893.51/7215
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
Dr. Quo, the new Foreign Minister of China, accompanied by Mr. Liu Chieh, Counselor of the Chinese Embassy here, called to say goodbye before leaving.
I sought first to forestall any earnest plea by him for a statement, such as envisaged by the manuscript on economic and trade matters he left with me on his previous call at the office,65 which he apparently proposed for the purpose of publicity, by saying that I was discussing general principles and all points of common interest that might be agreed to by law-abiding nations, especially from the standpoint of the transition and post-war period, and concluded by stating that the Minister’s proposal was only one rather limited phase of this general undertaking. The Minister, however, was rather persistent in pressing his desire for a public statement, such as proposed in his manuscript, and emphasized the special aid it would be to China at this time. I replied finally by saying that I had not had an opportunity to devote any time to the manner of dealing with the subject, about which by the way there was no disagreement in principle. The Minister came back to the question again just before he arose to leave, and I said that I would give the matter full consideration during the next few days. He stated that the Chinese Ambassador here would keep in touch with me in that connection.
[Page 644]Apart from a general exchange of such words of friendship and good wishes for the future success and welfare of China and special greetings from me to the Generalissimo and other high officials, there was little more of any consequence in the conversation.