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

893.00B/6–1040: Telegram

The Consul General at Peiping (Clubb) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, June 9, 1949—3 p. m.
[Received June 10—9:23 a. m.]

969. [To Nanking:] Re Contel 639, June 8.⁹⁹ Joseph Chang¹ called today [and] said he brought message from father requiring substantial correction information contained Conreftel. He said it had been decided by Communist[s] hold PCC in August and establish coalition central govt October 10. PPC² preparatory meeting will be convoked June 15. There are important changes proportions of delegations attending preparatory meeting. At that meeting Democratic League previously allocated 3, namely Shen Chun-ju, Chang Po-chun and Chou Hsin-min, now will have 7, additional members being Chang Lan, Lo Lung-chi, Chang Tung-sun himself and one other. Democratic League personalities will also represent other parties particularly as follows: Huang Yen-pei for national salvation society, Wu Han for Peiping-Tientsin professors, and Tseng Chao-lun for Peita³ scientific workers. Democratic League will thus have total representation 10 or 12 persons at meeting. Preparatory meeting is to reach basic joint agreement on practically all problems and formal meeting August would merely rubber stamp those decisions.

Per Chang Tung-sun interpretation, this sudden change reflects willingness compromise. Possible explanations he considers two: (1) it is now intended have real coalition govt and this represents Soviet retreat in Asia, or (2) Chou En-lai et al, have advance knowledge indicating Soviets propose yield CFM⁴ meeting Paris. He is unsure exact significance but notes its sudden character and Roschin’s⁵ going directly to Paris and therefore proposes particularly you postpone departure pending clarification events.

Joseph Chang reported inter alia Chou in recent speech to professors said Chinese Communists would not go along line Titoism. Chang said this explanation seemed uncalled-for in circumstances and per his father might in fact indicate Communists were considering going along that line.

Venture repeat this directly Dept, Canton view current important interest.

Sent Nanking 644; repeated Dept 969, AmEmb Canton 155.

[Clubb]

99. Notation: “Peiping’s 639 to Nanking not repeated to Dept”.
1. Son of Professor Chang Tung-sun, Peiping leader of the Democratic League.
2. People’s Political Council.
3. National Peking University.
4. Council of Foreign Ministers.
5. Nikolay Vasilyevich Roschin, Soviet Ambassador to China.