298. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Secretary of State1
SUBJECT
- Macmillan’s Message on Proposed U.S. Talks with Chinese Communists2
Macmillan’s message points up the difficulty we will encounter in finding topics for conversation with the Chinese Communists going beyond the prisoner and Chinese student questions. It is difficult to think of any additional topics which might be fruitful and do not either directly involve the rights and essential interests of the Chinese Nationalists or else open a Pandora’s box.
The matter of the seizure of American Government and commercial properties on the China mainland might be broached, but this would give the Chinese Communists a good platform from which to launch an attack on our Foreign Assets Control regulations, and the trade embargo. Furthermore, it might seem a prelude to possible diplomatic recognition. We might demand an accounting for the death in prison of several American missionaries who were probably murdered by the Chinese Communists, including the Presbyterian medical missionary, Dr. Wallace, in 1951 and Catholic Bishop Ford in 1953,3 and other outrages perpetrated against American citizens. But this would not be helpful in this context, and would be more calculated to exacerbate than to relieve tensions.
The British have suggested that a later topic of discussion could be the “cessation of attacks on shipping” and “peaceful use of the seas”. The British have an axe to grind in bringing up these topics, in that they are now arguing with the Chinese Nationalists over interception of British vessels trading with south China ports, and in connection with Chinese Nationalist mining of the territorial waters of the off-shore islands.
The British undoubtedly hope to get us to induce the Chinese Nationalists to terminate their blockade and “port closure” attempts. It is questionable whether we should take action which would estop the Chinese Nationalists from interfering with the supply by sea of the mainland bases opposite Taiwan and the off-shore islands. Hence, while we do not officially support the Nationalists’ interdiction efforts, we should not become involved in bilateral talks with the Chinese Communists on this subject.
[Page 649]I am inclined to think that the best fall-back topic for us to suggest is simply the renunciation of force by the Chinese Communists in the entire area of the Taiwan Strait. This could be taken up concurrently with the prisoner and student questions. With our established desire to avoid the use of force and to urge a policy of restraint on the Chinese Nationalists under the exchange of notes of December 10, we are on sound ground in insisting upon a like restraint on the part of the Chinese Communists. If this topic were urged upon the Chinese Communists, they would be on the defensive in rejecting it, as they would probably feel compelled to do.
It is highly unlikely that the release of all the Americans, military and civilian, held by the Chinese Communists will materialize in the near future or that they will agree to a renunciation of the use of force with maintenance of the status quo in the area of the Taiwan Straits. Such being the case, we would have good ground for refusing to discuss other topics until these are settled. We need not accept Macmillan’s argument that our formula is too restrictive. We could take the position as to other topics that we will cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meanwhile I suggest that we be careful to avoid any indication that we think there is a wide range of marginal questions or questions not involving the essential interests of the GRC which might fruitfully be discussed. Insofar as I can see, there is no wide range of such questions which could be taken up with profit to ourselves at this time.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/7–1255. Top Secret. The source text bears a notation that it was seen by the Secretary.↩
- See Document 292.↩
- Dr. William L. Wallace died in prison in February 1951; Bishop Francis X. Ford died in prison in February 1952.↩