China Asks U.S. To Return Defector

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31908, 8 February 1969, Page 13

China Asks U.S. To Return Defector

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) HONG KONG, February 7. Peking’s demand that the United States hand back a highranking Chinese defector may jeopardise resumption of ChineseAmerican talks in Warsaw.

Putting forward this possibility today, Hong Kong observers said the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s demand yesterday for the return of Mr Liao Ho-shu, the Chinese Charge d’Affaires in The Hague until 14 days ago, had plunged Peking - Washington relations to a new low.

Mr Liao arrived in Washington on Tuesday. He has been placed under 24-hour guard by the Central Intelligence Agency, which is questioning him for clues to

China’s diplomatic, military and espionage activities in Europe and other key parts of the world. The last session of the 13-year-old Warsaw talks—the only avenue of direct discussions between the two countries—was in January last year. Their resumption, already much postponed, is due on February 20. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, according to the New China News Agency, accused the United States of collusion with the Dutch Government and deliberately engineering the defection of Mr Liao. It said Mr Liao was incited by the Dutch Government to betray his country on January 24 and was then taken to the United States by the C.I.A.

The Ministry statement said China had lodged a strong protest with the United States and Dutch Governments over this “grave antiChina incident.” “The Chinese Government hereby solemnly states that the United States and the Netherlands Governments must hand Liao Ho-shu back to China, otherwise they must be

held responsible for all the grave consequences arising therefrom,” it added.