893.24/1–2648: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 27—5:57 a.m.]
162. Question of automotive spare parts contract (reDeptels 1596, December 31, 8 p.m.22 and 89, January 21, noon23) discussed here January 9 with Captain Luboshez and Colonel Anderson of OFLC Shanghai, following which aide-mémoire January 12 handed by Minister-Counselor24 to Dr. George Yeh, Vice Foreign Affairs Minister.
In conversations with Embassy officers on January 16 and 24, Yeh stated emphatically that Chinese Government had no intention of using unfilled contract to embarrass US Government in any way. He requested, however, that question of availability automotive spare [Page 7] parts again be investigated by US Government owing to lack of which 3,000 trucks now immobilized in Chinese Army which has urgent need therefor. He said that Foreign Office had received information to effect such parts available in Japan and Hawaii; that purchase price by Chinese Government of parts on open market in USA would be about 10 times higher than under his contract.
Yeh said that if final investigation reveals parts not available to fulfill contract, Embassy should so inform Foreign Office by note, upon receipt of which he would arrange for General Kiang of Bosey25 to accept refund and cancellation of contract.
Sent Department 162; repeated Shanghai for OFLC 77.
- Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. vii, p. 939.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Lewis Clark.↩
- Gen. P. Kiang, Director of Board of Supplies of the Chinese Executive Yuan.↩