Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Far East: China, Volume VIII

893.24/5–1448

The Department of State to the Chinese Embassy

Memorandum

The Department of State refers to the Chinese Embassy’s two memoranda of April 22, 1948 with regard to the requirements of the Chinese Government for arms and ammunition for the Chinese Army and for the Chinese Air Force, copies of which were forwarded by the Department to the military authorities concerned.

A communication has now been received from the Department of the Army⁵ indicating that its report, “Status of Surplus Matériel in Pacific Area as Pertains to Chinese Government”,⁶ forwarded to the Chinese Embassy as an attachment to the Department’s memorandum of April 21, 1948,⁷ contained the latest information on the amount of surplus matériel available for transfer to the Chinese Government. It is understood that contracts for the purchase of this matériel by the Chinese Government are now under negotiation.

The Department will inform the Chinese Embassy should the military authorities indicate that additional surplus matériel has become available for transfer to China.

Washington, May 28, 1948.

5. Not printed.
6. See footnote 85, p. 52.
7. See footnote 87, p. 52.