893.00/6–1349: Telegram

The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State

1280. Chen Ming-shu dined with me June 10 en route Peiping. He was accompanied by his wife and Lo Hai-sha (see Embtel 1215, June 6 to Department, repeated Shanghai 658, Canton 500, Peiping 200).

Chen is thoroughly committed to broadening of CCP administrative personnel and program including international as against narrowly Soviet relations. He recognizes need for friendly relations with USA. Chen is conscious of CCP dogmatic intolerance as well as its conscious need of technical workers.

I gave Chen and Lo factual material prepared and translated by Embassy, including such things as abstract comparing Sino-Soviet treaties and Sino-American treaties; Sino-American trade figures showing importance to China of trade with USA and relative unimportance to US of foreign trade with China; brief history of Sino-American relations, et cetera. It was against this background that I did most of talking, feeling it unique opportunity to explain American position to non-Communist Chinese whose party will participate in pre-PCC reportedly convening Peiping next few days. In general my comment revolved around five points:

(1)
Americans believe states with different ideologies can live together in peaceful world.
(2)
We are primarily concerned in Chinese people rather than form of government they choose themselves, provided only government has support of whole nation and is willing and able to maintain accepted international standards. We are particularly interested in two features prospective CCP-dominated government: (a) Would it really maintain human rights as set forth in UN declaration, or would it follow usual procedure of totalitarian or police state? (b) Was it committed to world revolution by violence based on Marxist-Leninist theory? If so this position must be recognized as virtually open declaration of aggression both by subversive tactics and armed force and would be regarded by rest of world as the real imperialism threatening it.
(3)
Indications of CCP foreign policy (yet unannounced officially) are disconcerting, to say least, to those who desire to maintain friendly relations hitherto maintained between US and China.
(4)
CCP economic program, except most general terms, is likewise unannounced, although such official utterances as have been made appear discouraging to trade with USA.
(5)
US attitude is one of waiting, observing. However, fact of my remaining Nanking together with other chiefs of mission (except Soviet) has significance which must surely be appreciated by CCP.

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I emphasized that what US Government had more than once publicly announced as its policy toward China (sovereign independence, Internal unity and peace, economic progress, truly democratic form of government) was precisely what almost all Chinese desired for China; that obstacle was alien factor which it was hoped Chinese statesmanship could solve.

Chen and Lo expect to be back in Nanking in about 4 weeks. In view of importance of my securing first-hand knowledge reaction of CCP top leaders to Chen’s position I am inclined to feel that I should await his return before making my trip to US. I should be grateful for Department’s comments thereon.

As interesting sidelight Lo related experiences their previous evening at dinner with General Liu Po-cheng. He referred to 16–course dinner, abundance of motor cars for guests, in fact everything up to old mandarin or Kmt standard. General Liu had confessed to them that economic outlook CCP territory was so serious he saw no solution. That the more they applied Marxist tenets the more difficult did their situation seem to become. In referring to difficulties in working out coalition government, Liu said CCP did not trust any one outside the party, yet it required expert help which CCP unable solely to provide.

Sent Department 1280, repeated OffEmb Canton 529, Shanghai 693, Peiping 215.

Stuart