Office of the Historian

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

Taipei, January 9, 1956—5 p.m.

614. Department’s Circular 435 and Taipei’s 604.2 During January 4–7 visits of Air Force Secretary Quarles3 and Admiral Radford remarks by President Chiang and Foreign Minister Yeh reflected concern over approaching Eden visit to Washington.

In final talk with Quarles January 7 President turned to me and asked his views be transmitted to Department. He regarded US as loyal friend and supporter of free nations of Asia adding that US policy should be their policy. Then without mentioning UK or Eden we warned that “certain allies” of US favored abandoning free China and others in interest of appeasement. He hoped and believed US would stand fast; otherwise Asian countries would be forced to follow independent policies of their own.

On another occasion Foreign Minister repeated to Quarles opinion he had expressed in Washington last fall that Chinese Reds were [Page 256] quite likely to put forward some kind of “no force” formula. He seemed to have in mind possibility Eden might bring such proposal with him, perhaps including high level US-Red China meeting to arrange details.

Comment: Department of course is fully aware of danger in presenting GRC with cooked dish which US would find difficult to repudiate in likely event GRC considered it indigestible. No reason believe GRC position has softened since my telegrams 799 and 800 of May 9;4 if anything contrary is true. Moreover I doubt wisdom of further meetings between US and Red China unless and until we believe net accomplishments both desirable and substantial are in prospect.

Rankin
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/1–956. Secret. Also sent to Hong Kong and to Geneva for Johnson.↩
  2. Circular telegram 435, December 30, 1955, invited the views of the recipient missions concerning various topics which might be discussed during Prime Minister Eden’s visit to Washington. Telegram 604 from Taipei, January 5, replied, inter alia, that during Eden’s visit the ROC Government should be kept informed of all discussions touching on its interests in order to prevent renewed suspicion of a “deal”. (Ibid., 033.4111/12–3055 and 033.4111/1–555, respectively)↩
  3. Secretary of the Air Force Donald A. Quarles visited Taiwan as part of a tour of Air Force activities in the Pacific area; he commented on the trip in a memorandum of January 19, to Secretary Wilson. (Ibid., 033.1100–QU/1–1956)↩
  4. See vol. ii, Document 245 and footnote 2 thereto.↩