MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER VISITS CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83B00100R000100080037-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2012
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: May 7, 1979
• Content Type: MF

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP83B00100R000100080037-8
FAC No. 2350-79
THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
7 May 1979
FROM: John H. Holdridge
National Intelligence Officer for China
SUBJECT: Malaysian Prime Minister Visits China
1. Action Requested: None. This memorandum is for
your information only.
2. Background: You may be interested to know that
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Hussein Onn is now paying an
eight-day formal visit to China. Although this visit is a
response to Deng Xiaoping's trip to Malaysia last year, it
occurs in the wake of the Sino-Vietnam conflict just as Bei-
jing and Hanoi are squaring off verbally in their talks on
the Sino-Vietnam border issue and other related matters. Un-
questionably Hanoi will look upon Hussein Onn's trip as put-
ting Malaysia on China's side in the Sino-Vietnam dispute.
The Malaysians must have known that this would happen if Hus-
sein Onn traveled to China at this time, but they let the trip
continue regardless of Hanoi's reaction.
3. Moreover, in his speech at the welcoming banquet in
Beijing Hussein Onn reiterated his support for the statement
of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers calling for the withdrawal of
all foreign troops from Kampuchea and the peaceful settlement
of the conflict there. Deng Xiaoping, in his own speech at
the banquet, endorsed the ASEAN call for the withdrawal of
foreign troops from ASEAN and identified China with the efforts
of the ASEAN countries to strengthen their unity and coordi-
nation, and "play a greater part in safeguarding peace in
Asia and Southeast Asia". The effect of these remarks is to
line up China and ASEAN against Hanoi, at least in Hanoi's
perception.
4ohn4. oldridge
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP83B00100R000100080037-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP83B00100R000100080037-8
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Director of Central Intelligence
John H. Holdridge
National Intelligence Officer for China
Malaysian Prime Minister Visits China
NIO/CH-JHHholdridge:fmt 7 May 1979
Distribution:
Orig. & 1 -
1 -
1 -
1 -
1 -
1 -
2 -
1 -
Addressee
DDCI
ER
D/NFAC
OPA/CH
NIO/EA
NIO/CH
NFAC Reg.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP83B00100R000100080037-8