Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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factions,inwhichtheminorityhasnohopeofeverbecomingamajority,orin

whichsomegroupknowsitisperpetuallyoutcast,willseemoppressivetoits

members,whateverthelegalpretensions.



Theessenceofmoderntotalitarianismistheinsistenceonasinglestandard

ofvirtueandthecorrespondingdestructionofalltraditionalrestraints.Theeffort

tomakeuniformthenewmoralityhasgivenrisetopassionsunknownsincethe

periodsofreligiousconflictandithascausedgovernmentstoarrogatepowersto

themselvesunprecedentedinhistory.(TheAmericanRevolutionwasnota

revolutioninthisse nse.Itdidnotseektouprootexistinginstitutionsbuttoreturn

themtotheiroriginalpurpose.)Tobeatruerevolutionaryonerequiresa

monstrousself‐confidence.Whoelsewouldpresumetoimposeonhisfollowers

theinevitabledeprivationsofrevolutionarystruggle,exceptonemonomaniacally

dedicatedtothevictoryofhisconvictionsandfreeofdoubtaboutwhetherthey

justifiedtheinevitablesuffering?Itisthepursuitofthischarismatictruth—

sometimestranscendental,asoftendiabolical—thathasproducedthegross

miseryaswellastheprofoundupheavalsthatmarkmodernhistory.For“truth”

knowsnorestraintand“virtue”canacceptnolimits;theyaretheirown

justification.Opponentsareeitherignorantorwicked,andmustbeeither

reeducatedoreliminated.Themoreviolenttheuprooting,themoretheneedto

imposeneworderbydiscipline.Whenspontaneitydisappears,regimentation

mustreplaceit.



SoitwaswiththeChinathatMaoTse‐tunghadwrought.Nodoubtmanyof

theinstitutionsheoverthrewwerecorrupt.Unquestionably,therewassomething

grandioseaboutMao’scommitmenttoegalitarianisminapopulationof800

millionandtotheeradicationofinstitutionsgrownupinthelongest

uninterruptedperiodofself‐governmentontheglobe.Butthesuffering

inseparablefromanenterprisesofarbeyondthehumanscalewasvast.Andthe

primevalresistanceofasocietygrowngreatbythesmotheringofshocksevoked

ever‐greaterspasmsfromthatcolossalfigure,whochallengedthegods inthe

scopeofhisaspirations.



ToMao,Communismwasthetruth.Butasheachievedthedreamsofhis

youthhe—alone amongallthefathersoftwentieth‐centuryCommunism—espied

adeepertruth.HediscoveredthattheevolutionofCommunismcouldwindup

mockingitspretensions,andthattheessenceofChinamighttransmutehis

upheavalsintoamereepisodeinitsseeminglyeternalcontinuity.Millionshad

diedforaclasslesssociety,butinthehourofitsrealizationitdawnedonMao

thattheenthusiasmofrevolutionaryfervorandthestiflingcontrolsnecessaryto

transformasocietywouldbothintimerunupagainstthetraditionsofhispeople

whomhebothlovedandhated.Thecountrythathadinventedthecivilservice

wouldturntheCommunistbureaucracyintoa newmandarinclassmore

confirmedinitsprerogativesthaneverbythemaximsofatruedogma.The

nationwhoseinstitutionshadbeenshapedbyConfuciusintoinstrumentsfor

instillinguniversalethicswouldbeforelongabsorbandtransformthematerialist

Westernphilosophyimposedonitbyitslatestdynasty.



TheagingChairmanrailedagainstafatethatsocruellymockedthe

sufferingandmeaningofalifetimeofstruggle.Unabletobearthethoughtthat

thenewwasturningintoaconfirmationofwhathehadsoughttodestroy,he

launchedhimselfintoevermorefrenziedcampaignstosavehispeoplefrom

themselveswhilehestillhadthestrength.Manyrevolutionshave beenmadeto

seizepowerandtodestroyexistingstructures.Neverhastheirmakerundertaken

atasksotremendousandpossessedastocontinuetherevolutionbydeliberate

systematicupheavalsdirectedagainsttheverysystemhehascreated.No

institutionwasimmune.Eachdecadeanassaultwaslaunchedagainstthehuge,

bloatedbureaucracies—thegovernment,theParty,theeconomy,themilitary.

