinese territory. Either before or since the signing of the Sino-Soviet treaty of 1945 there has always been a Sinkiang police station at Peitashan maimed by a small Chinese police force together with Chinese sentry posts. Therefore, I must categorically deny the reported allegation that Chinese troops have ever either before or since the Peitashan clashes crossed any part of the Sinkiang border into Outer Mongolia. The Outer Mongolian communiqué as broadcast by Moscow is absolutely false. Pending the receipt of official replies from the Outer Mongolian and Soviet Governments I do not wish to say more than just to reiterate that the Peitashan case is neither a casual frontier incident nor a boundary dispute but involves political questions of wider significance.”
In reply to question regarding present status of Peitashan, director said:
“Clashes in Sinkiang have come to a standstill. The Ministry of National Defense has received no new report since June 15th.”