176-10036-10102 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 t 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 4
Se 2B een . . & . CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY =~ V Iv Vana This material containg information effecting the National Defense of the United States within the meening af the Espionage Loews, Title 18, U.S.C Secs 793 end 794, the trenamission of revelation of which in any manner to an unauthoried oerson is prohibited by law CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS NO FOREIGN DISSEM C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM/CHINA (TAIWAN) . REPORT NO. ToCs-3/540,, 863 by? = . a i ¢ 3 SUBJECT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN PRESIDENT DIEM AND DATE DISTR. 19 MARCH 1963 a § Lf VICE PRESIDENT CHEN CHENG OF NATIONALIST . CHINA PRECEDENCE ROUTINE pate or 4-9 MARCH 1963 REFERENCES IN 89258 - INFO. . ; a place g VIETNAM, SAIGON (5-12 MARCH 1963) ‘DATE ACO. APPRAISAL FIELD REPORT NO. ‘pys-8661 THis is UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRAOINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT 1S TENTATIVE, SOURCE APPR. 1. DURING THE VISIT OF NATTONALIST CHINA'S (CHINAT) VICE PRESIDENT CHEN CHENG 10 SOUTH VIETNAM FROM 4 ‘T0°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 BERN DISCUSSED WITH THR ‘ADVISORS OF ELTHER PARTICIPANT. a | 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 CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS cattle ae” einemane C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I~A-L NO FOREIGN DISSEM | downgrading and deciosufconon “TELEGRAM - ———— eae A Ses WK OL 197 S856 roe 1Kb  oBSOLETE PREVIOUS EDITIONS. ; (15-29)
ET Aree ON Oe Epes eter me een wmf eee tes “CONE weNTUL _ NO FOREIGN DISSEM “ CLASSIFICATION = — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS tocs -3/ 540 863 VISIT TO THE MILITARY SCHOOL, THE ENTIRE TIME WAS. DEVOTED TO PRIVATE’ TALKS. MEMBERS OF THE CHEN ENTOURAGE WERE NOT NOT IF TED. UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT OF THE REVISED SCHEDULE NOR WERE THEY GIVEN ANY IND LGAT |ON 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 I:S CAUSING THE CHINATS EMBARASSMENT , I.E. , DEMONSTRATIONS BY THESE LOCAL CHINESE AGAINST THE “CHINAT EMBASSY » INS 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 1S:A-LACKEY OF — . “CLASSIFICATION «= DISSEMINATION CONTROLS
CLASSIF: CATION _ ~ DISSEMINATION CONTROLS ‘ori aTIAL (NO FOREIGN DISSEM TDCS -3/540 863 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 THOUSAND ALONG THE ROUTE 10/A1RPORT 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 NO FOREIGN DISSEM