Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 1

961.53/7–1354: Telegram

No. 250
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China¹

top secret

Washington, August 5, 1954—7:09 p.m.

84. Deptel 24² and your 37.³ Department adheres to view that legality of continued detention Soviet Tanker Tuapse highly questionable, needlessly provocative and tends impair international position Free China. It affords plausible pretext for increased Communist air and surface patrol activities in general area South China Sea which would be regarded as highly undesirable by Australia and New Zealand as well as by US. You should make renewed representations Chinese in forceful vein ensuring that these representations are brought personal attention Pres. Chiang.

Dulles

1. A note on the source text indicates that the telegram was drafted at the request of the Under Secretary; McConaughy was the drafter.
2. Document 229.
3. Document 230.