Office of the Historian

123 Stuart, J. Leighton: Telegram

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

Nanking, July 15, 1949—2 p. m.
[Received July 15—5:15 a. m.]

1531. Morning radio reports that Generalissimo8 has arrived Canton to pay his long-anticipated visit to seat of government (Canton’s 728, July 13 to Department9). I assume he will remain several days and that my visit to Canton (if I depart Nanking on schedule) will coincide with his (see Deptel 820, July 12 to Nanking, repeated telCan 446). From this end I consider speculation, misinterpretation which would inevitably result most undesirable and to be avoided if at all possible. It will be impossible to convince world public opinion that Generalissimo’s and my visits to Canton this time are pure coincidence; Communists will make all possible political capital out of it and undoubtedly consider that in my departure plans I have not been entirely ingenuous; even my colleagues Diplomatic Corps will hardly be convinced that our simultaneous appearances in Canton are not by design. At small luncheon yesterday with my colleagues British Commonwealth they spoke of Generalissimo’s recent visit to Philippines,10 President Rhee’s11 invitation to Generalissimo to visit Korea and said that my departure from Communist China at this time would undoubtedly be linked with those events in Communists’ mind since their press is already branding Baguio meeting as “American imperialistic plot”. My colleagues considered this an unfortunate coincidence. They of course had no intimation of my proposed visit to Canton in addition. I feel I must bring above considerations to your [Page 787] attention. Any changes in my instructions as result thereof could reach me in Okinawa as late as July 18 which is still only target date as our exit permits have not yet been approved.

Sent Department; repeated OffEmb Canton 641.

Stuart
  1. Chiang Kai-shek, President of China until January 21, 1949, when he retired in favor of Vice President 14 Tsung-jen as Acting President.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. For documentation on this subject, see vol. vii, Part 2, pp. 1115 ff.↩
  4. President Syngman Rhee of Korea.↩