Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

690B.9321/9–2253: Telegram

No. 102
The Chargé in the Republic of China (Jones) to the Department of State¹

secret
priority

Taipei, September 22, 1953—3 p.m.

181. Prior to actual receipt of memo in Embassy telegram 180² to Department today, Foreign Minister late yesterday had orally out-lined its contents to me on basis of which I expressed view it did not go far enough to satisfy requirements of situation and desires of my government. I made following points.

1. I hoped that Chinese Government would review proposed estimate of evacuees in endeavor to raise it substantially. Foreign Minister replied both he and Generalissimo had urged that estimate be fixed at 3,000, but advisers who had been in Burma doubted larger estimate could be met and President did not wish to promise anything he was not certain of being able to fulfill.

2. Nowhere in the memorandum, I pointed out, was any mention made of orders to troops to evacuate and I regarded it as vital for Chinese Government to establish firmly the fact that orders had been issued to this effect. Foreign Minister repeated previously stated position of Chinese Government on this point to effect that it had always maintained it had no jurisdiction over these troops, but added that in point of fact orders had been issued through Li Mi and that as many as thirty messages had been sent to the “jungle generals” instructing them to bend every effort to induce as many as possible to come out. I remarked that it would be extremely helpful if copies of some of these orders and instructions could be made available. Foreign Minister replied that they had been issued through office of Chief of Staff, but he would endeavor to provide with copies.

3. I regarded as weak statement as to status of troops left behind since Chinese Government made no commitment regarding its own future action. I believed the statement in its present form would be regarded as dodging issue of relationship between Chinese Government and Chinese who stayed behind Burma.

Foreign Minister requested that these and any other points I had be put in memorandum form, to which I agreed.

Jones

1. Repeated to Bangkok and Rangoon.
2. Dated Sept. 22; it transmitted the text of a memorandum received that day from Foreign Minister Yeh. The memorandum stated that: (1) China was ready to sign the Four-Power Agreement and the evacuation plan with or without Burma’s signature; (2) since the Chinese Government exercised no control over Li Mi’s troops it could not order them to leave Burma; (3) the Chinese Government estimated that 1,500–2,000 troops, plus several hundred dependents would be evacuated; (4) the Chinese Government vouched for the intention of Li Mi’s forces to evacuate the six bases mentioned in the evacuation plan, provided that the Burmese Government, whether or not it signed the agreement, abided by its terms; and (5) Li Mi promised to dissolve his Yunnan Anti-Communist National Salvation Army as soon as those troops who were willing had been evacuated, and the Chinese Government would thereafter make a statement that all those choosing to remain in Burma did so at their own risk. In the meantime, orders were being issued to the Chinese representative on the Joint Committee to make a formal statement in accordance with the above. (690B.9321/9–2253)