894A.20/11–949: Telegram
The Consul General at Taipei (Macdonald) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9—3:38 a. m.]
678. Generalissimo requested I see him at 5:30 yesterday afternoon at which time he read me his reply to aide-mémoire left with him on November 3 (see mytel 654, November 3). K. C. Wu present and acted as interpreter after which I was given aide-mémoire of Generalissimo’s reply.
Following is complete text of aide-mémoire handed me:
“After perusal of the aide-mémoire delivered to me on November 3, 1949, under instructions of Secretary of State Acheson, I have communicated its contents to the Chinese Government.
“The Chinese Government and myself both attach great importance to the concern which the US Government shows over the situation in Taiwan. I fully share the view that improvement of the political and economic well-being of the Taiwanese people will fundamentally strengthen the security of Taiwan. During recent months the administration of Taiwan has made some serious efforts in that direction and has attained, I believe, a certain degree of success. In the programme which the administration of Taiwan has adopted for the coming year, further concrete measures are provided for the implementation of that policy. I have the conviction that should such efforts be able to continue for another year or more, a new and progressive Taiwan will be built up to satisfy the desires of its people and their sympathetic friends. In the meantime, any concrete suggestion for further immediate [Page 416] political and economic improvement of the island from the United States Government will be received with the fullest appreciation and consideration by the administration of Taiwan.
“At the present moment, however, Taiwan is facing the most serious menace of a full-scale Communist invasion. Its fate will be decided in the next few months. This is a fact which I cannot refrain from telling frankly the United States Government whose concern over this island we appreciate. Besides facing economic difficulties, the administration of Taiwan is now profoundly anxious about the strength of its armed forces and must endeavour in every possible way to improve it.
“Governor Chen Cheng of Taiwan has been asked by me to make a general statement on the Taiwan situation, outlining the measures which his administration has already taken as well as those which it intends to take in the immediate future, and also stating the position of Taiwan in regard to American aid. A copy of the statement is hereby attached for the consideration of the US Government. It is hoped that the Governor’s requests for American aid, including military assistance of a technical nature, will not be deemed to be outside the scope of the present policy of the US Government. And it is my firm belief that if the US Government decides to meet these requests, they can count on the fullest cooperation from the administration of Taiwan.”
After translating Generalissimo’s reply, K. C. Wu gave me Governor Chen Cheng’s statement on the Taiwan situation, which is being transmitted in a following telegram.37
Generalissimo was in excellent spirits. When Wu finished translating Generalissimo’s reply and his aide-mémoire and Governor’s statement given me, tea was served and we talked informally for fifteen minutes.
- Infra.↩