E-text prepared by Justin Kerk, Richard J. Shiffer,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
The Communist Threat in the Taiwan Area
- Statement by Secretary Dulles
- White House Statement
- President Eisenhower's Report to the American People
- President Eisenhower's Letter to Premier Khrushchev
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION 6708
Far Eastern Series 76
Released September 1958
Public Services Division
The Communist Threat in the Taiwan Area
1. Statement by Secretary Dulles,
September 4, 1958
I have reviewed in detail with the President the serious situationwhich has resulted from aggressive Chinese Communist military actionsin the Taiwan (Formosa) Straits area. The President has authorized meto make the following statement.
1. Neither Taiwan (Formosa) nor the islands of Quemoy and Matsu haveever been under the authority of the Chinese Communists. Since the endof the Second World War, a period of over 13 years, they havecontinuously been under the authority of Free China, that is, theRepublic of China.
2. The United States is bound by treaty to help to defend Taiwan(Formosa) from armed attack and the President is authorized by jointresolution of the Congress to employ the Armed Forces of the UnitedStates for the securing and protecting of related positions such asQuemoy and Matsu.
3. Any attempt on the part of the Chinese Communists now to seizethese positions or any of them would be a crude violation of theprinciples upon which world order is based, namely, that no countryshould use armed force to seize new territory.
4. The Chinese Communists have, for about 2 weeks, been subjectingQuemoy to heavy artillery bombardment and, by artillery fire and useof small naval craft, they have been harassing the regular supply ofthe civilian and military population of the Quemoys, which totals some125,000 persons. The official Peiping radio repeatedly announces thepurpose of these military operations to be to take by armed forceTaiwan (Formosa), as well as Quemoy and Matsu. In virtually everyPeiping broadcast Taiwan (Formosa) and the offshore islands are linkedas the objective of what is called the "Chinese Peoples LiberationArmy."
5. Despite, however, what the Chinese Communists say, and so far havedone, it is not yet certain that their purpose is in fact to make anallout effort to conquer by force Taiwan (Formosa) and the offshoreislands. Neither is it apparent that such efforts as are being made,or may be made, cannot be contained by the courageous, and purelydefensive, efforts of the forces of the Republic of China, with suchsubstantial logistical support as the United States is providing.
6. The joint resolution of Congress, above referred to, includes afinding to the effect that "the secure possession by friendlygovernments of the western Pacific island chain, of which Formosa is apart, is essential to the vital interests of the United States and allfriendly nations in