793.022/7–2153: Telegram
No. 127
The Ambassador in the Republic of
China (Rankin) to the Department of
State
priority
51. Department relay to Department of Navy for Admiral Radford. Reference is made to Ambassador Karl L. Rankin’s interview with President Chiang Kai-shek at the President’s office at noon on July 18, 19531 in which President particularly requested Ambassador to transmit to the US Government the following:
The Chinese Government has in the past repeatedly urged that the US Government place the off-shore islands under the US military aid program as proposed in the memorandum attached to the “proposed outlines of mutual defense assistance program for fiscal year 1954” submitted by Chinese Government on May 21, 1953.2 In view of recent military developments in vicinity of Tachen and the capture by the Chinese Communists of several of the neighboring small islands, it is the hope of the President that the US would review and act on the proposal as soon as possible.
There are clear indications that the enemies are intensifying their activities around Tachen and other off-shore islands probably with view to testing their defenses prior to the making of further landing attempts on other islands. In view of precarious position of these off-shore islands from point of view of supply and defense, Chinese Government has, on many previous occasions, recommended that defense of the off-shore islands be integrated with that of Taiwan and Pescadores. Fact was also emphasized that in order to strengthen defense of Taiwan and Pescadores, it is imperative that defense units on the off-shore islands be integrated with forces on Taiwan to form one single fighting unit. This cannot be achieved [Page 234] without agreement by US Government to extend the present training program to cover the forces stationed on these islands.
It is realized, however, that this would involve the US in commitments which it may not as yet be prepared to make. Pending final decision on the questions, it is proposed as an urgent measure that US Government consider the making of a statement in the very near future to the effect that the US Seventh Fleet is continuing and strengthening its patrols and surveillance of the water surrounding the islands along the Chekiang-Fukien coast which are held by Chinese Government forces, or by friendly elements, in view of the significance of these islands to the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. It is to be noted that while some statement to the above effect would in no way involve the US in responsibilities for the defense of those off-shore islands, it would act as a psychological deterrent to the hostile designs on the islands on the part of the Chinese Communists. As the statement is intended to achieve certain psychological effects, it will be much appreciated if the US Government could consult the Chinese Government on its exact wording.
In view of recent attacks on Chinese Government naval vessels by the Chinese Communists, effective measures are being taken by the Chinese Government to reinforce the garrison forces on the offshore islands by regular troops of the Chinese army and to strengthen their defenses. In this regard, the Chinese Government has been in consultation with and has been benefitted by the advice given by the MAAG. The Chinese Government not only has no intention to withdraw its forces from any of these islands, but will, on the contrary, make every effort to defend them in view of their strategic importance and the fact that the loss of any of the principal islands would seriously affect the morale of the Chinese armed forces.
While the Chinese Government is determined to hold these islands with what air and naval forces it has at its disposal, it is earnestly hoped that the US would speed up the delivery of the shallow-draft fighting craft as requested in the “proposed outlines of mutual defense assistance program for fiscal year 54” (page 12). The very limited number of shallow-draft craft now in use by the Chinese navy in Taiwan unfortunately cannot be diverted, and even if they could, their very limited number can hardly be expected to cope with the various needs in the vicinity of those off-shore islands. For this reason, Chinese Government earnestly requests that the US Government consider now the request for the following naval craft as an emergency measure for the defense of the offshore islands: [Page 235]
| Type of Vessels | Quatity Requested |
| PGM (PF or PCE) | 20 |
| ARL | 2 |
| PT | 10 |
| LCVP | 100 |
Favorable consideration of the above request and early reply will be much appreciated.
- See telegram 50, supra. A more detailed account of the conversation was sent to the Department under cover of despatch 46 from Taipei, July 24. (793.00/7–2453) This is apparently the conversation described by Rankin in China Assignment, pp. 168–169, as having taken place on July 6.↩
- See telegram 1215, Document 104.↩