762.9411/54: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)
170, Your 493, September 30, 9 a.m. I approve the tenor of your reply to the remarks of the Foreign Minister and suggest that you take occasion so to inform him, both for his and for General Chiang’s information. As the Foreign Minister desired that his inquiry be transmitted by you as coming from General Chiang, I further suggest that, in your discretion, you make supplementary remarks to the Foreign Minister, or directly to General Chiang if you consider that preferable, along lines substantially as follows:
General Chiang is of course aware of the acts and utterances of this Government in recent years and of the position and attitude [Page 171] this Government has maintained in regard to developments in the Far East. The desire of this Government to be helpful when and where appropriate and feasible, within the framework of our traditional policies including the long-standing policy of friendship, remains unchanged. We believe that the record of our acts and utterances in the past affords the best indication of the course which this country is likely to pursue in the future.
Sent to Chungking. Repeated to Peiping.