August 18, 1955
Cable from the Chinese Foreign Ministry to Wang Bingnan, 'Instructions a for the Eighth Meeting'
This document was made possible with support from MacArthur Foundation
[To] Ambassador Wang Bingnan:
We have received your report about the seventh meeting, the speech of the other side and the text of the agreed announcement.
1. From the information of the seventh meeting, it is possible to reach an accord on the “Agreed Announcement” expediently. At the eighth meeting, we should speak first, stating our position on the two issues of civil and criminal cases and representation by the other government. You should ask to put your speech on record and state that you will present our amendment on the condition that the other side accepts our two declarations. If the other side doesn’t agree to our position, we should do all we can because we have sufficient reasons. If the other side only asks for cosmetic changes in the wording of the text, you may agree. But don’t take hasty action. Meanwhile, when proposing an amendment, you should translate the two declarations (into English) and print them out for the other side. In the translation, try your best to use the words and sentences of the other side. If the other side accepts our two declarations in translated version, then it shows that the other side has agreed to our declarations and record. If the other side returns or refuses to accept our declarations, we must not give in.
2. It is likely to reach an accord on the basis of our amendment. If an accord could be reached, we may take the initiative to announce the release of US nationals (see in another telegram). Otherwise, wait until the next meeting.
3. In view of the other party’s mentioning that Premier Zhou [Enlai] said it was easy to settle the issue of Chinese nationals in the US at the National People’s Congress, we should point out that it would also be easy to reasonably resolve the issue of Chinese nationals in the United States. On the other hand, it is absolutely impossible to get it done if [the US] wants to violate our sovereignty.
Foreign Ministry
2:30 a.m., 18 August 1955
The Foreign Ministry instructed that Wang to emphasize two points to be included in the agreement in the next meeting:
(1) The Americans who had litigations in China should not be repatriated unconditionally;
(2) Both governments were able to represent their own citizens to delegate the third party to arrange their repatriation and to investigate difficult cases, if any.
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