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

841.65/10–1149

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (Freeman)¹³

[Washington,] October 11, 1949.

Participants:	Mr. H. A. Graves, Counselor, British Embassy
	Mr. Merchant, FE
	Mr. Freeman, FE

Mr. Graves called this morning after having requested an appointment on an urgent basis and handed Mr. Merchant the attached text of an official communication from the British Government to the Chinese Communist authorities in Peiping which was delivered by the British Consul General on October 5.¹⁴ Mr. Graves was obviously somewhat discomfited in presenting this text to us which it was apparent he was doing under urgent instructions from the British Foreign Office. The text of the communication appeared to be identical with that handed to Mr. Butterworth by Mr. Daridan of the French Embassy on October 6.

After examining the text, Mr. Merchant stated that from a layman’s point of view it would appear that the sending of such a communication could be construed as constituting de facto recognition by the British Government of the newly established Chinese Communist regime. Mr. Freeman added that, at the very least, it would appear to be a definitive step toward recognition and as such might properly have been made the subject of consultation between our two governments, particularly in the light of the understanding reached between Mr. Bevin and Secretary Acheson that we would have “close and continuous consultations” on the subject of recognition.

Mr. Graves professed to have no personal knowledge as to the origin and development of the communication as he had been on the high seas at the time of its delivery to the Chinese Communist authorities and had only just returned to Washington. He stated, however, that the position of the Foreign Office was that the transmission of this note did in no way constitute a departure from the agreed position with respect to recognition and specifically did not in the opinion of the Foreign Office, constitute de facto recognition of the Chinese Communists. He stated, furthermore, that the text had been received by the British Embassy only on Sunday, October 9, and that there had been no opportunity to present it to the Department’s attention prior to this morning. He further stated that it was his understanding that this note was not specifically a reply to the Chou En-lai note announcing the formation of the “peoples government” and bidding for international recognition. He added that it was intended rather to establish better de facto relations between the British consulates in Communist-occupied China and the local authorities.

Mr. Freeman pointed out that on a cursory examination the Department’s concern would be primarily with the use of the term “Central People’s Government” without quotation marks and the fact that it appeared to be a note from government to government. He recalled that, during the long period of non-recognition of the Japanese puppet regime in Manchuria, this Government only referred to the term “Manchukuo” in quotation marks.

Mr. Merchant stated that the Department would wish to study the text of the communication in some detail and that he would in all probability wish to discuss it with Mr. Graves at some future date.

Bringing up another subject, Mr. Merchant informed Mr. Graves that the Department had received a report from Hong Kong to the effect that “the Royal Navy would escort any British vessels bound for Shanghai and the territorial waters in the mouth of the Yangtze”. He inquired of Mr. Graves whether the latter was in a position to confirm or deny this report since it had obvious implications with regard to American shipping in that area. Mr. Graves stated in reply that as far as he was aware the Royal Navy was not in fact escorting British vessels in that area; that to do so would be a reversal of what he understood to be established British policy in that regard; but that he would inquire of the Foreign Office immediately by telegraph as to the validity of the report and would communicate with us as soon as a reply is received.¹⁵

13. In his memorandum of October 11 to the Executive Secretariat the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant) recommended that the Secretary of State read the “entire text” of the memorandum of conversation.
14. For text of British communication, see copy received through the French Embassy on October 6, p. 103.
15. For correspondence on this matter, see pp. 1098 ff.