U.S. Foreign Policy Milestones in the Region (1912-1949)

1912

• Jan. 1: The establishment of the Republic of China and Dr. Sun Yat-sen was elected the Provisional President of the Republic of China.

1913

• May 2: The U.S. recognition of the Government of the Republic of China.

1927

• Jan. 27: U.S. Secretary of State Kellogg's statement expressed sympathy with Chinese nationalism and the American policy of non-interference in Chinese internal affairs.

1941

• Dec. 9: China signed a stabilization Fund Agreement with the U.S. The U.S. and Britain announced that they would give up all extraterritorial privileges in China after the war.

1942

• Jan. 29-30: The appointment of General Stilwell as the Chief of Staff of General Chiang's joint Staff, and the U.S. Army Representative in China.

1943

• Nov. 22-26: The Cairo Conference of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Chiang Kai-shek on joint war plans, post-war conditions such as the restoration of lost Chinese territories, including Taiwan and Penghu.

1944

• Aug. 18: General Patrick J. Hurley was appointed as personal representative of President Roosevelt to China.
• Oct. 24: The recall of General Stilwell from China.

1945

• Nov. 27: The resignation of Ambassador Hurley. The appointment of General Marshall as President Truman's representative to China was announced.
• Dec. 15: The statement of U.S. policy in China was issued by President Truman. He expressed his desire to see China peacefully unified as a democratic state.

1946

• Dec. 18: President Truman in a statement reaffirmed American belief in a "united and democratic China" the U.S. would continue the policy of non-involvement in Chinese civil strife.

1947

• Jul. 9: President Truman instructed General Wedemeyer to proceed to China on a fact-finding mission. (PDF: The Wedemeyer Report 9/19)

1948

• Mar. 29: The First National Assembly under the new Constitution met in Nanking. Chiang Kai-shek was elected by the National Assembly as the President of China.
• Jul. 3: The Sino-American Aid Agreement was signed. The Chinese Government was to receive $275 million for non-military supplies and $125 million for use at its discretion.
• Aug. 5: The Sino-American Agreement for the establishment of Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction in China was signed.

1949

• Jan. 21: President Chiang Kai-shek announced his temporary retirement.
• Apr. 24: Communist forces occupied Nanking.
• Aug. 5: The U.S. State Department released the White Paper on U.S. relations with China.
• Oct. 1: The establishment of the Chinese Communist government in Beijing.
• Dec. 7: The National Government moved its seat to Taipei.