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143. Backchannel Message HAKTO 12 From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig), Beijing, June 21, 1972, 1615Z1 2

Beijing, June 21, 1972, 1615Z

WE DE WTE1Ø

O 211615Z

JUNE 21, 1972

TO GENERAL HAIG, THE WHITE HOUSE

FROM HENRY A KISSINGER

HAKTO

1.
THREE AND A HALF HOUR SESSION WITH CHOU WAS DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO VIETNAM WITH SOME DISCUSSION OF SOVIET UNION AT OUTSET.
2.
THEIR DISTRUST OF RUSSIANS WAS ONCE AGAIN CLEAR. CHOU EMPHASIZED THAT DISARMAMENT IMPOSSIBLE, WITH LIMITATIONS IN SOME FIELDS BUT INCREASES IN OTHERS. HE STRONGLY INTIMATED NEED FOR U.S. TO KEEP ITS DEFENSES UP, MAKING FAVORABLE REFERENCES TO Laird TESTIMONY BEFORE SFRC (PLEASE PROTECT). HE ALSO DISPLAYED CONCERN OVER OUR EXTENDING CREDITS TO SOVIETS SINCE THIS MIGHT BE THE ONLY WAY THAT STRAINED SOVIET ECONOMY COULD FUEL THEIR ARMS BUILD UP.
3.
CHOU REVIEWED VIETNAM AND MADE RATHER DESULTORY DEFENSE OF NORTH VIETNAMESE POSITION. AT THE END HE SAID THAT CONTINUATION OF THE WAS WOULD NOT REPEAT NOT INTERFERE IN RELAXATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN US AND PRC.
4.
IN SEPERATE COUNTERPART MEETING THERE WAS FULL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON HOW TO PROMOTE EXCHANGES BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES.
5.
THEY ARE GOING TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS TO SHOW HOSPITALITY TO US.

WARM REGARDS

[Covering memorandum]

June 21, 1972

[Page 2]

MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT

FROM: AL HAIG

SUBJECT: Report from Dr. Kissinger

I received a third progress report from Dr. Kissinger covering his June 21 activities in Peking. It contained the following highlights:

  • — He had just concluded a 3 1/2 hour session with Chou which was devoted primarily to Vietnam, with some discussion of the Soviet Union at the outset.
  • — Chou’s distrust of the Russians was again emphasized. Chou made the point that disarmament was impossible with limitations in some fields but increases in others the likely outcome.
  • — Chou again strongly intimated the need for the U.S. to keep its defenses up, even making favorable references to Secretary Laird’s testimny before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
  • — Chou displayed concern over our extending credits to the Soviets since this might be the only way that the strained Soviet economy could continue to fuel their arms buildup.
  • — Chou reviewed Vietnam and made a rather desultory defense of the North Vietnamese position. At the end, he made the point that ontinuation of the war would not interfere in the relaxation of relations between the U.S and the Peoples Republic of China.

Kissinger also noted that there had been a separate counterpart meeting during which there was a full exchange of views on how to [Page 3] promote exchanges between our countries. Henry again commented on the extraordinary lengths to which the Chinese are going to demonstrate hospitality.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 97, Country Files, Far East, China-Dr. Kissinger’s June 1972 Visit. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Rodman. Haig transmitted the message to Nixon under an attached June 21 covering memorandum summarizing Kissinger’s third meeting with the Chinese. A notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.↩
  2. Kissinger recounted his 3 ½ hour session with Chinese Premier Chou En-lai. Topics discussed included the Soviet Union and Vietnam. Chou indicated that continuation of the war in Vietnam would not interfere in U.S.-Chinese rapprochement.↩