Minutes of the Fiftieth Meeting of the Committee, Held in Conference Room "H", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Monday 15th May, 1950, at 11.00 a.m.

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Minutes of the Fiftieth Meeting of the Committee, Held in Conference Room "H", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Monday 15th May, 1950, at 11.00 a.m.

1. STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS OF A TOTAL BREAK IN RELATIONS WITH CHINA. TOP SECRET MR. REILLY drew the attention of the Committee to the views which had been expressed by the Joint Planning Staff on the one hand, and the Far East (Official Committee) on the other, regarding the implications of a total break in relations with China. In the report+ by the Joint Planning Staff on this subject it was concluded that the severance of relations with Communist China would have no serious strategic implications, the Far East (Official Committee), however, had stated in their report≠ that the general position which might be expected to result from a total break in relations with China would be a far deeper division of the world between East and West, and that such a division would, in turn, result in an immediate intensification by overt end covert means of the assault on the position of the Western Powers and their interests throughout the Far East and South-East Asia. Furthermore, the Far East (Official Committee) contended that to attempt to contain any greatly increased pressure would require the deployment of military and economic resources on a scale not hitherto contemplated in the Far East and South-East Asia. There was, therefore, some conflict of opinion in the views expressed by the Joint Planning Staff and the Far East (Official Committee). The Chiefs of Staff were considering the Joint Planning Staff report that afternoon when the views expressed in the report by the Far East (Official Committee) would also be represented to them. It was accordingly desirable that the Committee should consider the problem so that their opinion might be available for the Chiefs of Staff. MR. FRANKLIN said that the view was held in the Foreign office that there was no final evidence that the Chinese communists were as yet collaborating fully with the Soviet Union. though such collaboration might eventually occur, the sition at present was to some extent fluid, and it was considered that if the United Kingdom were to make a total break relations with China, this would almost certainly throw the ter completely on the side of the Soviet Union and, from our nt of view, China would be irretrievably lost. The Foreign ice were of the opinion that so long as the United Kingdom relations with China and the latter had something to gain n the establishment of such relations, they would probably be rained, at least to some degree, in any action which they at feel inclined to take against us. Without diplomatic tions, however, the Chinese would doubtless consider selves free to do more or less as they pleased and to that nt, therefore, there would be an intensification in the assault nst the interests of the Western Powers. A further factor cting this problem was the imlications of a break with a on our co-operation with countries such as India, Sweden Denmark, who had established diplomatic relations with a and would probably continue them even if we had broken our relations. It might be difficult under such conditions these countries to co-operate with us as completely as did at present. + J.P.(50) 60 (Final). ≠ F.E.(0) (50) 30. -1-
Collection ID
CAB159
Conflict
Cold War
Document Reference
CAB 159/7/52
File Reference
CAB 159/0007
Identifier
10.1080/swwf.cab159.0007.052
Keywords
Foreign Policy Diplomacy Chinese Foreign Policy Strategy Contingency Planning Diplomatic Disputes Communism Soviet-chinese Relations Ideology Diplomatic Intelligence War Preparations Predicting Enemy Intentions Assessing Enemy Strength Hong Kong Invasion Threat Intelligence Reports Anglo-chinese Relations
Pages
6
Published in
United Kingdom
Series
Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office: Central Intelligence Machinery: Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee Later Committee: Minutes (JIC Series). Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee. Meetings 1 (0)-60 (0)
Themes
Foreign Policy and International Relations