Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI

793.00/3–250: Telegram

The U.S. Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State

top secret
priority

New York, March 2, 1950—6:57 p. m.

203. Tsiang¹ called on Gross² this afternoon and brought up among other things resumption by Generalissimo of Presidency.³ Tsiang said he was not a member of Nationalist Party or of any other party. He had been striving for “bipartisan or rather tripartisan foreign policy for China.” He felt he had been successful in this and that all groups except, of course, Communist had agreed with line Tsiang had been following in New York. Tsiang thought his Foreign Office had retained confidence in him and there were no partisan differences regarding UN issues of concern to China.

Tsiang considered himself as a friend to both Generalissimo and General Li. Up to as recently as three days ago Tsiang and a group of friends had been attempting to “effect a, reconciliation” between Chiang and Li. This group was disappointed by failure of these efforts, and Tsiang professed to be puzzled as to the reasons for his failure.

Tsiang said he and Dr. Hu Shih⁴ were forming a new “liberal party” of which they were generally considered to be the potential leaders. Tsiang’s implication was that this party would not necessarily accept either the Generalissimo or General Li as its leader.

However, with respect to the Generalissimo’s recent resumption of the Presidency, he had concluded that the Generalissimo had acted correctly from both legal and political point of view. From Chinese constitutional standpoint, the Vice President succeeded to the Presidency only in event of death of the President. The Generalissimo had voluntarily relinquished the Presidency to General Li, and, according to Tsiang, could upon his own volition resume the Presidency. From political standpoint, Tsiang feels “General Li is through”. He is a man of fine character but politically inept. Tsiang cited several instances of what he considered General Li’s lack of political acumen.

Tsiang intends very shortly to make known publicly his views on this matter and said he wished to pass the information to Gross for latter’s personal knowledge prior to public release by Tsiang. Tsiang concluded by saying that situation was “most unfortunate and would provided further ammunition to the enemies of China.”

Gross expressed appreciation to Tsiang for his frank explanation of his views and made no other comment.

Austin

1. Tingfu F. Tsiang, Representative of the Republic of China at the United Nations.
2. Ernest A. Gross, United States Deputy Representative at the United Nations.
3. Effective March 1, 1950, Chiang Kai-shek resumed the Presidency of the Republic of China from Acting President Gen. Li Tsung-jen to whom he had surrendered the office on January 21, 1949. Documentation concerning the deterioration in relations between Chiang and Li, culminating in the latter’s departure from China to the United States late in 1949, is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1949, volume viii .
4. Former Chinese Ambassador to the United States and Chancellor of National Peking University, Hu Shih, at this time held no official position and resided in the United States.