Office of the Historian

116. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1

Washington, May 31, 1978

SUBJECT

  • Secretary Vance’s Meeting with PRC Foreign Minister Huang Hua, June 2, 1978

Cy meets with PRC Foreign Minister Huang Hua on June 2. His agenda will cover Zaire (Huang will be visiting Africa upon his departure from New York), SALT, the contemplated Frank Press visit, and normalization.

Cy wishes to be able to inform Huang of your reaction to my discussions in Peking. I propose that we request Cy to say something roughly along the following lines, although I would welcome your own words to convey to the Chinese more accurately your views:

The President reviewed the record of Dr. Brzezinski’s conversations with your leaders. He has asked me to inform you that as a result of the candid discussions on international affairs, he will be better able to take into account your views on the many issues where we have common concerns. He hopes that our actions in these areas will be mu [Page 478] tually reinforcing in the months ahead. The President also hopes that the commercial and cultural dimensions of our relations will expand in the months ahead, particularly since he believes that an expanded and deepened relationship in the cultural and economic spheres contributes to the normalization process. The President also feels that the conversations on normalization were constructive and revealed that the time is opportune to explore the practicalities of normalization on the basis of the Shanghai Communique. Accordingly, as Dr. Brzezinski indicated to you, acting on instructions from the President and myself, Ambassador Woodcock will be in contact with you later this month to initiate confidential discussions with you on normalization.2

In sum, the President thanks you for the courtesy you showed to his emissary, Dr. Brzezinski, and he feels that the discussions were positive and enhanced the normalization process.

Recommendation:

That you approve the above statement for Vance to deliver to Huang Hua.3

Alternatively, that you approve the statement, as amended by you.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 8, China (People’s Republic of): 6–8/78. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only; Outside the System. Sent for action. The date is handwritten. A handwritten “C” at the top of the page indicates Carter saw the memorandum.↩
  2. Carter wrote, “OK” in the left margin next to this paragraph.↩
  3. Carter checked the Approve option under this first recommendation.↩