Forseveralyearsalluniversitieswereclosed.AtonepointChinahadonlyasingle

ambassadorabroad.Maodestroyedorsoughttodestroyeverynumber Two

man—LiuShao‐chi,LinPiao,TengHsiao‐p’ing,andpossiblyevenChouEn‐lai.In

thenatureoftheirpositionthesemenwereforcedtodealwiththepractical,

hencethecontinuing,issuesofChineselife—theveryproblemsthatevoked

Mao’spremonitionofephemeralityandhisall‐too‐Chinesefearthattheywould

erodethemoraldistinctivenessoftheMiddleKingdom.



AndsoeachdecadethefadingChairmanwouldsmashwhathehad

created,forgoingmodernization,shakingupthebureaucracy,purgingits

leadership,resistingprogressinordertomaintainundefiledvaluesthatcouldbe

implemented,ifatall,byasimplepeasantsociety,encapsulatinghispeopleinits

superiorvirtuewhilesacrificingallthemeanstodefendit.Andintheprocesshe

actedliketheemperorswhomhereplacedandinwhosecompoundhenowlived,

becomingliketheminhispracticesinthestruggletopreventthereturntotheir

values.



Oneofhistory’smonumentalironiesisthatprobablynoonebetter

understoodthebuilt‐intensionsofCommunismthanthetitanicfigurewhomade

theChineseRevolution.Hehadthecouragetograpplewiththeimplicationsof

thatinsight.PragmaticCommunismleadstomandarinism,nationalism,and

institutionalizedprivilege.HiscritiqueofSovietRussiawassowoundingtothe

Russiansbecauseitwasessentiallytrue.ButtrulyrevolutionaryCommunism

leadstostagnation,insecurity,internationalirrelevance,andthecontinuing

destructionofdisciplesbynewvotarieswhopreferpuritytopermanence.Maoin

hislastdecadesoscillatedbetweenthesetwochoices.Havingunderstoodthe

inherentdilemmaofCommunism,hewouldperiod icallypermitasmalldoseof

modernization,onlytodestroythosewhohaddefiledhisvisionbycarryingout 

hisorders.Andtheseseriesofplannedupheavalsstilldidnotpreoccupyhimso

muchthatheneglectedthetraditionalChinesestatecraftofusingonesetof

barbarianstobalanceanother.



UntilhisdeathhewasquintessentiallyChineseinneverdoubtingthe

culturalsuperiorityofwhathehadwrought.Heresistedmodernizationbecauseit

woulddestroyChina’suniqueness,andhefoughtinstitutionalizationbecauseit

bankedChina’sideologicalzeal.Ithasbeensaidthatrevolutionsdestroytheir

makers.TheoppositewastrueofMao;hewasthemakerwhodestroyedone

revolutionarywaveafteranother.Hefoughttheimplicationsofhisown

revolutionasfiercelyashedidtheinstitutionshehadoriginallyoverthrown.But

hehadsetagoalbeyondhumancapacity.Inhislastmonths,bereftofspeech,

abletoactonlyafewhoursa day,hehadpassionstrongenoughforonelast

outburstagainstthepragmatists,againrepresentedbyTengHsiao‐p’ing.And

thenthatgreat,demonic,prescient,overwhelmingpersonalitydisappearedlike

thegreatemperorCh’inShihHuang‐tiwithwhomheoftencomparedhimself

whiledreadingtheoblivionwhichwashisfate.AndhiswordstoNixon,likeso

muchofwhathesaidandattempted,hadtheringofprophecy:“Ihaveonlybeen

abletochangeafewplacesinthevicinityofPeking.”

