Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXX, China

215. Telegram From the Embassy in the Republic of China to the Department of State¹

Taipei, November 24, 1966.

1517. For Assistant Secretary Bundy.

1. I want you to know of some of the GRC atmospherics here on matters other than UN items, which may or may not be further reflections of stiffening overall GRC mood. Minister Chiang Ching-kuo has been giving [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] considerable static since he was informed of USIB’s wish to phase out [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] program. In addition to adverse GRC [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] reactions which you know about in general, GRC intel officials have suddenly cancelled a pre-existing joint maritime program, and Minister Chiang has been unavailable to [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] in the last three-four weeks, although topics to be discussed (including next ChiCom detonation) are of direct and particular interest to him.

2. We do not yet know whether above static is an integral part of overall starchiness we are now experiencing from President Chiang, or is essentially Chiang Ching-kuo-inspired pressures on [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] in response [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] news and in possible attempt force some modification of this U.S. intent. [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] has not yet received an indication of Chiang Ching-kuo’s reactions to the recently delivered formal written notification and exploration of [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] termination. Presumably when [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] does get such indication, and when other returns are in, we will know more about cause and effect as between the overall and the specific. A hopeful note is indication received 23 November [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] that GRC has consented resume special operations.

3. This cable has been prepared with the participation and concurrence [less than 1 line of source text not declassified].

McConaughy

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL CHINAT–US. Secret; Priority; Limdis; Roger Channel. Received at 11:44 a.m. No time of transmission appears on the source text.