Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Far East: China, Volume VIII

124.931/8–1949: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China (Jones) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, August 12, 1949—5 p. m.
[Received August 19—9:54 a. m.]

1836. [To Tientsin:] ReContel 332, August 12,¹² received here August 17. Embassy and ConGen Shanghai declining pay house tax on ground property owned by foreign government and used in its service exempt by international usage and law. Shanghai believes local authorities not yet ready commence eviction or condemnation proceedings, and Embassy incline to agree. Assume Department’s instructions already en route to you; however, British and Italian Embassies state they understand assessment date is August 20 and therefore Embassy recommends urgently punctual compliance reporting and assessment procedure with simultaneous expression reservation of rights on any points which might imply a submission by US Government to tax powers of local authorities.

Sent Tientsin 72, repeated Department 1836, Shanghai 1014.

Jones

12. Same as No. 618 to the Department, supra.