408. Editorial Note
During a press conference on September 16, 1971, President Nixon received a question about a statement by Dr. Walter Judd, Chairman of the Committee of One Million Against the Admission of Communist China to the United Nations. Judd had asserted that the expulsion of the Republic of China would not be legal under the UN Charter without a vote by the Security Council. The President replied that there were “different legal opinions” about the expulsion procedure.
“We, however, have reached the conclusion that the position we presently take, which has been stated by the Secretary of State and by Ambassador Bush, is the legally sustainable one.
“To put, also, our policy in clear perspective, we favor the admission of the People’s Republic to the United Nations and that will mean, of course, obtaining a Security Council seat.
“We will vote against the expulsion of the Republic of China, and we will work as effectively as we can to accomplish that goal.” (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard Nixon, 1971, pages 950–951)