192. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1
SUBJECT
- Chinese Desire to Have Vice Premier Fang Yi Visit Douglas and Lockheed
Vice Premier Teng Hsiao-p’ing will be accompanied by Vice Premier Fang Yi. Fang, a Politburo member, is in charge of China’s science and technology. He served as Frank Press’s counterpart and host during Frank’s June visit to Peking.2
Fang Yi wishes to travel separately from Teng Hsiao-p’ing from noon Saturday, February 3, to Sunday evening, February 4. During this time, Teng will be in Seattle.
Fang Yi has requested to go to the Los Angeles area during this time to visit Douglas and Lockheed. The Chinese are negotiating to purchase civilian aircraft and equipment from both companies, particularly the Lockheed Tristar and the DC–10.
There are legitimate reasons to grant this request:
—The Chinese are genuinely interested in these companies.
—It takes a portion of the Chinese party to California, which has political advantage.
—It would enable Fang Yi to visit Disneyland.
On the other hand, when taken in conjunction with Teng’s Seattle visit to Boeing, it would mean that on their last day here, the Chinese will visit Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed.
By the way, we have suggested to the Chinese that Teng visit Disneyworld (rather than Disneyland, for security reasons).3 The Chinese have replied that Teng will only be able to visit three cities. Teng will, [Page 713] however, go to a rodeo in Houston and, at your suggestion, will visit the Air and Space Museum here. These visits will add the light touch that is needed for his trip.
Recommendation:
On balance, I believe Fang Yi should be permitted to go to Los Angeles, and that we should inform the Chinese accordingly. To make sure his activities have a light touch, we should take him to Disneyland also.4
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, VIP Visit File, Box 2, China: Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping, 1/28/79–2/1/79: Cables and Memos, 12/15/78–1/24/79. Confidential. A handwritten “C” at the top of the page indicates that Carter saw the memorandum. A January 13 covering memorandum from Oksenberg to Brzezinski states, “I have made the recommendation coincide with your preference, though I personally am not inclined in the same direction. I think to permit an aircraft blitz on the last day stimulates more Chinese hope than we now intend to fulfill.” (Ibid.)↩
- See footnote 2, Document 137.↩
- Brzezinski had earlier sent Carter an undated memorandum that contained a schedule for Deng’s trip. Carter neither approved nor disapproved the schedule, but wrote, “Zbig—I personally recommend to Deng that he visit Disneyworld for him & U.S. opinion. So far this [is] a dry & stale sequence of events. Work this in. J.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, VIP Visit File, Box 2, China: Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping, 1/28/79–2/1/79: Cables and Memos, 12/15/78–1/24/79)↩
- Carter checked the Approve option and initialed “J.”↩