690B.9321/6–1154: Telegram
No. 167
The Ambassador in the Republic of China
(Rankin) to the Department of State1
priority
674. Our 665 to Department, 138 Bangkok, 124 Rangoon.2 Foreign Minister Yeh told me today Chinese Government wants immediate formal termination of Joint Committee operations. After discussions with Colonel I Fu-de and consideration by Executive Yuan yesterday, conclusion reached that further attempts at evacuation not only useless but also a mistake from both Chinese and American standpoints as continuing efforts imply responsibility to secure additional evacuation.
Foreign Minister conceded probability of additional stragglers and stated Chinese Military Attaché in Bangkok will cooperate fully on informal basis in arranging passage to Formosa. But Chinese Government is convinced formal operations of Joint Committee should be declared officially terminated soonest.
I requested Foreign Minister withhold any official Chinese announcement this respect pending early advice from Washington or Bangkok. I also repeated my earlier request that any statement issued by China avoid recriminations. Minister gave assurance on this score.
- Repeated to Bangkok and Rangoon.↩
- Telegram 665 from Taipei, June 4, reported that Yeh told Rankin that the Chinese Government would continue to cooperate fully in efforts to remove all possible foreign forces from Burma but that it doubted any more guerrillas would choose to evacuate. (690B.9321/6–454)↩