Documents on China, 1969–1972
151. Memorandum of Conversation, New York, August 14, 1972, 3:30-4:10 p.m.
Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua reiterated to NSC staff member Howe China’s opposition to the Soviet nuclear non-aggression proposal, described a recent visit to China by Gerhard Schroeder of the West German Bundestag, and expressed optimism about a rapprochement between China and Japan. Howe also read the text of a note, outlining U.S. opposition to a Soviet treaty on the non-use of nuclear weapons, informing the Chinese of President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s planned trip to Saigon following a secret meeting with North Vietnamese negotiators in Paris, and noting that Kissinger might consider stopping briefly in Japan on his return trip from Saigon.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The precise location of the meeting is not indicated. Attached at Tab A are the U.S. note and a copy of the Soviet-proposed treaty on the non-use of nuclear weapons.
152. Memorandum of Conversation, New York, August 28, 1972, 5-5:30 p.m.
Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua and NSC staff member Richard T. Kennedy discussed the August 22 sinking of a PRC lifeboat. Kennedy conveyed both written and oral messages to Huang Hua concerning both this incident and the war in Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The precise location of the meeting is not indicated. See Document 150 for memoranda describing the bombing incident.
153. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, July 16, 1972
Laird provided information that supported the Joint Chief of Staff’s denial that the U.S. had violated China’s borders and airspace or dropped bombs on Chinese territory.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Umbra; Handle Via Comint Channels Only. The accompanying three memoranda include a July 12 memorandum from Bruce Palmer to Laird entitled “Alleged Border Violations and Bombings; a July 9 Joint Chiefs of Staff memorandum entitled “PRC Allegations of Border Violations and Bombings by US Aircraft,” which Laird transmitted to Kissinger under a July 11 covering memorandum; and a July 13 memorandum from Daniel J. Murphy to Haig entitled “PRC Merchant Ship Firing Incidents.”
154. Memorandum of Conversation, New York, September 6, 1972, 7:20-7:45 p.m.
Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua and NSC staff member Rodman briefly discussed President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s upcoming meeting with Huang. Huang provided Rodman with a message referencing the August 22 sinking of the PRC lifeboat and an additional message with regards to Senator Mansfield’s proposed trip to the People’s Republic of China.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting was held at the PRC Mission at the UN. Tabs A and B are attached. A typed notation on the message at Tab A reads: “Handed to Rodman by Ambassador Huang, 9/6/72.”
155. Note From the Government of the United States to the Government of the People’s Republic of China, Washington, undated
The message, entitled “Prevention of Nuclear War,” specified that any discussion of nuclear weapons must take several factors into account.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. No classification marking. Kissinger furnished the note to Huang during a September 19 meeting, at which Rodman and Shih Yen-hua were also present. The meeting’s memorandum of conversation is printed as Document 253, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII. The texts of additional notes are published as Documents 156, 157 and 158.
156. Note From the Government of the Soviet Union to the Government of the United States, Moscow, September 13, 1972
The note outlined the Soviet decision to introduce a declaration entitled “On the non-use of force in international relations and on the prohibition for all time of the use of nuclear weapons,” at the 27th session of the UN General Assembly.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. No classification marking. A handwritten note indicates that representatives of the Soviet Government delivered the note to U.S. officials on September 13, 1972. Kissinger referenced this message during his September 19 meeting with Huang Hua; see Document 253, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII.
157. Statement for the North Vietnamese and Ten Point Negotiating Paper, Washington, undated
The statement asked the North Vietnamese to join the United States in finding a “middle ground” that would end the war. The paper pledged a withdrawal of all U.S. military personnel from South Vietnam, provided that Saigon retained the right to self-determination.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. No classification marking. Kissinger furnished these texts to Huang Hua at their September 19 meeting; see Document 253, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII.
158. Draft Resolution on the Unification of Korea Prepared by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing, undated
The PRC called for a withdrawal of all troops from South Korea and rejected any foreign intervention in Korea.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. No classification marking. Huang Hua presented the draft resolution to Kissinger at their September 19 meeting; see Document 253, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII.
159. Memorandum for the Record, New York, September 25, 1972, 7-7:20 p.m.
Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio and Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN briefly discussed Secretary of State Rogers’ speech to the UN General Assembly. Shih Yen-hua provided Fazio with a note expressing Chinese views on the Soviet non-use of force proposal.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held at the PRC Mission at the UN. Drafted by Fazio on September 25.
160. Telegram 3725/SECTO 65 From the United States Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, New York, October 6, 1972, 2222Z
Secretary of State Rogers, Ambassador to the United Nations Bush, and Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Minister Ch’iao Kuan-hua discussed the continued thawing of relations between the United States and China.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, POL CHICOM-US. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Homer. The meeting was held at Ch’iao’s apartment in New York on October 5.
161. Memorandum for the Record, New York, October 12, 1972, 3:45-4:05 p.m.
Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio indicated that he and Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN discussed President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s return. Shih Yen-hua provided Fazio with a message that indicated Chinese support for another Kissinger visit and expressed the Chinese hope that the United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam would reach an agreement on the settlement of the Vietnam war.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Fazio on October 13. Attached is the Chinese message, upon which is written: “Handed to Fazio by Mrs. Shih 10/12/72.”
