Office of the Historian

195. Report of a Special Coordination Committee Ad Hoc Group Meeting on China1

Washington, January 24, 1979, 10–11:55 a.m.

David Aaron chaired a meeting to discuss DOD involvement on and with Taiwan after normalization. The meeting decided that DOD civilians would continue to work on Taiwan after May 1, 1979, but only if and when absolutely necessary. As many jobs as possible will be transferred to a contract basis, and State and DOD will look into the possibility of DOD civilians going on leave to be attached to the American Institute on Taiwan as civilian personnel. The meeting decided that State and DOD should prepare a plan for ship visits to Taiwan during the coming year, taking into account the need for such visits to be kept at a low level.

—DOD will prepare two options for training Taiwan military personnel in the U.S. to handle American-purchased equipment: (1) where they would come here as ROC military personnel; and (2) where they would come as unofficial civilians through the unofficial organization we are establishing to handle relations with Taiwan. The meeting deferred decision on any joint military exercises with Taiwan until after Deng’s visit.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Far East, Oksenberg Subject File, Box 46, Meetings: 1/10–24/79. Secret. Prepared by Oksenberg. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.↩