1 People’s Liberation Army ~ Statement by the Spokesperson of the Headquarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Regarding British Aggression and Atrocities 1
The Spokesperson of the Headquarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Issues a Solemn Statement Condemning British Atrocities April 3, 1949
(Xinhua News Agency, Peiping, the 30th) General Li Jiang, spokesperson for the Headquarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, today issued a statement concerning the incident involving the British warship Amethyst:


We denounce Winston Churchill’s bellicose declaration. On April 26, in the British House of Commons, Churchill demanded that the British government dispatch two aircraft carrier task forces to the Far East to carry out military reprisals. Mr. Churchill, against whom do you propose to retaliate? Together with the Nationalist Chinese army, British warships entered the defensive zone of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and opened fire upon our troops, resulting in 252 casualties among our brave soldiers. Having committed such a grave crime by intruding into Chinese territory, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is fully justified in demanding that the British government acknowledge its wrongdoing and undertake appropriate apologies and compensation. Is it not precisely these steps that you ought to take, rather than sending your armed forces to China to “retaliate” against us? Prime Minister Attlee’s remarks are equally erroneous. He asserted that Britain has the right to send warships into China’s Yangtze River. However, the Yangtze is China’s internal waterway; what right does Britain possess to bring its warships therein? None whatsoever. China’s territorial sovereignty must be resolutely defended by the Chinese people, and no foreign government shall be permitted to infringe upon it. The Spokesperson of the Headquarters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Issues a Solemn Statement Condemning British Atrocities One–77


Prime Minister Attlee also stated that the People’s Liberation Army was prepared to allow the British warship Amethyst to proceed to Nanjing, provided that it assist the PLA in crossing the river. This claim is false. The PLA never authorized the Amethyst to sail to Nanjing. We have no desire for any foreign armed forces to aid in river crossings or to engage in any other activities within China. On the contrary, we demand that the governments of Britain, the United States, and France immediately withdraw all their naval vessels, military aircraft, marines, and other armed forces from China’s inland waters, territorial seas, territory, and airspace—forces that continue to support China’s enemies in the civil war. To date, neither the Chinese People’s Revolutionary Military Commission nor the People’s Government has established diplomatic relations with any foreign country. Nevertheless, both entities are willing to protect foreign nationals in China who are engaged in legitimate business. They stand ready to consider establishing diplomatic ties with various nations, on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, and mutual respect for each other’s territorial sovereignty and independence—provided, above all, that such relations do not involve support for the reactionary Nationalist forces. Neither the Chinese People’s Revolutionary Military Commission nor the People’s Government will accept any actions from foreign governments that carry a threatening character. Should any foreign government wish to pursue diplomatic relations with us, it must first sever all ties with the remnants of the Nationalist regime and recall its armed forces from China. Attlee’s complaint that the Chinese Communist Party refuses to maintain contact with former diplomatic personnel of foreign governments—specifically, consuls recognized by the Nationalists—on the grounds that no diplomatic relations have yet been established, is entirely unfounded. Over the past several years, the governments of the United States, Britain, Canada, and other countries have actively supported the Nationalists against us. Has Mr. Attlee perhaps forgotten this? And does he truly not know which nation gifted the heavy cruiser Chongqing to the Nationalists, only for it to be sunk shortly thereafter?