893.01/2–849: Telegram
The Minister-Counselor of Embassy in China (Clark) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 9—1:33 a. m.]
[Cantel] 22. Foreign Minister assured me today that neither his assumption of office nor move of Government to Canton meant any change whatever in China’s foreign policy.
He said full Cabinet was already here as were presidents of Legislative and Control Yuans26 and that Government is in fact functioning in Canton. Acting President Li would likely visit Canton in next few days, but would return north and remain there so long as peace negotiations continued. Should peace negotiations fail and Foreign Minister expressed his belief they would fail, the fight would be resumed. Although he, Prime Minister and other ranking officers of Government might visit Nanking should occasion arise, he stressed that Government is functioning in Canton only and he assured me there would be on hand in Canton at all times an Executive Yuan capable of making decisions. We must have patience, however, he said, until the various Ministries are housed and their records in order.
[Page 118]Wu Tieh-cheng thinks it will take Communists at least 3 months to prepare Yangtze crossing. He says Yangtze will be defended and that, if Air Force and Navy will cooperate with land forces, crossing: can be prevented.
Repeated Nanking 20.
- Tung Kwan-hsien and Yu Yu-jen, respectively.↩