U.S. NATIONAL EXHIBITION, BEIJING, CHINA, 1984

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002100120020-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 22, 2007
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: May 1, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

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STAT
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON
STAT
September 9, 1982
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
This will confirm the appointment tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.
for Commissioner Abbott Washburn and Margita White to see
the Director. Enclosed is a small package of materials
explaining the China project which the Commissioner asked
me to deliver to the Director.
Thank you for your assistance in helping us arrange
this appointment.
Sincerely,
Nancy B. Carey
Legal Assistant to
Commissioner Abbott Washburn
STAT
STAT
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May 1982
U.S. National Exhibition, Beijing, China, 1984
The U.S. is presented with an opportunity to stage, in Beijing throughout the
summer of 1984, a U.S. National Exhibition similar in size and content to the
one in Moscow in 1959 where Nixon and Khrushchev debated in the kitchen. The
Government of the PRC is prepared to accept such a major exhibition devoted to
America's progress in science, technology and culture. Not a trade promotion
effort (except secondarily), its purpose is to demonstrate American accomplishments,
character, ideals.
.During 1981, a "Design Group" of private citizens visited Beijing to explore the
possibility. Their travel was financed by the U.S. International Communications
Agency. I.M. Pei, the designer of the East Building of the National Gallery of
Art, is a member of this Group; also George Stevens, Jr., who heads the American
Film Institute at the Kennedy Center; Jack Masey, who worked on the 1959 Moscow
Exhibition; and designer Ivan Chermayeff. They were very favorably received
by the Chinese. Three days of detailed discussion were held, at the end of which
a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Chinese and English. Upon their return
the Design Group prepared a Report.
Their Report has been carefully reviewed by USICA, the State Department, the
Commerce Department, NSC, FCC, and other relevant agencies in Washington. There is
keen interest in the project, but unfortunately no government funds are available
at this time to get it under way. Director Wick of USICA and Secretary of Commerce
Malcolm Baldrige have stated that the private sector will have to pick up the ball.
The next step (Phase II), costing in excess of $350,000, will take about five
months of work by I.M. Pei, Jack Masey and colleagues. At the end of that time
they will have completed the detailed Schematic Design of the buildings, together
with scale models and visual presentations of how the Exhibition area will look to
the 12 million Chinese attendees. The designated Exhibition site is 20 minutes by
bicycle from Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing. It is over 400,000 square
feet -- about the size of eight football fields.
The plan is for a consortium of firms to share the underwriting of Phase II. To
that end, Dr. Joseph Charyk, President of Comsat, has taken the leadership and,
along with attorney Michael Gardner, a member of the Reagan transition team,
formed a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation. This entity is receiving contributions
and will make the contracts with I.M. Pei, et al to proceed with Phase II of the
project. A list of the officers and directors of this corporate entity is attached.
An informal governmental coordinating committee has also been formed, chaired by
Mr. Wick. A list of the members of this committee is likewise attached.
An interesting feature is the concept of a Great Hall of Telecommunications wherein
all the latest state-of-the-art hardware would be on display. It would also include
an auditorium with television stage. Here would originate live television programs
for transmission to the United States by satellite, and live programs from the
United States would be received on a large screen and relayed to TV receivers
throughout China.
The Exhibition is planned to open in June of 1984 and run for 120 days. The
Chinese officials believe that it will be possible for approximately 100,000 visitors
a day to view the Exhibition.
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Committee for United States Exhibition in Beijing, 1984, Inc.
Board of Directors
Dr. Joseph V. Charyk, President
President and Chief Executive Officer, Communications Satellite Corporation
Mr. Frank L. Dennis, Vice President
Attorney of Counsel, Gordon & Healy
Honorable Margita E. White, Vice President
Communications Consultant. Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Mr. Michael R. Gardner, Secretary-Treasurer
Partner, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld
Mr. Kenneth R. Giddens
Owner, WKRG-TV, Inc., Mobile
Mr. John W. Kluge
Chairman of the Board, Metromedia, Inc.
Honorable Leonard H. Marks
Partner, Cohn & Marks. Former Director, U.S. Information Agency
Mr. Clyde A. Wheeler, Jr.
Vice President, Government Relations, Sun Oil Company
Honorable Richard E. Wiley
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis. Former Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
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Coordinating Committee, U.S. Exhibition in Beijing, 1984
Informal committee composed of U.S. Government officials:
U.S. International Communication Agency
Honorable Charles Z. Wick, Director*
Honorable Gilbert A. Robinson, Deputy Director
Department of State
Ambassador John H. Holdridge, Assistant Secretary for East
Asian & Pacific Affairs
Mr. Thomas P. Shoesmith, Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary
for East Asian & Pacific Affairs
Mr. Richard H. Howarth,Deputy Director, China Desk
Mr. Ronald B. Frankum, Deputy Science Advisor
Department of Commerce
Honorable Lionel H. Olmer, Under Secretary for International
Trade
Honorable Bernard J. Wunder, Assistant Secretary for
Communications & Information
Federal Communications Commission
Honorable Mark S. Fowler, Chairman
Honorable Abbott Washburn, Commissioner
National Science Foundation
Honorable John B. Slaughter, Director
Office of Chief Justice of the United States
Dr. Mark W. Cannon, Assistant to Chief Justice Burger
U.S. Senate
Honorable Ted F. Stevens, Alaska, Majority Whip of the Senate
Mr. Mark L. Schneider, Legal Assistant to Senator Stevens
Honorable John H. Glenn, Ohio, Member of Foreign Relations Committee
Mr. William R. White, Administrative Aide to Senator Glenn
*Mr. Wick serves as Chairman of the CnnrAinatinn Cnmmittnc_
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U.S. Exhibition in Beijing, 1984
The Exhibition would run four months during the summer of 1984, opening
on June 15. An 11-acre site on the way to the airport has been designated.
