152. Telegram From the Liaison Office in China to the International Communication Agency1
3168. ICA for Director Reinhardt only. State for EA Holbrooke/Thayer only. From Mort Smith. Subj: ICA Activities at USLO, Peking.
1. I understand there is a possibility that you will meet with Ambassador Woodcock during his Washington consultations next week.2 Given the changes which have taken place in the PRC since your last meeting, this should provide a vital opportunity to discuss the future of ICA-funded activities.3 Following are some suggestions and observations reflecting my detailed discussions here.
2. The enlarged scope for ICA-funded activities is real and important to the future of US–PRC relations and to perceptions of each other. While no one can say how long the present policies will last, no one doubts the commitment of the present leadership to building a modern state primarily through self-reliance but with substantial foreign technical help. Whether it is possible to send students to foreign countries, encourage the study of foreign languages in China, increase informa [Page 443] tion input from outside sources, encourage listening to foreign broadcasts and do many of the other extraordinary things the current leadership has started doing without seriously affecting the non-technical aspects of Chinese society is a question only a Chinese fortune teller can predict. But the Chinese appear to be determined to go down this road, and until the line changes—which it can do although at considerable cost—we have an opportunity to enhance the communication process to a significant degree.
3. We have the start of a highly useful ICA program thanks to the excellent work done by a number of State Department officers who labored in the vineyard when conditions were less than ideal. John Thomson’s efforts since arriving a few months ago have been applauded by all of his colleagues, and he has been able to build quickly on the foundation established earlier. The major components in the ICA funded effort here are: exchanges of all types; providing English teaching materials to foreign experts and in all likelihood soon to Chinese teachers; a currently active film and VTR loan program now primarily with foreign teachers of the Chinese but with great potential for direct loans to Chinese; a book translation program which can be substantially expanded to take advantage of the current passion for foreign literature; the start of a small exhibit program whose efficacy will be tested before the end of the year. Publication program making available specialized printed materials about the U.S. including materials on US education; the start of a library which can be shaped to support our exchange programs; distributing Wireless File and other policy materials to Foreign Ministry officials.
4. It would be foolhardy for us to attempt to rush in now with programs beyond those enumerated above until we get a clearer indication of the permanency of the situation here and particularly our own ability to carry out current programs with an adequate measure of success. But to do even these minimal tasks requires considerably more in USG resources than currently assigned to the PRC. In manpower alone we cannot cope with these minimal requirements; in spite of the herculean efforts of an exceptionally able officer plus the considerable help of others in the Mission. In addition, the special organizational arrangement at the Mission obviously reflects a previous set of circumstances which are badly outdated.
5. To carry out these tasks I suggest the following:
A. The establishment of an ICA office within USLO—either as the cultural and press section or as ICA-Peking, whichever is most acceptable to USLO and the Department. The head of this office would report to the DCM and Ambassador and would have responsibility for carrying out the programs listed in para 3 above and for reporting to USLO on activities in these fields.
[Page 444]B. The office would be headed by a cultural counselor who would have prime responsibility for the exchange program in all of its manifestations. He would deal with American academicians and with the Chinese on exchange matters. He would also have supervisory responsibility for all ICA programs.
C. Assisting him would be a more junior officer who would be responsible primarily for the non-exchange elements of the program but would assist the cultural counselor as needed. He would share responsibility for dealing with the press with the cultural counselor.
D. An absolute necessity would also be a crackerjack admin secretary, one who could provide the office with the combined talents needed in the special circumstances of the PRC where many of the basic admin talents cannot be found in the local community.
E. Four local employees—a librarian (currently on the USLO staff); a Wireless File operator/audio visual assistant (tentatively approved by the Agency); a distribution clerk; an exchanges assistant. These would have to be supplied by the PRC, as are all local employees, but our experience with the current librarian indicates that training by ICA staff members from Hong Kong or other places can bring the level of local employee competance to better than acceptability.
6. Central to this plan is the course of the negotiations with the PRC on the exchange program. Obviously, if the exchange effort suffers a major setback or takes a form thus far unthought of, the needs outlined above will have to be reconsidered. However, given the current massive workload at USLO and the speed with which the exchange effort appears to be developing, plus the dramatic expansion of opportunities in other fields, we would do well to seriously discuss these proposals now so as to move quickly after the completion of these talks with the Chinese.
7. If the results of the Chou Pei-yuan visit4 warrant, I believe we should begin prompt discussions with State with a view to bringing our staffing arrangements in Peking into accord with the new realities that are emerging in our exchange relationship with the PRC. Our top priority should be providing John Thomson with a secretary/admin assistant, if possible by November when the first group of PRC English language trainees may be traveling to the US. Assuming that we can [Page 445] secure state concurrence for the creation of two officer-level ICA positions at USLO, we should also move promptly to select a relatively junior officer who hopefully could be transferred here as early next year as feasible (obviously, I would suggest Thomson as our senior man here).
8. There will be some inconveniences for those who have to come out here quickly. Living conditions are not good and hotel living will, in all likelihood, be required at first. But the challenges and opportunities are so great that I am sure our agency can come up with appropriate people, as we did with Thomson.
9. These thoughts reflect my discussions with USLO, most importantly with the Charge, who as former Deputy Director of PRCM in the Department, is fully cognizant of the history of our activity in China.5 He has seen this message and concurs in principle that changes along the above lines may be desirable depending upon the concrete results of the exchange delegation. He naturally feels that the Mission should reserve its position until Ambassador Woodcock has returned to post and has had an opportunity to express his views. A more positive response cannot be hoped for.
10. There are some resource implications for us in this plan which EA can prepare for your consideration. While there is some additional money in our new budget for exchanges and other activities, there will not be enough to fund all of these costs. I can’t think of a higher priority need in the Agency, however, and trust that you will agree.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780405–0724. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information to the Department of State.↩
- Woodcock met with the President and Brzezinski on October 11. For additional information, see Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. XIII, China, footnote 2, Document 141.↩
- There is no indication as to when an earlier meeting between Reinhardt and Woodcock took place.↩
- In an undated briefing memorandum to Vance, in preparation for his October 3 meeting with Huang Hua in New York, Holbrooke noted that a PRC delegation, headed by Chou Pei-yuan, was scheduled to arrive in the United States on October 7 to participate in talks with a U.S. group headed by NSF President Richard Atkinson and also tour several American universities. The briefing memorandum is printed Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. XIII, China, Document 137; the memorandum of conversation of the Vance–Huang Hua meeting is ibid., Document 138.↩
- Reference is to Roy.↩