176-10036-10102
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY: NARA
RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10102
RECORD SERIES: National Security Files
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
ORIGINATOR : CIA
FROM:
TO :
TITLE: CIA Information Telegram
DATE: 3/19/1963
PAGES: 3
SUBJECTS :
DOCUMENT TYPE :
CLASSIFICATION :
RESTRICTIONS :
CURRENT STATUS:
DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 9/10/2000
OPENING CRITERIA :
COMMENTS: National Security Files, Box 197: Vietnam, 2/63-3/63. Box 2
7
:
Sanitized via
both RACE VIC
23
TELEGRAM INFORMATION REPORT TELEGRAM
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Vietnam
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C Secs
793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CLASSIFICATION - DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM/CHINA (TAIWAN)
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
REPORT NO. TDCS-3/540,863
DATE DISTR.
19 MARCH 1963
FILE
SUBJECT DISCUSSIONS. BETWEEN PRESIDENT DIEM AND
VICE PRESIDENT CHEN CHENG OF NATIONALIST
CHINA
DATE OF 4-9 MARCH 1963
INFO.
PLACE & VIETNAM, SAIGON (5-12 MARCH 1963)
DATE ACQ.
APPRAISAL SEE BELOW
PRECEDENCE ROUTINE
REFERENCES
FIELD REPORT NO. FVS-8661
IN 89258
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
SOURCE A HIGH-LEVEL MEMBER (B) OF THE CHINESE NATIONALIST DIPLOMATIC ESTABLISHMENT IN
SAIGON WHO IS BELIEVED TO REPORT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS GOVERNMENT, A
CHINESE BUSINESSMAN (F) WITH EXTENSIVE CONTACTS IN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY, AND A
MEMBER (F) OF THE CHINESE NATIONALIST DIPLOMATIC ESTABLISHMENT IN SAIGON.
APPR. IT IS PROBABLY TRUE THAT LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS OCCURRED BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS AND
POSSIBLY TRUE THAT THE SUBJECTS INDICATED WERE COVERED.
1. DURING THE VISIT OF NATIONALIST CHINA'S (CHINAT) VICE PRESIDENT CHEN CHENG
TO SOUTH VIETNAM FROM 4 TO 9 MARCH 1963, HE AND PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM CONVERSED
IN EXCESS OF TWENTY HOURS, CHIEFLY IN PRIVATE WITH ONLY AN INTERPRETER PRESENT.
THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WAS EVIDENCED BY THE EXPRESSIONS ON THE
FACES OF THE TWO MEN FOLLOWING THEIR VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS. THE CONTENTS OF THE
CONVERSATIONS DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE ADVISORS OF EITHER
PARTICIPANT.
2. CHEN DELAYED HIS SCHEDULED DEPARTURE FROM SAIGON FOR 24 HOURS TO PERMIT
HIM TO TRAVEL WITH DIEM TO DALAT, WHERE, EXCEPT FOR A BRIEF
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
GROUP 1
Excluded from outomatic
downgrading and
dectosufication
STATE/INR DIA ARMY/ACSI NAVY AIR JCS: SECDEF NSA NIC AID USIA OCH ONE OCR ORR ORDU
STATE/DIR
EXO
TELEGRAM INFORMATION REPORT TELEGRAM
SANITIZED Ink.01.197.5.5.5
5-62
FORM 1Kb
OBSOLETE PREVIOUS EDIȚIONS.
(15-20)
CLASSIFICATION DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
CONFIDENTIAL
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
IN
TDCS -3/540,863
89258
PAGE
2
VISIT TO THE MILITARY SCHOOL, THE ENTIRE TIME WAS DEVOTED TO PRIVATE
TALKS. MEMBERS OF THE CHEN ENTOURAGE WERE NOT NOTIFIED UNTIL THE
LAST MOMENT OF THE REVISED SCHEDULE NOR WERE THEY GIVEN ANY INDICATION
AS TO THE CONTENT OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
3. MEMBERS OF THE CHINAT DELEGATION AND OF THE CHINAT DIPLOMATIC
COMMUNITY SPECULATED THAT THE TWO MAIN TOPICS OF CONVERSATION WERE
GREATLY INCREASED CHINAT MILITARY SUPPORT FOR SOUTH VIETNAM, AND THE
USE OF SOUTH VIETNAM AS A BASE FOR CHINAT MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST
THE CHINA MAINLAND. CHEN IS BELIEVED TO HAVE OFFERED DIEM UNRESTRICTED
MILITARY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, PLUS UP TO ONE DIVISION OF
COMBAT TROOPS TO FIGHT IN VIETNAMESE ARMY UNIFORMS. CHEN IS ALSO
THOUGHT TO HAVE ASKED DIEM TO CEASE DRAFTING OVERSEAS CHINESE IN
VIETNAM, WHICH IS CAUSING THE CHINÄTS EMBARASSMENT, I.E., DEMONSTRATIONS
BY THESE LOCAL CHINESE AGAINST THE CHINAT EMBASSY IN SAIGON AND
APPEALS TO THE CHINAT AMBASSADOR. CHEN PROBABLY ASKED DIEM TO PUB-
LICLY SUPPORT THE CHINAT MAINLAND COUNTERATTACK THEME AND TO GRANT AIR-
FIELD AND COASTAL BASES FOR CHINAT MILITARY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
OPERATIONS AGAINST THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF CHINA.
OTHER LIKELY TOPICS OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO MEN WERE THE
CONDUCTING OF JOINT OPERATIONS INTO NORTH VIETNAM AND LAOS, THE
MATTER OF THAILAND'S MOVEMENT TOWARDS NEUTRALITY, AND JOINT EFFORTS
TO UNSEAT CAMBODIA'S SIHANOUK, WHOM THE CHINATS FEEL IS A LACKEY OF
CONFIDENTIAL
CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
CLASSIFICATION ― DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
CONFIDENTIAL
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
IN 89258
TDCS -3/540,863
PAGE
3
PEIPING.
CONCENSUS AMONG THE CHINAT COMMUNITY AND CHEN'S DELEGATION
WAS THAT SOME ACCORD WAS REACHED BY THE TWO LEADERS, AS CHEN WAS IN
EXCELLENT SPIRITS AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT.
4. -ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT SLOW IN GETTING STARTED, THE VISIT DID
RESULT IN BRINGING THE TWO GOVERNMENTS CLOSER TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY
THE COUNTERPARTS OF THE TWO COUNTRIES. THE VISIT ALSO SERVED A
USEFUL PURPOSE IN EFFECTIVELY IMPRESSING THE LOCAL CHINESE POPULATION,
WHICH TURNED OUT MORE OR LESS SPONTANEOUSLY IN AN ESTIMATED ONE HUNDRED
THE
THOUSAND ALONG THE ROUTE TO/AIRPORT TO CHEER CHEN WHEN HE
DEPARTED. THE APPARENTLY GENUINE ENTHUSIASM OF THE USUALLY APATHETIC
VIETNAMESE CHINESE CAME AS A SURPRISE EVEN TO THE LOCAL CHINAT
DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY.
5. FIELD DISSEM. STATE ARMY NAVY AIR USMACV MAAG AID. USIA
CINCPAC PACFLT ARPAC PACAF 9TH FIELD STATION 2ND AIR DIVISION.
END OF MESSAGE
CLASSIFICATION DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
CONFIDENTIAL
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
: