AMERICANS WILL HELP CHINA

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5283, 20 December 1946, Page 5

AMERICANS WILL HELP CHINA

(Press Assn.-

TRUMAN'S- PROMISE

UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES BEING REDUCED

—Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19. President Truman in a 3000word statement defended the Government's action in China. He said the United States would persist with the policy of helping the Chinese people bring about peace and economic reeov-(-1 y in their country. He added: "Our position is clear. We are pledged not to interfere in China's internal affairs and i.ill avoid involvement in their eivil slrife, but will persevere in our ' Torts to help economic recovery. "The Chinese war is a threat to world stability and peace. China has a clear responsibility to the United Nations to restore internal peace." President Truman indieated continued .recognition of Generalissimo Ciliang Kai-shek's Government and i.rumised help to China on a broad basis as soon as the eivil strife was ended. He defended the fundamental ,-t. ndness of the American plan for .lie political and military unification oi' the warring forces in China and pledged himself to work for its fuld.nent. "We shall eontinue our positive -c-alistie policy, which is based 011 full icspect for China's national sovereignty," said Mr. Truman. "General Viarshall is still at his post and the L nited States is still ready to help :;ny move toward peace and genuine j cmocratic government." i Reduction in Forces He added that the United States armed forces in China were being reI'uced from the peak of 113,000 a year Li'.'o to 12,000, with further reductions the hear future. Before President Truman's state- • unt the Communist leader, General f'hou E11 Lai, told ihe Assoeialed Press that America would soon be iso"uted among the family of nations if she persisted in her present China policy. The United States, while j '.oasting so proudly of democracy, •a as singularly unwilling to see de- j oiocraey achieved in the Kar Ea-st. The United States, he added, should .•ecall her own period of struggle for ! freedom wjth a feeling of shame if she failed China at this critical 1110:nent. General Chou insisted that the Communists had adhered t;> the prin.•iples oi' democratic eonstitutional government for ('hina, but tlu> Kuomintang had strayed therefrom, oiompted by the moral, tinancial and .nilitary hacking of the Uyiled States.