Thursday, 16 November

Dull

From 11.00 until 1.30 in the afternoon I studied Russian.

Donald Nelson has gone to Chongqing again. Our Central Government has already formed a War Production Board with Weng Wenhao in charge of it. The organisation plan has been based on what Nelson proposed. It should have achievements in the future, and the Sino-American relationships could go further because of this.

Qin Diqing told Hu Shijie that when he left Chongqing someone in China asked him to tell me that my reports are always inaccuracte. Qin Diqing never told me about this, and I also felt that I never made a wrong report. On the contrary, I have always been very careful and honest in every report I have ever made to the Generalissimo. I told good or bad things in a straightforward manner. Perhaps I was too frank which incurred the ire of a certain clique who viewed me as too pro-Soviet so they had such criticism of me. As a matter of fact since I arrived here, what I have proposed to the Central Government can be proved to be correct in the end. What the Generalissimo and Minister Song cabled did seem to take my suggestions. All in all, a good medicine is always bitter in taste, and this can easily incur jealousy. But I know that our country is at its most critical time and I have a duty to do. I will absolutely not be influenced by the criticisms or praise of other people to do the things that I conscientiously think I should do so and I do not calcaulate my personal interest either.

In the evening the French Ambassador invited me to dinner at the hotel.