commitments to the Republic of China to assist it in the defense of
Taiwan (Formosa) and the Penghu (Pescadores) Islands. They are there
to help resist aggression--not to commit aggression. No upside down
presentation such as contained in your letter can change this fact.

The United States Government has welcomed the willingness of the
Chinese Communists to resume the ambassadorial talks, which were begun
three years ago in Geneva, for the purpose of finding a means of
easing tensions in the Taiwan area. In the past, the United States
representative at these talks has tried by every reasonable means to
persuade the Chinese Communist representative to reach agreement on
mutual renunciation of force in the Taiwan area but the latter
insistently refused to reach such agreement. The United States hopes
that an understanding can be achieved through the renewed talks which
will assure that there will be no resort to the use of force in the
endeavor to bring about a solution of the issues there.

I regret to say I do not see in your letter any effort to find that
common language which could indeed facilitate the removal of the
danger existing in the current situation in the Taiwan area. On the
contrary, the description of this situation contained in your letter
seems designed to serve the ambitions of international communism
rather than to present the facts. I also note that you have addressed
no letter to the Chinese Communist leaders urging moderation upon
them. If your letter to me is not merely a vehicle for one-sided
denunciation of United States actions but is indeed intended to
reflect a desire to find a common language for peace, I suggest you
urge these leaders to discontinue their military operations and to
turn to a policy of peaceful settlement of the Taiwan dispute.