Telegram from Strong, United States Mission at Taipei to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State TELEGRAPH BRANCH 533 B-X N Action Control: 12654 FE Rec'd: June 28, 1950 FROM: Taipei 9:39 p.m. Info SS TO: Secretary of State G OLI NO: 1000, June 29, 1 a.m. UNA DCR NIACT NO DISTRIBUTION MYTEL 991, June 28. Following is FONOFF translation of reply handed me by Foreign Minister Yeh 10 p.m. June 28: "The Chinese Government is in receipt of the aide memoire No. 93, dated 27 June, 1950, of the Embassy of the United States of America, expressing the concern of the United States Government over the security of the Pacific area in view of the attack of the Northern Korean forces against the Republic of Korea, and informing the Chinese Government of the mission assigned to the US Seventh Fleet with reference to Formosa, and requesting the Chinese Government to extend to the US Government full cooperation in issuing necessary orders to terminate its air and sea operations against the Communist-held mainland, or against shipping in Chinese waters or on the high seas. "In consideration of the urgent nature of the communication and the common interest involved in the proposal, the Chinese Government wishes to express agreement in principle, and to inform the US Government that necessary orders to suspend the air and sea operations as requested have been issued. "The Chinese Government wishes, however, to call the attention of the US Government to the fact that the Chinese Government is at present maintaining positions in Uintin* and the Lema* Islands off Canton, in the Island of Kinmen off Amoy, in the Island of Matsu off Foochow, and in Tachen Islands off the Chekiang Province. These island positions, together with those of the Pescadores, form part of the defense of Taiwan. They are defended by a considerable number of Chinese land forces with the support of Chinese air and sea forces. They DECLASSIFIED a TRUMAN have E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) 11-8-77 Dept. of State letter, PROJECT NLT 77-37 SERVICE By NLT- NC NARS Date 1.17.78 C.S. REPRODUCTION OF THIS MESSAGE IS PROHIBITED