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POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Sir R. Stevenson

No. 889

23rd June, 1949

D: 10.41 a.m. 23rd June, 1949 R: 12.08 p.m. 23rd June, 1949

Repeated to: Hong Kong (for Flag Officer Second-in-Command)

Commander-in-Chief Far Eastern Station Shanghai (for A.N.A.) Saving Washington Saving

Moscow Saving

IMMEDIATE

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 889 of

June 23rd, repeated for information to Commander-in-Chief Far Eastern Station, Hong Kong for Flag Officer Second- in-Command Far Eastern Station, saving Shanghai (for A.N.A.) Washington and Moscow.

Following is summary translation editorial Shanghai vernacular Liberation Daily News June 21st upon which comment superfluous.

[Begins]

Report regarding laying K.M.T. mines in Yangtse off Woosung first published in British owned North China Daily News June 10th has been proved a lie. Such a runour however was not fabricated by mere chance but was another plot to blockade Shanghai, disrupting communications and prejudicing interests of Chinese people. Mines cannot be laid without certain technical equipment and experience. Therefore K.M. T. could not have obtained necessary criminal weapons without British or American aid. Alternatively rumours regarding non-existent mines were spread by British and American imperialists with ulterior motives of trapping and demoral- ising P.L.A. by espionage and scare-mongering. Thus they intimidated them that sweeping of these mines called for their help and international co-operation adding that they happened to have requisite equipment and experts ready on hand. British and American imperialists together with remnants of reactionary K.M. T. groups are however warned to keep eyes wide open taking into account present and future developments of China under leadership of Mao Tze-Tung. Any one who interferes with victorious progress of Chinese people is liable to suffer consequences, British were particularly interested in activity under review and the Shanghai British paper created rumour. Peoples Government will deter [sic] responsibility for this criminal act hostile to people. Six million inhabitants of Shanghai organised and united must remain on alert against this new imperialist conspiracy.

Foreign Office please pass to Washington and Moscow as my saving tele grams Nos. 127 and 97 respectively. [Repeated Saving to Washington and Moscow]

GGGG