894A.00/12–547: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Davis)
2080. Associated Press Shanghai Dec 3 sent following:
“The independent newspaper Sin Min Wan Pao accused the United States today of attempting to wrest Formosa (Taiwan) from China and charged that the Island already has ‘fallen under American control’.
A dispatch from the newspaper’s correspondent on Formosa said a separatist movement was gaining momentum and accused the United States of fostering public opinion favoring trusteeship for the Island. It said the United States contended that ‘since the Chinese Government is incompetent even to rule China, naturally it cannot rule Taiwan successfully’.
The correspondent quoted ‘the director of the U. S. Information Service’ as saying ‘The United States intends to apply the Atlantic Charter43 to Taiwan. Then Taiwanese can decide freely for themselves to whom they owe allegiance.’ The official was not named.
The American Army is setting up a military training center on Formosa for the Chinese Army. The Island, for years under Japanese rule, has been the scene of unrest and outbreaks since China resumed administration.
The Sin Min Wan Pao correspondent declared that the American Air Force had taken over airfields and put an airplane assembly plant in operation, while the Army was building bases and bringing in large quantities of ammunition.”
ConGen Taipei should report immediately facts concerning reference to USIS Director and any other comments.
ConGen Shanghai should cable full text Sin Min Wan Pao story.
Sent Shanghai, for action 2080; repeated Taipei, for action 27; repeated Nanking, for information 1469.
- Joint declaration by President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on August 14, 1941; Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, p. 367.↩