MY MEETING WITH CH'IAO KUAN-HUA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-462-8-22-6
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: February 17, 2011
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: August 29, 1973
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/02/17: LOC-HAK-462-8-22-6
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qARA Orate
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PEKING 37
August 29, 1973
TO:
HENRY A. KISSINGER
FROM: DAVID BRUCE
SUBJECT: My meetingwith Ch'iao Xuan-hua
1. S called on Ch'iao Kuan-hua at Ministry of Foreign Affairs
at 11:00 on August. 29, accompanied by Jenkins and Holdridge
In addition to Ch'iao, on Chinese side were L.i'ping, Chao Ch'
i-Rua, and Chen Jo--Yun, all from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2. After usual preliminaries I. asked if Chinese had received
report of your conversation with Han Hsu. Ch'iao responded
affirmatively. ?I then noted that your conversation had
consisted of two sessions, one written and the other oral.'
In the oral presentation, you had spoken of the great importance
you attached to the relationship between the PRC and US, and
that you regarded it as essential to synchronize policies
between. our two countries.. I noted that, several days later you
had sent a message to me saying you hoped before I left that I
would see Ch' iao and Prime Minister Chou and to ask if they
would not be helpful in connection with your new appointment
by outlining Chinese views of the current relationship between
China and the US,* I added that I had been informed only th"i.s
morning that on Saturday you had expected to see our. Ambassadors
to South Korea,, India, and the Phillipines, plus others,
presumably including those from the Asian region. This indicated
the importance which you attach to. complications on Asian
affairs.
3 . Turning to, the ? timing of your assuming your new position,
I, said that pres+tnt Secretary of State would relinquish off ice
formally on September 3, after which your_ nomination required
confirmation by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee headed
by Senator rulbright and,- if after SFRC approved your appointment,
nomination would be submitted to full Senate. Ordinarily, the
consent of the full'Senate to SFRC report was forthcoming
quickly, but I surmised during your appearance before the
committee would be questioned on a great number of problems and
process might be lengthy. I did not know when the hearings
would commence, but they were likely to do so by next week.
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I told Ch'iao that this was background until you were confirmed
and that in meantime you were known as "Secretary of State-
asked of you was your views on the status of relationship between
our two countries, and assumed for that reason a frank expression
by Ch' iao as to this relationship would be useful to you,
including reference to those areas of differrences which could
create Problems for us. In other words., I said, I was almost
asking Ch' iao to deliver a monologue.
4. I observed also that one of the questions which would be
Designate. u
5. With reference to relations between our two countries,
Ch' iao stated that during your visit to China, especially
February visit, both sides had exchanged views fully. As for
actual situation in relations between our two countries, something
objective existed: I was in Peking and the Chinese had their
Liaison Office in Washington. This signified that our relations
were "developing". As to Ch'iao's views on these relations,
he felt that you had your own views and the Chinese had theirs.
To sum up, Ch'iao saidy he felt we both understood each other
regarding our differences and area of agreement. The Shanghai
Joint Communique was an example, because it both stated
differences and points of accord. . This was our new style - not
to attempt to hide our differences, but to admit them frankly.
Ch'iao credited you with having contributed much to the joint
communique in the course of drafting it.
6. Ch'iao next declared that he thought "the development in
our relations should be considered normal." He noted that last
time he and T exchanged views we had discussed state of mutual
relations as well as general situation. All he wanted to know
was to ask me to. convey congratulations ?of Prime Minister,
Foreign Minister Chi, as well as his own on your appointment
as Secretary of State. Ch'iao said that Chinese "welcome your
visit to China, in October." They would be in touch with us
sometime later on as to specific date'. Aside from this matter,
there was nothing else new which they would like to discuss with
me. If anything came up *while I was in the U.S., he would get
in touch with Jenkins and Holdridge. He wished me son Voyage and
hoped my_ journey would not be too tiring.
7. I prodded Ch'iao as to whether he foresaw any specific
problems which might -cause either aide difficulties, other than
those which might flow from the differences of opinion already
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expressed in the Joint communique.. Ch"iao remarked that with the
differences already stated in the Joint communique, new
differences might appear with new situations, but that would not be
strange. But there was a good point here - both sides admitted
their differences and did not cover them up. We could have a
further exchange of views in the future.
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Final Section of Peking 37
S. I tried again to draw Ch' iao out on any problems, asking
if their were any immediate issues which had not been discussed
in the past or which y~ou or your representatives in Washington
had not raised with their representatives. Were their such which
might cause concern in our relationship,? Ch'iao replied that
"as our side seen it, there is not any immediate problem."
9. Nothing else of substance emerged from the conversation.
Ch'iao proceeded to ask me about how much time it might take for,
your appointment to clear the Senate? probably in connection
with scheduling your visit to China, and I told him that the
SFRC hearings might extend over several days and possibly a week.
Ch' iao said that as the Chinese saw it, your appointment was
welcomed by both T.X. S . political parties and people of different
circles in American society. I agreed? noting that reaction in
Europe had also been very favorable. ? Ch'iao said he believed
that you would handle the hearings very well because your ability
was high -- he admired you for this . You also knew how to handle
correspondents. He wondered -what the Japanese' reaction had been
to your appointments to which I%eplied that their reaction was
not yet evident but they had respect for your knowledge and would
find from their standpont your appointment would be a fortunate
one. In Europe our relations would certainly be strengthened,
including the negotiations going on between the U.S. and
European governments. I recalled your long background in
European affairs, going back to before time you had joined the
government.
10. Ch'iao ended by promising a further conversation after Y
returned.
11. Comment: Ch'iao appeared blandly non committal on the
state Of US?PRC relations, but at least despribed them as being
good and as making progress via our respective liaison offices.
In view of the internal political events. going on here at this
time,, which we have reported both in this and in other channels,
it seems that Chinese at this time wish to keep their
relationship with ? us in the background so it does not intrude
unduly into whatever domestic political maneuverings may be going
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12. In just the last few days Chinese have sharpened their
criticisms of the Soviet Union. While we are not attempting
to incourage such criticisms, the ointed singling out of the
USSR as an element hostile to China inevitably put Chinese
relationship with us in a, better light internally. We ourselves
are not receiving a hostile press in Peking although their is
occasional low-level x iping in connection with Indo-China and
Korea. Incidentally, I deliberately did not raise Cambodian
situation with Ch'iao, believing if so, he would deal with this
in same way he dealt with state of US-PRC relations, i.e., "W5
know where our differences lie." 1
13. Although Ch=iao was as usual polite and amiable it was clear
that he had no desire to prolong a conversation that was degenerat-
ing into leasanntries At no point was any reference made to %the
Prime Minister except my mentioning instructions from you to.call
On him and on Ch'iao, and the message of congrat lations from
Prime Minister to you.
14. Warm Regards.
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