793.00/10–249: Telegram

The Consul General at Peiping ( Clubb ) to the Secretary of State

1665. Received 9 p. m. yesterday cover addressed me personally without title using only street address from “Foreign Office, Central People’s Government of People’s Republic of China”. Cover delivered by two persons who requested receipt. Given. Text of letter (in official note form) in translation as follows:

“Mr. O. Edmund Clubb.

“Sir: Mao Tse-tung, Chairman of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China, on this date issued a public statement. I am sending this public statement to you, Sir, with the hope that you will transmit it to your country’s Government. I consider that it is necessary that there be established normal diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and all countries of the world. Chou En-lai (signature and seal), Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. Peking, October 1, 1949.”

Statement follows in next telegram Peiping number series.64 Both letter and statement published today’s Hsin Min Pao but not other papers.

Text letter was printed. Identical communication was received by French, Netherlands, Belgian, Italian Consuls, also late last night. British unavailable but receipt presumed. Today met with French, Netherlands, Belgian, Italian Consuls who are communicating briefly en clair (in absence facilities for sending coded messages) with their [Page 94] Governments. All four request text both letter and statement be given by Department to their Embassies Washington for transmittal their Governments. Presume Department would desire communicate also to British Embassy for their info.

Clubb
  1. See telegram No. 1666, October 1, from the Consul General at Peiping, vol. viii, “Political and military situation in China”, chapter VII.