Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, The United Nations; The Western Hemisphere, Volume II

330/1–2050: Telegram

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

priority

Peiping, January 20, 1950.

161. There was received 1730 today under cover letter dated January 19 from General Chou En-lai his message (English translation supplied with Chinese original) to President General Assembly and Secretary General and members delegations UN and Security Council with request it be forwarded Secretary State, as follows:¹

“United Nations, Lake Success, New York, USA. To Mr. Carlos P. Romulo, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Mr. Trygve Lie, Secretary General of the United Nations, and member delegations to the United Nations and the Security Council.

“On the 8th of January, I addressed to the United Nations a note demanding the United Nations and the Security Council to expel the illegitimate delegates of the Chinese KMT reactionary remnant clique. Mr. Trygve Lie has kindly replied ‘acknowledging the receipt of this note of protest and stating that copies of it have been given to the member delegations to the Security Council. I would like to inform you further, Messrs. President and Secretary General, that the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China has appointed Chang Wen Tien Chairman of the delegation of the People’s Republic of China to attend the meeting and to participate in the work of the United Nations including the meetings and work of the Security Council. Also may I request you, Messrs. President and Secretary General, to answer the following two questions,

(1) When will the illegitimate delegates of the Chinese KMT reactionary remnant clique be expelled from the United Nations and from the Security Council? I consider the continued presence to this day of the illegitimate delegates of such a reactionary remnant clique in the United Nations and the Security Council as completely unjustified. They should be expelled immediately.

(2) When can the legitimate delegation of the People’s Republic of China under the Chairmanship of Chang Wen Tien attend the meetings and participate in the work of the United Nations and the Security Council? I consider that this delegation should attend the meetings and participate in the work without delay.

An early reply will be appreciated.²

Chou En-lai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. 19 January 1950. Peking.”

Clubb

1. The United States Mission at the United Nations reported in its daily summary for January 20 (telegram 61, 10:45 p. m.) that “SYG Lie told correspondents Jan 20 that the UN’s stock was at its lowest ebb as a result of the dispute over recognition of a Chinese Government … said, in a prepared statement, that the work of the UN should not be made to suffer because of this ‘political struggle’.”
2. In response to Chou En-lai’s two questions, the Secretary-General cabled in reply: “In answer to your first question, I have the honor to call your attention to the fact that each organ of the UN is competent to act upon credentials of members. Therefore, in reply to second question, the representation and participation in work of various organs is determined by decision of those organs.” (New York 63, January 20, 11:12 p. m., file 330/1–2050)