162. Memorandum for the Record, New York, October 8, 1972, 1:45-2:15 p.m.
Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio and Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN discussed recent demonstrations at the Chinese Mission against Chinese-Japanese rapprochement.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Fazio on October 9. A notation on the memorandum reads: “China exchange.”
163. Memorandum for the Record, New York, October 25, 1972, 4:30-4:55 p.m.
Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio and Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN exchanged notes concerning the war in Vietnam and a dinner engagement between U.S. and Chinese officials.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Fazio on October 26. For the text of the note Shih Yen-hua handed to Fazio, see Document 259, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII. Attached are three U.S. messages, two of which bear the handwritten notation: “Handed to Mrs. Shih by J. Fazio, 10/25/72, NYC.” The last message bears the handwritten notation: “Read to Mrs. Shih by J. Fazio, 10/25/72, NYC.”
164. Memorandum for the Record, New York, October 27, 1972, 8:40-9 p.m.
Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN informed Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio that Vice Foreign Minister Ch’iao Kuan-hua and Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua had accepted President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s dinner invitation. Fazio provided the text of a U.S. message responding to an October 26 message from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held at the PRC Mission at the UN.
165. Message from the Government of the United States to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, New York, undated
The United States pledged to end the war “as rapidly as possible and on a basis just to all.”
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. No classification marking. Kissinger handed the message to Huang Hua in New York on October 24. A handwritten note on the message reads “10/24/72.”
166. Memorandum of Conversation, New York, November 13, 1972, 7:30-10 p.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger and Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ch’iao Kuan-hua discussed the prospects of a settlement in Vietnam, the Sino-Soviet border question, their mutual concern about a “nationalistic” Japan, and the continuation of good relations between the U.S. and China.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Presumably drafted by either Holdridge or Lord. Ellipses and brackets in the source text. The meeting was held at the Century Club. Also in attendance on the U.S. side were Governor Nelson Rockefeller (R-New York) and Haig.
167. Memorandum for the Record, New York, October 31, 1972, 3:30-3:55 p.m.
Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN informed Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio that Vice Foreign Minister Ch’iao Kuan-hua and Chinese Ambassador to the UN Huang Hua would not be able to accept President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s dinner invitation.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting was held at the PRC Mission at the UN.
168. Memorandum for the Record, New York, October 16, 1972, 2:30-3:10 p.m.
Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio and Shih Yen-hua of the Chinese Mission to the UN discussed general matters. Fazio furnished Shih Yen-hua with a message concerning the question of restricting military supplies to North and South Vietnam by outside powers.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. A handwritten notation on the attached message reads: “Handed to Mrs. Shih by J. Fazio, Oct 16, 1972, NYC.”
169. Memorandum of Conversation, Paris, November 25, 1972, 12:35-1:30 a.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger linked the normalization of relations with North Vietnam to the normalization of relations between the U.S. and China. He also asked PRC Ambassador to France Huang Chen to convince Hanoi to withdraw its troops from South Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting was held at the PRC Embassy in Paris.
170. Backchannel Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to William Hood, Washington, December 18, 1972, 2240Z
Kissinger instructed Hood to inform the Chinese that the United States “remains prepared to sign an agreement on Vietnam which would meet the aspirations of the world’s peoples.” The Message transmitted the text of a note to the North Vietnamese.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive.
171. Backchannel Message From the Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (Haig) to William Hood, Washington, December 22, 1972
Haig transmitted a copy of a message entitled “Message Delivered to North Vietnamese, December 22, 1972,” and provided additional text.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The time of transmission is not indicated on the backchannel message.
172. Memorandum for the Record, December 22, 1972, New York, 3:45-4:15 p.m.
Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room Fazio handed Shih Yen-hua a set of transcripts of President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s meeting with the North Vietnamese negotiators on December 13.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive. Attached are a December 29 memorandum for the record by David Y. McManis, Director of the NSC Situation Room, recounting his meetings with Shih Yen-hua and a message from the Government of the United States to the Government of the People’s Republic of China indicating that U.S. representatives in Paris would deliver a message to representatives of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. A handwritten notation on McManis’ memorandum reads: “NOTE: USSR also received Dec. 11, 1972 & transcript on 12/23/72.” A handwritten notation on the message for the Chinese reads: “Delivered to NYC by McManis, 11:00 p.m. 12/28/72.”
173. Message From the Government of the United States to the Representatives of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, December 29, 1972
The message indicated that the United States accepted proposals for the resumption of talks on January 2, 1973, and for a meeting attended by North Vietnamese Special Adviser Le Duc Tho and Minister Xuan Thuy with President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger on January 8, 1973, in Paris. Additionally, the message reiterated the U.S. gesture to cease the bombing of North Vietnam north of the 20th parallel by 7 p.m., Washington time, on December 29, 1972.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. No classification markings.
174. Backchannel Message From William Hood to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), Washington, December 29, 1972, 1711Z
Hood relayed an official Chinese protest that a U.S. missile had been fired into China.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Hood indicated that the message had been picked up at “1130 Hours, 29 December 1972.”
175. Backchannel Message From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to William Hood, December 30, 1972, 0420Z
Haig instructed Hood to inform the Chinese that the U.S. regretted the missile incident.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only via Swinger. Haig dated the message December 29, although the message was not transmitted to Hood until December 30. It was received in the White House Situation Room at 10:01 a.m. on December 30.