68. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State1
499. Deptel 4172 helpful but problem remains that Yeh’s messages apparently mentioned several times and quite definitely a firm agreement that two governments would issue coordinated statements including specific reference to US protection for Kinmen and Matsu to help take curse off Tachen withdrawal. Chiang used this in meetings of National Defense Council and KMT standing committee as proof of sincere and definite intentions on part of US; this to quiet serious opposition which developed against Tachen evacuation.
Yeh’s draft of proposed Chinese statement3 disapproved by Chiang as weak and even if redrafted probably would not be issued unless coordinated US statement put out at same time. One objection may be Chinese dislike of any implication US assuming unilateral responsibilities. (This was major objection to 1950 neutralization.) Would it be possible for Chinese statement, if and when issued, to refer to joining in “protecting such related positions and territories as the two governments agree to be essential to defense of Formosa and Pescadores”? This should appeal to Chinese and yet would leave US entirely free to agree or not in any given case.
Under present highly delicate circumstances I would recommend considering once more issuance of simultaneous US and Chinese statements after coordinating with Yeh and Koo. Assuming revised Chinese draft satisfactory to Department, I might suggest US statement along following lines, using Chinese statement as occasion for issuance rather than Congressional resolution on which President Eisenhower already has commented:
“The Government of the Republic of China’s announcing the redeployment of its military forces from the Tachens, a group of small islands about 200 miles north of Formosa, to other positions which [Page 182] will have the effect of strengthening the defenses of Formosa and the Pescadores. As a further contribution to securing and protecting Formosa, in consonance with the Congressional resolution approved January 29, 1955, the United States Government will extend assistance to the Republic of China, in defending related positions or territories now in its hands which the two governments agree to be essential to the defense of Formosa and the Pescadores. The United States also will assist in the redeployment of Chinese forces from the Tachens.
“These steps have been taken in the interest of forestalling possible further armed attacks upon territories under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China and of contributing thereby to the restoration of peace and security in the west Pacific.”
View delay in Tachen evacuation it might be wiser to encourage impression this due to proposal just laid before UNO Security Council which necessitate postponing other action at least few days until prospects these proposals clarified. This might divert some attention from stories emanating from Taipei of US-Chinese differences and from Washington of plans to use off-shore islands for bargaining purposes. Actually Tachen evacuation itself might have some bargaining value if delayed short time.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/1–3155. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 5:41 p.m.↩
- See footnote 6, Document 61.↩
- Transmitted in Document 62.↩