Cable from Dong Yueqian to Zhang Wentian

[To] Deputy Minister Zhang [Wentian],

Yesterday evening the Premier [Zhou Enlai] notified me of several things:

First, Deputy Minister Zhang, please appoint a “special supervisory group” to supervise the daily work of the Sino-American ambassadorial talks and provide opinions. Outside the Foreign Ministry, please invite Ling Yun [Director-General of Political Protection Bureau, Ministry of Public Security] to join. Zhang Yan [Vice Director, Foreign Affairs Office, State Council] and Pu Shouchang will serve as liaisons to the “group;”

Second, Deputy Minister Zhang, please work out a detailed plan regarding the release of eleven US spies (e.g., time of receiving foreign envoys and the time of departing from our borders);

Third, please type and print out copies of the “Instructions” for the Sino-American ambassadorial talks by tomorrow and ask Comrade He Wei to deliver a copy to the Soviet embassy (Note: We have been working on this throughout the night);

Fourth, please draft a detailed plan regarding the settlement of US nationals in China (including criminals and civilians);

Fifth, please consider the issue of propaganda work and make arrangements for this;

It might be necessary to discuss these issues at the core leadership meeting of the Foreign Ministry. Could you chair such a meeting at 9:30 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. this morning? In addition to regular members, we need to invite Ling Yun, Xu Yongying [Deputy Director-General, Treaty Committee, Foreign Ministry] and Gong Peng [Director-General, Information Department, Foreign Ministry]. Please give instructions!

We sent the instructions to Comrade [Wang] Bingnan overnight. We have issued a press release of Bingnan’s speech after his arrival at Geneva with the Premier’s approval. A pronouncement and news summary regarding the release of eleven convicted Americans have been drafted. They have been sent to the Premier after [Vice Foreign Minister] Comrade [Zhang] Hanfu’s review and approval. The Ministry of Public Security will announce the release of the Americans and escort them out of Beijing. Comrade Hanfu thought to release them on the 30th [is an issue] because the formal announcement would be at 4:00 p.m. on the 1st of August at the ambassadorial talks. It is too far away. So it is better to release the Americans tomorrow.

[…]

Dong Yueqian [Director-General, General Office, Foreign Ministry]

In the early morning of the 30th