Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, China, Volume XIX

296. Telegram From the Embassy in Poland to the Department of State⁰

Warsaw, September 1, 1959, 6 p.m.

403. Beam–Wang Talks. 92nd meeting two hours 20 minutes.¹ I opened with statement on Taiwan issue based first paragraph Deptel 274.² Wang responded with usual accusations US had committed aggression against China, occupied Taiwan, carried out two China’s plot, et cetera. Then cited four “serious warnings” concerning alleged encroachments Paracels area. He followed this with strong statement accusing US of aggressive activities in Laos. I responded with statements based Paragraphs 2 and 3 reference telegram adding some additional material on Laos from circular telegram 114.³

After further exchange on Laos, including lengthy second prepared statement from Wang, I made statement on prisoners including material on letters and packages based fifth paragraph reference telegram. Wang countered with fairly lengthy defense Chinese Communist position that agreed announcement did not apply to prisoners and made familiar accusations re US obstruction departure Chinese. He then read statement aimed at proving Chinese Communists had scrupulously observed 1954 agreement on letters and packages.⁴ He blamed US for any missing letters, quoting Canadian press report that US postal authorities regularly confiscated and burned hundreds of thousands of letters. With respect to packages, he said all were delivered which conformed to regulations but sending materials containing malicious political propaganda or sent by other than relatives of prisoners could not be accepted. He quoted from letter from Robert McCann expressing gratitude to Chinese Communist authorities for meticulous delivery of packages.

I reiterated our position on American prisoners, refuted Wang’s charges re obstruction Chinese in US and said I was glad his authorities had looked into the matter of packages and letters and hoped improvement could be expected in future.

I told Wang I had been called to US for consultation and proposed next meeting Tuesday, November 13, 2 p.m. which he accepted.

Beam

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/9–159. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to USUN and Taipei. The documents cited in footnotes 1 and 2 below are in the Supplement.
1. Beam sent his comments and recommendations in telegram 410 from Warsaw, September 2, and a transcript of the meeting in airgram G–33, September 4. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/9–259 and 611.93/9–459)
2. Telegram 274 to Warsaw, August 28, transmitted Beam’s instructions for the meeting. (Ibid., 611.93/8–2859)
3. Circular telegram 114, August 7, contained background information on the situation in Laos. (Ibid., 751J.00/8–759)
4. Reference is apparently to Wang’s statements at a meeting with U. Alexis Johnson at Geneva on June 15, 1954, concerning arrangements for the relatives of imprisoned Americans to send letters and packages to them; see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. XIV, pp. 468–471.