793.00/11–654
No. 386
Memorandum of Conversation, by the
Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (McConaughy)1
eyes only
Subject:
- British Concern re Chinese Off-Shore Islands
Participants:
- Michael Joy, First Secretary, British Embassy
- Walter P. McConaughy, Director for Chinese Affairs
Michael Joy, First Secretary of the British Embassy, called at 7:30 p.m. at his own request. He said that the Embassy had just received a message from the Foreign Office to the effect that the [Deputy] Under Secretary, Sir Harold Caccia, on instructions of the Foreign Secretary had called in the Chinese Communist Chargé on the morning of Saturday, November 6. Caccia told the Chargé the British Government was concerned about the increased military activity around the off-shore islands. Her Majesty’s Government foresaw grave dangers unless the Peiping Government acted with great restraint. The two opposing sides might find themselves eventually in a position where their prestige would be so deeply involved that war would be almost unavoidable. Caccia said that H.M.G. wanted to leave the Chargé in no doubt as to U.S. intentions to support the Chinese Nationalist Government fully. This meant that the situation had explosive possibilities. He said that the Foreign Secretary had already discussed the matter with Secretary of State Dulles, and was fully convinced of the firmness of the American position. Hence, he had been directed to request the Chargé to send an urgent message to Peiping in the foregoing sense, conveying the concern of H.M.G. and urging that restraint be exercised.
The Chargé stated that he could not understand the British interest in a purely internal Chinese affair. Caccia said that the British [Page 881] concern was to bring about a settlement by peaceful means. Any situation which might lead to hostilities was of concern to H.M.G. H.M.G. had no diplomatic representative in Formosa. There had been conversations with the American Secretary of State, and H.M.G. was ready to use its good offices.
The Chinese Communist Chargé asserted that the Chinese Nationalists recently had made a landing in Fukien Province. He asked Caccia if Peiping “was expected to tie its hands”. Caccia replied negatively, but said that both sides should show some restraint.
The Chinese Communist Chargé said that he would telegraph the British views to his Government.
- Seen by Secretary Dulles, according to a handwritten notation by O’Connor on the source text.↩