Statement Announcing Vice-President Wallace's Mission to China.

I have asked the Vice-President of the United States to serve as a messenger for me in China. He is taking with him Mr. John Carter Vincent, Chief of the Division of Chinese Affairs, State Department; Mr. Owen Lattimore, Deputy Director of the Overseas Branch, Office of War Information; and Mr. John Hazard, Chief Liaison Officer, Division for Soviet Supply, Foreign Economic Administration.

Eastern Asia will play a very important part in the future history of the world. Forces are being unleashed there which are of the utmost importance to our future peace and prosperity. The Vice-President, because of his present position as well as his training in economics and agriculture, is unusually well fitted to bring both to me and to the people of the United States a most valuable first-hand report.

For the time being nothing more can be said of certain aspects of the Vice-President's trip. Suffice it to say that he will be visiting a dozen places which I have long wanted to see. He left today and will report to me upon his return, which is expected about the middle of July.