121.5493/9–3048: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30—4:23 a. m.]
1798. Following statement in September 24 edition Central News Agency attributed to Department spokesman, as statement Department views on problem clearance our Attaché plane’s flight to Tihwa:
“China is not blocking the flight of an American Embassy supply plane to Tihwa, the State Department said today.
“The statement was made in response to a Central News query regarding local press reports which stated that the United States was trying to overcome Chinese objections to send a supply plane there and quoted official sources as saying that American Embassy officials were hopeful that the present negotiations would clear the flight despite the Sino-Soviet air treaty of 1939.
[Page 748]“State Department officials said that they have been assured by China that the flight will be cleared on application to the proper authorities although they were unable to say whether the Embassy is snaking such an application. They further said that the application was probably delayed until the expected new regulations are promulgated.
“As far as we are concerned, the officials said, there is no block on the part of China and the plane has not gone to Tihwa probably because we have not yet applied for clearance.”