893.01/1–349
The British Embassy to the Department of State 5
undated
The Foreign Office state that, at first sight, they are inclined to think that the question of giving or withholding recognition may not arise if the Communists enter a coalition government. If His Majesty’s Ambassador and staff are in Nanking, it is likely that they would do business with the new government on a de facto basis.
The Foreign Office say that they will examine the problem exhaustively as soon as a coalition takes place.
- Handed to the Chief of the Division of Chinese Affairs (Sprouse) by the First Secretary of the British Embassy (Ford) on January 3.↩