Monday, 19 December

In the afternoon, Chen Shouyi came. I went out to buy Chinese books with him. The Chinese communists have reprinted many old Chinese literature books and they are being sold quite cheaply. Afterwards I chatted with him in a coffee shop. He no longer urged me to return to Taiwan. He is certainly disappointed with H. H. Kung, Song Ziwen, and the two Chens, but in addition he feels very disagreeable towards Madame Chiang.

With regard to the exercise of veto power by the National Government this time, Walter Lippmann criticized it quite heavily, saying the United States had completely given up the idea of attacking the mainland. Therefore, maintaining the independence of Taiwan, gradually using Taiwanese in replacing the army available there, are certainly the methods Americans intend to support. But that Chiang has exercised his veto power has made the United Nations view him as trouble maker creating obstacles to such methods. This reasoning of the American side is what I had expected.