Office of the Historian

88. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State1

Taipei, February 5, 1955—10 p.m.

530. Off-shore Islands. Immediately preceding telegram2 gives text of acting Chinese Foreign Minister’s note of February 5, 1955, announcing their decision withdraw from Tachen Islands and requesting United States assistance and protection in this operation.

In handing above note to me Minister Shen stated his government had no objection to US issuing statement as transmitted Department’s [Page 220] 4343 (and amended Department’s 444)4 at whatever time US sees fit.

Wording of proposed China statement still under study. Shen assured me it would not depart “in principle” from Minister Yeh’s draft as approved by Secretary Dulles.5 He hoped it would be completed in matter of hours and requests he be informed of our intentions re timing of issuance US statement. One possibility is Chinese note [statement] will be shortened to omit any reference to “related positions and territories” as way of avoiding Kinmen-Matsu question at this point. I mentioned again importance of showing text to Department before issuance.

Department’s 444 informative but fortunately was not needed in negotiations with Chinese. US case was fully stated in my interview with Chiang February 3 and nothing would have been gained by my seeing him subsequently, although I requested appointment as instructed. Details in subsequent telegrams from Department were passed along promptly to President through Shen, primarily as vehicle for impressing him with urgency of situation.

Obviously Chiang was stalling in hope new developments connected with cease-fire or Secretary Dulles’ return might favor him. Although I had made our position quite clear he clung to hope Yeh would be able accomplish something more. In fairness it should be recognized that giving up still more territory is most painful process for free China.

Rankin
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–555. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 11:47 a.m. A handwritten notation by Goodpaster on a copy of the telegram states that the President was informed by Hoover on February 5. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series) The telegram was passed to CINCPAC, COMSEVENTHFLT, and USUN by the Department at the Embassy’s request.↩
  2. Telegram 529 from Taipei, February 5, transmitted the text of a note of the same date, handed to Rankin that evening by Acting Foreign Minister Shen, which referred to recent consultations in Washington, stated that the Government of the Republic of China had decided to withdraw its armed forces from the Tachens “for purposes of redeployment and consolidation” and to evacuate civilians who desired to leave, and requested U.S. assistance and protection for this operation. (Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–555) A copy of the note, labeled “translation”, is ibid., Taipei Embassy Files: Lot 62 F 83.↩
  3. Document 78.↩
  4. Document 85.↩
  5. Transmitted in Document 62.↩