Office of the Historian

53. Agreed Announcement of the Ambassadors of the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China1

Geneva, September 10, 1955—5 p.m.

The Ambassadors of the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China have agreed to announce measures which their respective governments have adopted concerning the return of civilians to their respective countries.

With respect to Chinese in the United States, Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson, on behalf of the United States, has informed Ambassador Wang Ping-nan that:

1.
The United States recognizes that Chinese in the United States who desire to return to the People’s Republic of China are entitled to do so and declares that it has adopted and will further adopt appropriate measures so that they can expeditiously exercise their right to return.
2.
The Government of the Republic of India will be invited to assist in the return to the People’s Republic of China of those who desire to do so as follows:
A.
If any Chinese in the United States believes that contrary to the declared policy of the United States he is encountering obstruction in departure, he may so inform the Embassy of the Republic of India in the United States and request it to make representations on his behalf to the United States Government. If desired by the People’s Republic of China, the Government of the Republic of India may also investigate the facts in any such case.
B.
If any Chinese in the United States who desires to return to the People’s Republic of China has difficulty in paying his return expenses, the Government of the Republic of India may render him financial assistance needed to permit his return.
3.
The United States Government will give wide publicity to the foregoing arrangements and the Embassy of the Republic of India in the United States may also do so.

With respect to Americans in the People’s Republic of China, Ambassador Wang Ping-nan, on behalf of the People’s Republic of China, has informed Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson that:

1.
The People’s Republic of China recognizes that Americans in the People’s Republic of China who desire to return to the United States are entitled to do so, and declares that it has adopted and will further adopt appropriate measures so that they can expeditiously exercise their right to return.
2.
The Government of the United Kingdom will be invited to assist in the return to the United States of those Americans who desire to do so as follows:
A.
If any American in the People’s Republic of China believes that contrary to the declared policy of the People’s Republic of China he is encountering obstruction in departure, he may so inform the Office of the Chargé d’Affaires of the United Kingdom in the People’s Republic of China and request it to make representations on his behalf to the Government of the People’s Republic of China. If desired by the United States, the Government of the United Kingdom may also investigate the facts in any such case.
B.
If any American in the People’s Republic of China who desires to return to the United States has difficulty in paying his return expenses, the Government of the United Kingdom may render him financial assistance needed to permit his return.
3.
The Government of the People’s Republic of China will give wide publicity to the foregoing arrangements and the Office of the Chargé d’Affaires of the United Kingdom in the People’s Republic of China may also do so.

  1. Source: Department of State, S/P Files: Lot 66 D 70, China. The heading is that of the original announcement. The source text is Department of State press release 538 of the same date, which also states, “Secretary of State John Foster Dulles has approved this action by Ambassador Johnson and President Eisenhower has been kept advised of the progress of the talks.”↩