893.50 Recovery/2–749: Telegram
The Consul General at Peiping (Clubb) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 7—8:05 a. m.]
191. Application February 2 to Peiping garrison headquarters re ECA plane (Contel 189, February 7) elicited incidental statement attributed garrison commander that Communist side has no relations with Ambassadors or Consuls and has nothing to do with them. Attempts February 3, 4 and 5 arrange call Peiping-Tientsin defense headquarters on official business (re Consular radio station) brought statement officer that organization February 5 that his superiors had instructed that in absence diplomatic relations between “Chinese People’s Government” and USA there is no need receive me even on official business. British Consul reports his official communications returned.
FonOff representative told me February 5 he met same day with Yeh Chien-ying who indicated that local Communist authorities proposed have relations with foreign Consuls [at] Peiping with reorganization and enlargement present Peiping office, special delegate Foreign Affairs with concentration in that organization of matters previously handled partly by “Foreign Affairs Sections” in Municipal Government, Bureau of Police and NCBSH.35 Foreign Office representative indicated he and representative Executive Yuan Ministry Information Office were being invited take over task reorganization. He opined that prior to organization such office little could be expected re administration foreign affairs as new organizations were without directives. He thought Yeh would probably see foreign Consuls soon after setting up new organization. Project based on Yeh’s concept that (1) coalition government will soon be established Peiping, (2) new government needs foreign relations (Contel 184, February 5) and (3) Communists would observe treaty obligations (unclear from FonOff representative’s report whether Yeh meant this principle would be [garble] without exception).
Believe difficulties of contact will continue immediate present as indicated. Believe also Yeh’s reputed good intentions may suffer some check from thinking other Communists’ quarters induced by past propaganda. Believe finally, however, Communists will probably in due course be forced by hard facts take more practical view “foreign relations” in its various economic and political aspects.
Sent Department 191, Nanking 158, Shanghai 161.
- North China Bandit-Suppression Headquarters (pre-Communist).↩