890.20/8–249: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
1678. We fully concur with Department infotel July 20 re Chiang–Quirino proposal for Pacific Union that Nationalist China in its present stage of defeat is a liability to proposed union.
We note some discrepancy between Soviet and CCP1 reactions to proposed union. According to Moscow telegram 1818, July 22 to Department, Soviets view it with certain measure of glee because it would be inherently weak, because it would be so vulnerable to their propaganda in Asia and because it might widen divisions between American and British policies in southeast Asia. Presumably Soviets might also welcome it as method of diverting Anglo-American resistance against them in all-important arena of Western Europe.
CCP on other hand seems to take more serious view of proposed union (according to New China News Agency commentary of July 18, CCP considers that “this criminal act not only aims at opposing Chinese people, but also aims at opposing peoples in Philippines, Korea and other Far Eastern countries.”) In other words, CCP views [Page 1181] proposed union as directed against itself rather than Soviet imperialism.
Despite community of interests between CCP and USSR, it is only natural that two should view proposed union somewhat differently, for it would be in front yard of one and backyard of other, respectively. Contradictions between basic national interests of Communist China and USSR tend to increase this disparity.
We therefore suggest that proposed union might also be analyzed as respects extent to which it would be instrument of Nationalist Government to contain CCP power and extent to which it would be instrument of all participating nations to contain Soviet power.
Sent Department 1678, repeated Shanghai 930, Embassy Canton 103, London 161, New Delhi 8, USPol Ad Tokyo 38.
- Chinese Communist Party.↩