Documents on China, 1969–1972
31. Memorandum for the Record, Paris, October 9, 1971, 10 p.m.
Military Attaché Walters gave Chinese Ambassador to France Huang Cheng the text of President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s press conference, during which Kissinger planned to announce President Nixon’s visit to the Soviet Union.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. No classification marking. Drafted by Walters on October 10. The meeting was held at Chen’s residence in Neuilly. Attached as Appendix A is the Chinese oral note. Appendix B is attached but not published.
32. Letter From the Military Attaché at the Embassy in France (Walters) to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), Paris, October 13, 1971
Walters recounted his October 13 meeting with Chinese Ambassador to France Huang Chen. The two officials discussed the relatively mild press reaction to the announcement of President Nixon’s trip to the Soviet Union.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. No classification marking.
33. Memorandum for the Record, Paris, October 14, 1971, 6 p.m.
Military Attaché Walters gave interpreter Tsao the names of President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s entourage for his upcoming visit to China. Tsao, in turn, discussed his admiration for the United States, especially its print media.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. No classification marking.
34. Memorandum for the Record, Paris, October 15, 1971, 11 a.m.
After Military Attaché Walters relayed information about President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s communications operations for his upcoming trip to China, interpreters Tsao and Wei asked about the role of the military and the racial question in U.S. politics.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. No classification marking. Ellipses in the source text. Drafted by Walters on October 15.
35. Memorandum for the Record, Paris, October 16, 1971, 11:30 a.m.
After Military Attaché Walters relayed more specifics about President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s communications operations, interpreters Tsao and Wei asked Walters about the U.S. income tax and credit card systems.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. No classification marking. Drafted by Walters on October 16.
36. Memoranda of Conversation, Beijing, October 20, 1971, 4:30-4:40 p.m. and 4:40-7:10 p.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai introduced each other’s entourages and spoke informally for 10 minutes before convening formally. Kissinger relayed President Nixon’s personal commitment to improving relations between China and the U.S. He and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai agreed that the two nations had divergent ideologies but convergent interests, especially in ending the war in Indochina, easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and preventing conflict between India and Pakistan. Technical arrangements for Nixon’s trip to China were also discussed.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on either memorandum. A handwritten notation reads “informal memcon.” There are also numerous handwritten notes written throughout the memoranda. Ellipses in the source texts. The meeting was held in the Great Hall of the People.
37. Chinese Premier Chou En-lai’s Extemporaneous Toast, Beijing, October 20, 1971
Chou hailed the restoration of contact between China and the United States, praised Chairman of the Communist Party of China Mao Tse-tung, President Nixon, and his Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger, and referenced the ongoing Sino-American talks.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 visit. No classification marking. Published from a copy that indicates it was the English translation of the Chinese remarks.
38. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to President Nixon, Washington, October 21, 1971
Haig informed Nixon that President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger had raised the issue of Nixon’s individual meetings with Chinese Premier Chou En-lai and Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Tse-tung, noting that Chou refused to agree to a private meeting between Nixon and Mao.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it. A handwritten note from Nixon reads: “Al-OK with Henry-OK with Chou & Mao together-but RN to be alone-Henry not to be present-otherwise we differ from RN’s style in other trips & raise the Rogers problem.”
39. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 21, 1971, 10:20 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Department of State official Alfred Jenkins and NSC staff member John Holdridge broached the establishment of reciprocal or unilateral liaison offices and other lower level relationships such as scientific, cultural, environmental, and sports between the two nations in a conversation with the Prime Minister’s Secretary Hsiung Hsiang-hui.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. All brackets are in the source text. The meeting was held at Hupei Hall, the Great Hall of the People.
40. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 21, 1971, 10:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m.
Topics discussed included the technical aspects of President Nixon’s visit, the normalization of relations, pro-Taiwan Independence demonstrations in the United States, and Japan.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. All brackets and ellipses are in the source text. The meeting was held in the Great Hall of the People.
41. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 21, 1971, 4:42-7:17 p.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger noted that California Governor Ronald Reagan’s recent visit to Taiwan did not reflect official U.S. foreign policy. Chinese Premier Chou En-lai then called for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Indochina and criticized Washington’s “refusal” to reply to Hanoi’s seven point proposal. Kissinger responded that the North Vietnamese had failed to respond both to the August 1971 U.S. eight point proposal including a withdrawal date, which he had presented to North Vietnamese negotiator Xuan Thuy in Paris in September, and to a subsequent October 11, revision of the proposal. The two also discussed the effect a ceasefire in Vietnam would have on Cambodia.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. The meeting was held in the Great Hall of the People.
42. Messages From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, October 22, 1971
Haig informed Kissinger of President’s Nixon desire to meet with Chairman of the Communist Party of China Mao Tse-tung and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai without anyone else present from the U.S. delegation.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.
43. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 22, 1971, 4:10-5:37 p.m.
Topics discussed among Prime Minister’s Secretary Hsiung Hsiang-hu and U.S. officials Holdridge and Jenkins included the establishment of liason offices, President Nixon’s proposed visit, possible scientific, technical, and cultural exchanges, and the issue of American organizations inviting Taiwanese athletes to tour the United States.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. An unknown hand crossed out a portion of the date on the memorandum, changing the year from 1972 to 1971. The meeting was held in the Great Hall of the People.
44. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 22, 1971, 4:15-8:28 p.m.
Chinese Premier Chou En-lai warned that U.S. reconnaissance flights over North Vietnam and Laos that had recently passed into Chinese airspace would be fired upon in the future. President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger said that such flights had not been authorized. Chou then raised North Korea’s concerns about Japanese-South Korean rapprochement. Kissinger repeated the administration’s opposition to Japanese rearmament and promised that Japanese troops would not replace the U.S. troops withdrawn from South Korea. The two also discussed the growing refugee problem in India as a result of the crisis in East Pakistan, whether or not the Chinese-U.S. talks had influenced Moscow, and the ongoing European Security Conference.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting was held in the Great Hall of the People. All brackets and ellipses are in the source text. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. Holdridge, Jenkins, and Hsuing joined the meeting after concluding their talks, published as Document 43. Attached at Tab A but not published is the text of North Korea’s eight points. Also attached at Tab A is the first U.S. draft of the joint communiqué. See Document 56 for the text of the first draft.
45. Message From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, October 22, 1971
Haig indicated that President Nixon wanted Kissinger to delay his return to Washington.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Also designated as immediate. No time of transmission or receipt appears on the message. For Haig’s understanding of Rogers’ position on Kissinger’s return, see Document 49. For additional information concerning the Chinese representation issue at the United Nations, see Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII, China, 1969–1972, Document 167 and Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume V, United Nations.
46. Message From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, October 22, 1971
Haig relayed Assistant to the President Haldeman’s message that President Nixon wanted his visit to China to last 5 rather than 7 days.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A typed notation on the message indicates that it was sent to Kissinger in Beijing via wire. No time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.
47. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), Beijing, October 23, 1971
Kissinger agreed to delay his return to Washington until after the United Nations vote, even though he argued that his visit had not affected the “Chirep” vote. He also recommended that American officials should minimize the use of language supportive of Taiwan, as it could jeopardize relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message indicates that it was to be delivered at the opening of business. Received at the White House at 5:21 a.m. A notation on the memorandum reads: “HAIG ONLY.” Haig underlined the sentence: “Chou has however insisted at every session that PRC will never hold still for the elaboration of new legal status for Taiwan.”
48. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 23, 1971, 9:05-10:05 p.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai broached the issue of the reconnaissance flights, and also discussed the joint communiqué and the security, flight, and communication arrangements for President Nixon’s visit.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Brackets in the source text. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s Sitting Room at the Government Guest House.
49. Message From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, October 23, 1971
Haig informed Kissinger that he had raised Kissinger’s points, concerning his return to the United States, with President Nixon, Secretary of State Rogers, and Ambassador to the United Nations George H.W. Bush. Rogers concluded, and Nixon agreed, that a stopover in Alaska would be desirable. Haig also commented that Rogers was “attempting to again assert himself as a dominant force.”
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A typed notation on the message indicates that it was sent to Kissinger in Beijing via wire.
50. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), Beijing, October 24, 1971
After calling the situation with Secretary of State Rogers “intolerable,” Kissinger agreed to a stop over in Anchorage, Alaska, using the pretense of airplane repairs. He noted that the Chinese had agreed to the proposed dates for President Nixon’s trip and that Chinese Premier Chou En-lai suggested the possibility of “coordinated action” between China and the U.S. in Pakistan.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. Secret; Sensitive. A stamped notation indicates that it was received in the White House at 12:33 a.m. on October 24.
51. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 24, 1971, 10:28 a.m.-1:55 p.m.
After a brief mention of troop withdrawals from Vietnam, President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai discussed the joint communiqué, various historical world revolutions, the status of Taiwan, and the Indo-Pakistan conflict.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. All brackets are in the source text. The meeting was held in the Government Guest House. Attached at Tab A but not published is the draft communiqué.
52. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 24, 1971, 9:23-11:20 p.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai again focused their discussions on the joint communiqué and the announcement of President Nixon’s visit. Kissinger explained that domestic constraints prevented him from agreeing to any language critical of specific U.S. foreign policies, especially in regards to Taiwan and the war in Indochina.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. All brackets and ellipses are in the source text. The meeting was held in the Great Hall of the People. Attached at Tab A is the first Chinese draft. See Document 56 for text of the draft.
53. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 25, 1971, 10:21-11:00 a.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger rejected the inclusion by the Chinese of the words “world revolution” in the joint communiqué. Chinese Premier Chou En-lai, in turn, insisted upon an official commitment to reduce U.S. troops in Taiwan and restrain Japanese rearmament.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. All brackets and ellipses are in the source text. The meeting was held at the Government Guest House. Attached at Tab A is the second Chinese draft of the communiqué; attached at Tab B is the third U.S. draft of the communiqué. See Document 56 for text of these drafts.
54. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 25, 1971, 9:50-11:40 p.m.
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger rejected the inclusion by the Chinese of the words “world revolution” in the joint communiqué. Chinese Premier Chou En-lai, in turn, insisted upon an official commitment to reduce U.S. troops in Taiwan and restrain Japanese rearmament.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; presumably drafted by Lord. All brackets and ellipses are in the source text. The meeting was held at the Government Guest House. Attached at Tab A is the second Chinese draft of the communiqué; attached at Tab B is the third U.S. draft of the communiqué. See Document 56 for text of these drafts.
55. Memorandum of Conversation, Beijing, October 26, 1971, 5:30-8:10 p.m.
During the final meeting between Chinese and American officials, President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger cautioned that he was out in front of official U.S. policy on Taiwan and could not guarantee that President Nixon would agree to the entire formulation. He agreed that the U.S. would not challenge the reality of one China and that Taiwan was a province of China. Chinese Premier Chou En-lai maintained that where there were fundamental differences, especially in the interpretation of words such as “peaceful competition” and “individual freedom,” the differences should remain in the communiqué.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, HAK visit to PRC, October 1971, Memcons-originals. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. The meeting was held at the Government Guest House, Attached at Tab A is the third Chinese draft of the communiqué. See Document 56 for text of the draft. At Tab B is the final agreed tentative draft, which is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1972, volume XVII, China, 1969–1972, as an attachment to Document 165. The final version of the draft is in ibid., Document 203.
56. American and Chinese Drafts of the Joint Communiqué, Beijing, October 22-26, 1971
Each nation submitted three drafts of the joint communiqué for President Nixon’s visit to China.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1035, Files for the President-China Material, China-HAK October 1971 Visit. No classification marking. All brackets in the source text. See Documents 165 and 203, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII, China, 1969–1972, for the final agreed tentative draft and final version of the communiqué
57. Note From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the Military Attaché at the Embassy in France (Walters), Washington, October 30, 1971 and Memorandum for the Record, Paris, October 31, 1971, 6 p.m.
Haig transmitted three points, concerning President Nixon’s visit, for Walters to make orally to the Chinese. Military Attaché Walters and Chinese Ambassador to France Huang Chen discussed how the new and growing relationship between the U.S. and China would benefit humankind.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 20, 1971-Dec 31, 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Haig handwrote the addressee instructions, the date, and an additional “eyes only” classification on the note. No time of transmission or receipt appears on the note, but Walters subsequently indicated in his October 31 memorandum of record that he received the telegram at midnight and finished deciphering it at 3:30 a.m. The October 31 memorandum that Walters drafted does not bear any classification markings. The meeting was held at Chen’s residence in Neuilly.
58. Memorandum for the Record, Paris, November 16, 1971
Unable to arrange a meeting for November 15, Military Attaché Walters met with Chinese diplomat CHAN YUNG CHIEH the next day. Walters informed him of President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s upcoming visit and handed him the note expressing Kissinger’s desire to meet with the Chinese in New York. Chieh indicated that he would transmit the note to Peking via “electrical means.”
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 20, 1971-Dec 31, 1971. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Drafted by Walters. The meeting was held at the Chinese Embassy.
59. Instructions to the Military Attaché at the Embassy in France (Walters), Washington, undated
Walters was asked to request an appointment with the Chinese ambassador on November 15 and inform him that President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger would arrive in Paris on November 20 and wished to meet with Huang Chen at 9 a.m. that morning. An accompanying note, which Walters was to hand to the Chinese, inquired as to if the Chinese would be willing to meet secretly with Kissinger in New York after the Chinese delegation was seated at the United Nations.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 20, 1971-Dec 31, 1971. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Published from an unsigned copy. Attached is the note requesting the secret meeting between Chinese officials and Kissinger.
60. Memorandum for Record, Paris, November 18, 1971
Chinese Ambassador to France Huang Chen told Military Attaché Walters that the Chinese wished to move the announcement of President Nixon’s visit from November 23 to November 29.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 20, 1971-Dec 31, 1971. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Drafted by Walters. A handwritten notation reads: “Lord.” The meeting was held at Chen’s residence in Neuilly. Although a precise time is not indicated on the memorandum, Walters indicates that the meeting was held during the morning of November 18.