I.M. Pei' calls it "an ideal location."
Estimated attendance: 10 million, plus millions more via TV.
Focus of the Exhibition: America's progress in science, technology, and
culture.. .with opportunity to highlight our concepts of individual initiative
and freedom.
Corporate Committee
Following the luncheon at the Metropolitan Club last January, a tax exempt
Corporate Committee was set up to guide the project and to raise funds for
Phase II,namely--the design and layout of the Exhibition by I.M. Pei and
the Design Group.
List of members of Corporate Committee (attached).
List of companies contributing thus far (attached).
Other activities of the Corporate Committee:
Meetings with Chinese official-s involved Mr. Bi
Amb. Chai
Mr. Li
Meetings with U.S. Government officials Holdridge
Kribb
launder/Baldrige
Robinson
Frankum
Group going to China
David Laux, NSC
et al
Meetings with Congress Glenn
Stevens
Kassebaum
Boschvitz
Have kept Percy and Baker informed, also key staffers.
Meetings with relevant groups
Amb. Chris Phillips: National Council for U.S.-China Trade
Gov. Ray Schafer: National Committee on U.S. China Relations
Meetings with I.M. Pei and the Design Group:
Contract signed with the Design Group
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FOREIGN POLICY
We met with John Holdridge and Dick Howarth last week.
Holdridge: "We are very high on the project. The Department will be
of every possible help.
The Secretary is not yet briefed on it (Secretary Haig was). But this will
be arranged. It is particularly appropriate in wake of the recent joint
communique on arms-to-Taiwan. This accord has removed much uncertainty
about our relatio:,s. The Exhibition would help cement these relations. It
would also help nudge the Chinese along toward a more open society. Ted
Stevens and Chief 'Justice Burger both point out that China is "greening"
toward individual initiative. and capitalist incentives. So this is an
opportunity to show them what freedom has contributed to our progress and
development.
USIA OBJECTIVES
The image-building opportunities for telling America's story are manifold.
Programming from the Exhibition will be carried on Chinese television. Two-way
satellite television programming will be received and transmitted from the
Telecommunications Center. John Chancellor will be on camera, and work with
George Stevens, Jr. There will be many interviews and exchanges with counter-
parts (including the Chief Justice) during the 120-day run.
NATIONAL SECURITY
There are national security overtones, since our ties with Beijing are a strong
deterrent to Soviet aggression. A great demonstration of America's progress,
running all summer long in the heart of Beijing,would give them fits in the
Kremlin --- especially if it were opened by the President with all eyes of the
world on it.
TRADE OPPORTUNITIES
While it's not a trade fair, there are long-range trade consequences and good
contacts to be made with Chinese counter-parts (e.g. Sun Oil). (Pepsi's
long relationship with the USSR started with their participation in the American
Exhibition'in Moscow in 1959.)
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? Progress of I.M. Pei and Design Group
They are making excellent progress. They will have a model of the site layout
and the Pavillion by Oct. 4, with graphics and elevation drawings.
It will be latest hi-tech air-suspended structure, of computer-assisted design.
Architecturally of great interest. Will be left there as a statement of U.S.'
advanced technology. Our continued use of the buildings,when needed in the future,
will be assured.
I.M. Pei went to Beijing in late May, studied the site, the soil, the Chinese
plans to provide utilities, etc. "Chinese side very enthusiastic", he said.
Ours will be the first building in their new Exhibition Center. Japan's will be
second.
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F.c zw coat' ibuti.ng geed money 't6 Camm,i tee 'Jon 'United S.ta te.o E h..b.c tion in-Beijing,. 1954, _Inc
Ameni.can Telephone 9 Teeegfraph Company
Coca-Co.la Company
Commun i.catLo . Sate.et to Cotcpotation
Hughes Communication Se/Lv.LCea, Inc.
Inte&na .ionat Telephone 9 Telegraph Conpo4ati.on
Me t)wme.d%a., Inc.
RCA Conpolcati.on
Sun Company, Inc.
Xe/iox Conpo'u .i.on
In addition, Kenneth G.,dden, has pledged a pe/4 o nat co n th i.but i,o n
* *
The chanced are 6avorab.ee that the ~ottow.i.ng wLU atzo come in .homey:
Chad e Manhattan
MCI
Motorola
Genexat Moto
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