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

Walks,Talks,andToasts



fterourencounterwithhistoryweturnedtothepracticalissueofhowto

distillfromitadirectionforpolicy.WhileIhadoutlinedtheAmerican

approachtoworldaffairsinconsiderabledetailtoChouEn‐laiontwoprevious

visits,onlythePresidentcouldconferfinalauthorityandconviction.Muchwould

dependontheChineseleaders’assessmentofNixon’sabilit y toexecute,parallel

withthem,aglobalpolicydesignedtomaintainthebalanceofpowerwhichwas

therealpurposeoftheiropeningtous.



Andtherewasneed,too,foraformalexpressionofthenewrelationship

betweentwocountriesthathadhadnocommunicationforovertwodecades,no

diplomaticties,andnoframeworkfordealingwitheachother.Sothefinal

communiquéwascrucial.Whatwasrequiredwasadocumentequallysymbolic

forCommunistcadresandcapitalistobservers,capableofsquelchingcriticism

fromtheideologicalleftinChinaandtheconservativerightinAmerica.Ithadto

encompassTaiwanbutremoveitasaboneofcontention.Ithadtosuggestour

realmutualsecurityconcernswithoutspellingthemoutinprovocativefashion.

Whatwasrequiredwaseasiertostatethantoachieve.Wehadmademajor

progressduringmyOctobertrip.Threeparagraphsremainedtobesettled, one

dealingwithIndia‐Pakistan,asecondwithtradeandexchanges,andthethird

withTaiwan.Theytookfourlate‐nightsessionstocomplete.



Meanwhile,thePekingsummitunfoldedonotherlevelsaswell,all

intricatelyinterwove nbyoursubtlehostsandournotsosubtleadvancemen.

TheChinesewantedtousethemajestyoftheircivilizationandtheeleganceof

theirmannerstoleaveanimpressionthatnothingwasmorenaturalthanan

increasinglyintimaterelationshipbetweentheworld’smostavowedly

revolutionaryMarxiststateandtheembodimentofcapitalism.Ouradvancemen

hadsimplerobjectives.Theysoughtexposureinprimetelevisiontime.The

purposesintersectedtoproduceaspectacularshow,astringofPresidentialvisits

tothearchitecturalandartisticmonumentsofChina’spast:theGreatWall,the

ForbiddenCity,theMing Tombs,theSummerPalace,andtheTempleofHeaven,

wheretheemperorshadcarriedtheirself‐absorptionandpresumptiontothe

pointoflocatingtheprecisegeometriccenteroftheuniversewithinaseriesof

concentriccirclesinwhatisnowdowntownPeking.



Iparticipatedinnoneofthesight‐see ing.Ihadseenthelandmarksonmy

twopreviousvisits,havingindeedbeenusedbythemeticulousChineseasa

guineapigfortheirstudyoftimingsandrequiredsecurityprecautions,aswellas

ofhowthesestrangeAmericansbehavedinthepresenceofthewondersof

Chinesehistory.Ithereforeusedthetimetonegotiatethecommuniquéwith

Ch’iaoKuan‐huaandtoattendtotheWashingtonbusinessofthePresidentia l

securityadviser.



FromallaccountsNixon’ssight‐seeingproceededaccordingtoscenario.No

matterhowmanystopshadbeenplanned,onecouldsetone’swatchbyinitial

departureandfinalreturntime.Yetregardlessofhowmanydigressionsthe

Americansmade,theywereneverunderpressurefromtheirChinesehoststo

meetaschedule.Theywerefreetowanderandexplore,ortofailtodoso;the

schedulealwayscameouttotheminute.WhenIhadexperiencedthismarvelof

planningsomemonthsearlier,IhadaskedaChineseprotocolofficerhowthey

managedtocombinesomuchprecisionandlatitudewithoutanyofthefrenzied

huffingbywhichprotocoldepartmentsofothercountries,includingourown,

demonstratetheirvirtuosity.Itwasallverysimple,saidtheChinesediplomat.

Visitorsweregivenonlythetimeofthedepartureandofreturnandtheplacesto

bevisited.Theywereundernopsychologicalpressurefromthedetailedminute‐

by‐minuteschedulewithwhichprotocolofficers usuallydisciplinetheircharges

(anddemonstratetheintricacyoftheirpreparations).Fortheirownplanning the

Chinesebrokedowntheallottedtimeintosegmentsofeightminutes(though

whyeightremainssuitablyenigmatic).Ifguestsspentmoretimeinoneplace

thanwasallowedfor,equivalenteight‐minutesegmentswereremovedfromlater

partsofthetour;ifless,eight‐minutesegmentscouldbeadded.



