711.93/453: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 11—7:45 a.m.]
568. 1. I went to see the Generalissimo this morning at his request. General Chiang said he was delighted to learn of the reelection of President Roosevelt which he considered to augur well for the future peace and welfare of the world. He went on to say that the sagacity of the American people in returning Mr. Roosevelt to the White House had definitely put an end to the reverses suffered by the democracies in the past few years, that his reelection was received with pleasure in all but the totalitarian nations to which it was a severe blow and that Mr. Roosevelt’s retention in office for another 4 years insured the return of peace and democracy to a disordered world.
[Page 689]2. After conveying his felicitations in respect of the retention of the President, General Chiang referred to the subject which he had invited me to call to discuss, namely the question of Sino-American cooperation in the Far East which I had anticipated and reported in my telegram 559, November 5, 11 a.m. Chiang began by asking whether I had given consideration to plans for cooperation between the United States and China. I replied that I had not considered the matter and that I had made no suggestions to Washington for the reason that it is a problem that will have to be discussed and decided upon in Washington. The General then said that during the past few days he had given much consideration to the formulation of comprehensive plans for Sino-American cooperation. I answered that I would be glad to hear and transmit to my superiors his ideas and proposals on that subject. He then asserted that it was first necessary to lay down the principles for American-Chinese-British cooperation in the maintenance of peace in the Far East; having laid down the principles of cooperation it would then be appropriate to pass on to a consideration of the details required for the carrying out of the principles. General Chiang then asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs who was also present at the interview to read a document in the English language which was entitled “Sino-Anglo-American Plan of cooperation”. After listening to the reading of the document I asked for and was handed a copy thereof. A close paraphrase follows. [Here follows paraphrase of document printed infra.]
4. When the Foreign Minister had concluded reading the foregoing paper, General Chiang referred to point 4, section (d), of paragraph numbered 3 above4 and said that he had not mentioned in the document the matter of the use of Chinese ports. He then asked me to incorporate in my message to the Secretary a statement to the effect that upon the recovery of Chinese ports from Japan the said ports shall be available for the use of the American and British Navies subject to the making of a separate arrangement for a period of 10 to 20 years. The Generalissimo went on to say that after the conclusion of the Sino-Japanese hostilities China will endeavor to construct a navy, that China would need assistance in carrying out that object and that the United States navy may therefore use Chinese naval bases and he asked that I take pains to mention this point in my telegram. I said I would do so.
5. The General then asked me for my comment on his plan for cooperation. I replied that it was obviously impossible for me to offer official comment but that I would send the [document?] to Washington [Page 690] for consideration. He then pressed me for my personal views and I replied that as for [far as?] the principles laid down by him were concerned I believed that they corresponded with those already enunciated by my Government on many occasions. I continued by saying that I thought that his method of procedure offered useful points but I pointed out that it was not the policy of the United States to enter into alliances. General Chiang said he had borne that point in mind—hence the two alternatives provided in section (c) of paragraph numbered 3 above;5 he asked that I mention this point in my message and I replied that I would. I then emphasized that any measures for assistance will presumably be worked out in Washington within the established framework of American policy and procedure. I went on to explain that I did not know where it would be possible to furnish the planes desired by General Chiang and I pointed out the various difficulties which might be encountered such as availability [of] planes, methods of shipment, et cetera.
6. General Chiang said he was seeing the British Ambassador on the afternoon of November 9 and would communicate to the latter the plan which he had first summarized to me. The interview then terminated.
7. After the termination of the interview the Foreign Minister informed me privately that the Generalissimo’s plan had not been transmitted to Washington. Subsequently Mr. Hollington K. Tong came to see me saying that he had been directed by General Chiang to inform me that Mr. T. V. Soong would be authorized to discuss on his behalf any arrangements for Sino-American-British cooperation that might be the subject of conversations in Washington.
Sent to the Department only.