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

893.01/12–2249: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Holmes) to the Secretary of State

London, December 22, 1949—6 p. m.
[Received December 22—3:12 p. m.]

5080. In routine off-record conference in Prime Minister’s office yesterday, Philip Jordan, advisor on Public Relations, is reliably reported to have announced that recognition of Communist China would definitely take place on last day in December or first few days in January. He said other Commonwealth Governments had been consulted with regard to timing and that only Australia had yet to be heard from.

Regarding the Colombo Conference, Jordan stated that chief item of now firmed-up agenda was form and scope of a Japanese peace treaty, other items to include Commonwealth countries’ dollar requirements for next 12 months and “question of sterling balances”. (He did not elaborate on this last item.)

Holmes