Inotherwords,theChinesehadhitonacharacteristicallysimpleidea:

Insteadoftheguests’complyingwiththehost’sschedule,thehostwouldgear

himselftothewishesofthevisitor.Chineseprotocolthusinspiresastrangesense

ofrepose;itconveysbothrespectandaflatteryallthemoreeffectivefor

appearingtotallymatter‐of‐fact.



Withthispreparation,thevarioussight‐seeingtripswentoffasmagnificent

spectacles.Hordesoffamoustelevisioncommentatorsandseniorjournalists

convergedoneachsetpiece,eagertorecordtheprofoundthoughtsofthe

leadingactors.“Thisisagreatwall,”saidNixontotheassembledpressatthe

Greatwall,placinghissealofapprovalononeofmankind’smostimpressive

creations.Thefactthattheexcursionsweregearedtotelevisiononlyreinforced

thathere,ifever,themediumwasthemessage.InthemindoftheAmerican

public,televisionestablishedtherealityofthePeople’sRepublicandthegrandeur

ofChinaasnoseriesofdiplomaticnotespossiblycouldhave.Theadvancemen

had,afterall,madetheirowncontributiontohistoryinawaythatIhadnot

comprehendedorappreciatedbeforehand.



Thesymboliceventswerecontinuedeachevening—inbanquets, an

exhibitionofgymnasticsandtabletennisinthesportsPalace,andaperformance

ofthestupefyingrevolutionaryballetentitledTheRedDetachmentofWomen.

AftermytentripstoChina,thebanquetsnowseemverystylized.InFebruary

1972theywerestillmarvelouslynovelandimbuedwiththedeftlittletouches

withwhichtheChinesedemonstratethattheyconsidertheirvisitorspecial.They

hadacquiredalistofNixon’sfavoritetunes,andtheirsplendidarmybandplayed

aselectionofthemateachdinner.Therewereformalbanquetsonfourofthe

sevennightswewereinPeking:awelcomingbanquetbyChouEn‐lai;areturn

onehostedbyNixon;andfeastsinourhonorbythemunicipalitiesofHangchow

andShanghai.Inaddition,ChouEn‐laigaveaprivatedinnerfortheAmerican

delegationinPeking.



ThebanquetsinthecapitaltookplaceinthegiganticGreatHallofthe

PeoplethatcommemoratestheCommunisttakeover.Itscombinationof

neoclassicismandCommunistbaroque,soexplicitandsullenincontrasttothe

subtleandsuggestivedesignsofChina’spast,facesthevermilionwallsofthe

forbiddenCityacrossTienAnMensquare.Inthatvastexpanse,whichisstill

enormousevenwiththehugebulkofthebuildingfillingonecorner,theHallis

strandedlikeabeachedwhale,inspiringawebyitsscale,andobliterating

conventionalreflectionsaboutitsdesignbythedefianceofmortalitythatit

expresses.



