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Why did General Douglas MacArthur order Japanese forces in China to surrender only to Nationalist troops?

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Chinese Civil War, Shanghai, c. 1949 — Chinese Civil War Nationalist Army soldiers preparing to defend Shanghai from Communist forces, c. 1949.

General Douglas MacArthur ordered Japanese forces in China to surrender their arms exclusively to the Nationalist government to support the Kuomintang as the legitimate authority of China.12

Following Japan's surrender, a race for territory and resources ensued between the Nationalist government and the Chinese communists. The United States, which had provided significant financial, military, and diplomatic support to the Nationalists throughout the war, sought to establish China as a stabilizing influence in eastern Asia. By mandating that Japanese troops surrender only to Nationalist forces, MacArthur aimed to bolster the government's position against the communist armies, which had been ordered by their commander, Zhu De, to seize Japanese-held territory and arms.3412

In addition to this directive, the U.S. military assisted the Nationalist government by transporting its divisions to key eastern cities and landing marines in northern coastal areas to aid in disarming Japanese troops and to serve as a strategic counterweight to the Soviet presence in Manchuria.24