125.9531/11–849: Telegram
The Consul General at Peiping (Clubb) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9—1:41 a. m.]
1943. Following is text letter November 822 re American Government real property Tsingtao:
“Under instructions of my Government, I would inform you that the American Consulate General at Tsingtao was informed by the Tsingtao Aliens Affairs Office on October 28, 1949 that the local authorities did not recognize the American title to real property acquired at that place by the United States Government under the surplus property agreement, and proposed to take over such property. The United States possesses the real property in question in full ownership in the capacity of a sovereign nation and cannot recognize the claim thereto set forth by the Tsingtao authorities.
“The property in question was acquired by the United States Government under terms of an international agreement, the surplus property agreement, and, the acquisition being in accord with the laws of China and international law, such properties are not subject to confiscation. The United States, therefore, expects the concerned authorities to respect the United States Government’s rights [of] ownership. If such rights are not fully respected, the United States Government will insist on full compensation. As you were informed in my letter of November 3, 1949,23 the American consular office at Tsingtao is about to close. The departure of American personnel, however, is not to be considered abandonment of United States Government property interests. The concerned British consular office has been requested to handle United States interests in the Tsingtao consular district.
“Your attention is invited to the serious nature of the action taken by the Tsingtao authorities aiming at the confiscation of United States Government real property obtained in accordance with the laws of China and international law, and it is requested that you cause [Page 1152] an appropriate investigation to be made to the end that such threat of confiscation shall be promptly withdrawn.”
Sent Department; repeated Nanking 1150, Shanghai 1161, to Tientsin by mail.