CO129-619-1 Parliamentary delegation to China 1-9-1947 - 23-12-1947 — Page 91

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each of the Democratic Socialist and Young China Parties,

and 4 non-partisan mombors. Eloven seats wore loft

vacant for the Communists. The Executive Yuan, or

Cabinet, was similarly reorganized with the admission

of members of minority partios. The Chinese Government

claimed that those reforms marked a transition from

the period of political tutolage under the Kuomintang

to the introduction of representative government •

ponding the inauguration of full constitutional

government. It became clear, however, from a closer

analysis of the changes made that the Kuomintang still

enjoyed effective control in the reconstituted

Government.

12.

Since the end of 1946 the Communists have

persisted in thoir attitude that they cannot enter

into negotiations unless the decisions of the Kuomintang-

dominated National Assembly of December, 1946 are

cancolled and Contral Government troops are withdrawn

to the positions occupied in January, 1946, at the time

of the Political Consultative Conference. These terms

are clearly unacceptable to the Central Government.

In July, faced with a serious decline of morale in the

Chinese army and with a wave of criticism from the

students, Chiang Kai-shok issued a general mobilisation

order against the Communists whom he castigated as

rebels. It was subsequently announced that the seats

reserved for the Communists in the State Council and

National Assembly had been abolished. This in effect

burned the Government's boats so far as any further

attempts at reconciliation wore concerned and placed

the Communists in the category of outlaws.

/ 13.