Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Volume III, Microfiche Supplement, China

165. Telegram 682 from Geneva¹

Geneva, September 6, 1955, 6 p.m.

682. From Johnson.

1. Following verbatim text draft “agreed announcement” given Wang meeting September 6:

2. “Ambassadors of USA and PRC have agreed to announce measures which their governments have adopted concerning return of civilians to their respective countries.

3. With respect to Chinese in US, Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson, on behalf of US, has informed Ambassador Wang Ping-nan that: (1) US recognizes that Chinese in US who desire to return to PRC are now 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) Government of Republic of India will be invited to assist in return to PRC of those Chinese who desire to do so as follows:

A. If any Chinese in US believes that contrary to declared policy of US he is encountering obstruction in departure, he may so inform Embassy of Republic of India in US and request it to make representations on his behalf to US Government. If desired by PRC, Government of Republic of India may also investigate facts in any such case.

B. If any Chinese in the US who desires to return to the PRC has difficulty in paying his return expenses, the Government of Republic of India may render him financial assistance needed to permit his return.

(C) The US Government will give wide publicity to the foregoing arrangements and the Embassy of the Republic of India in the US may also do so.

4. With respect to Americans in the PRC, Ambassador Wang Ping-nan, on behalf of the PRC, has informed Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson that:

(1) The PRC recognizes that Americans in the PRC who desire to return to the US are now entitled to do so, and declares that it has adopted and will further adopt appropriate measures so that they can epeditionsly exercise their right to return.

The Government of the UK will be invited to assist in the return to the US of those Americans who desire to do so as follows:

A. If any American in the PRC believes that contrary to the declared policy of the PRC he is encountering obstruction in departure, he may so inform the office of the Charge d’Affaires of the UK in the PRC and request it to make representations on his behalf to the Government of the PRC. If desired by the US, the Government of the UK may also investigate the facts in any such case.

B. If any American in the PRC who desires to return to the US has difficulty in paying his return expenses, the Government of the UK may render him financial assistance needed to permit his return.

C. The Government of the PRC will have [give] wide publicity to the foregoing arrangements and the office of the Charge d’Affaires of the UK in the PRC may also do so”.

Gowen

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/9–655. Confidential.