Thebanquetprotocolthroughoutmyvisitswasunvarying.Onereachedthe

banquethallbyagrandstaircasethatrosesteeplythroughvariouslevelsto

seeminglydistantheights.Novisitorwithaheartconditioncouldpossiblymakeit

tothetopalive.(Therewereelevators,butonPresidentialvisitsthepartywasso

largethatwehadtousethestairs.)TheChineseleadershipwaitedattheheadof

thestaircase.Severalwoodenstandshadbeenarrangedinascendingro wsso

thatunobtrusiveofficialscouldassembleusinpreciseprotocolrankforthe

obligatorygrouppicture.Nomatterhowlargethegroup,itwasrapidlyarranged

andthewholepicture‐takingprocesscompletedinnomorethanthreetofive

minutes.Thehonoredguestswerethenescortedintothebanquethalltothe

strainsofamarchandshookhandswithalonglineofdignitaries.The hallcan

seatasmanyasthreethousandguests.DuringNixon’svisitthenumberwas

aboutninehundred,butthelargeroundtablesweresoarrangedthatnosenseof

emptyspaceswascreated.Theheadtableswerelocatedatthefootofastageon

whichwereplacedtwosetsofmicrophones,onefortheleaderproposingatoast,

theotherfortheinterpreter.IsatatatablewiththeNixonsandChouEn‐lai,

althoughtoofarawaytoparticipateintheirconversation.Theatmospherewas

convivial.Notonlydidthecoursesofthemealseemtogoonforever,buteach

Chineseatthetable,inkeepingwithChinesecustom,concentratedonmaking

sureeveryAmericanplatewasfilledwithheapsoffood.



Andthen,ofcourse,cametheendlessroundsoftoasts.Wedrankmao‐tai,

thatdeadlybrewwhichinmyviewisnotusedforairplanefuelonlybecauseitis

tooreadilycombustible. IreceivedgraphicproofofthiswhenNixononhisreturn

toWashingtonsoughtto illustratetheliquid’spotencytohisdaughterTricia.He

pouredabottleofitintoabowlandsetitafire.Tohishorrorthefirewouldnot

goout;thebowlburstandsentflamingmao‐taiacrossthetabletop.Thefrantic

combinedeffortsofthefirstfamilymanagedtoextinguishthefirejustbeforea

nationaltragedyoccurred.OtherwisetheNixonAdministrationwouldhavecome

toaself‐inflictedprematureendevenearlierthanitdid.



EachChinesearoundthetablewoulddrinkonlybytoastinganAmerican.

Thiswasdonewithacheery“gambei”—whichmeans“bottomsup”andistaken

literally.Theglassmustbeemptiedeachtime;theindividualproposingthetoast

makessurethereisnocheatingbyshowinghisemptyglasstoshamehisopposite

numberintofollowingsuit.SincetheChineseoutnumberedustwotooneand

weremoreusedtotheirnationaldrink,exuberancemountedassuchevenings

progressed.Fortunately,thebanquettoastswerepreparedaheadoftime,and

wereread.OnlyinShanghaidideuphoriacarryoneawaywhenNixonproposed

whatsoundedlikeadefensivemilitaryallianceinhisonlyextemporaneoustoast

ofthetrip.

[“…thisgreatcity,overthepast,hasonmanyoccasionsbeenthevictimofforeign

aggressionandforeignoccupation.AndwejointheChinesepeople,wetheAmericanpeople,in

ourdedicationtothisprinciple:Thatneveragainshallforeigndomination,foreignoccupation,

bevisiteduponthiscityoranypartofChinaoranyindependentcountryinthisworld.“Mr.

PrimeMinister,ourtwopeoplestonightholdthefutureoftheworldinourhands.”]Luckily,

bythathourthepresswastoofargoneitself.Norwerethecorrespondents

lookingtotopthebigstoryoftheShanghaiCommuniqué.Myownpro blemat

thesebanquetswasthatIgenerallyhadtomeetCh’iaoKuan‐huaaftereachone

forseveralhourstoworkonthedrafting.Itoldhimononeoccasionthatgiven

everybody’shappymoodwemightaswellnegotiateitinChinese.



Butthebanquets,televisedliveonthemorningshowsinAmerica,

performedadeadlyseriouspurpose.Theycommunicatedrapidlyand

dramaticallytothepeoplesofbothcountriesthatanewrelationshipwasbeing

forged.Inhisexceptionallywarmwelcoming toastatthefirststatedinner,Chou

En‐laiproclaimed thatdespiteideologicaldifferences,normalstate‐to‐state

relationscouldbeestablishedonthebasisofthefiveprinciplesofcoexistence.He

madenoreferencetoTaiwan;hespecificallyabjuredrecoursetowartosolve

outstandingdisputes.Thisonlymadeexplicitwhat wehadlearnedprivately.It

wasanother,ifimplicit,assurancethatweneednolongerfearChinesemilitary

interventioninIndochina.Itwasknowledgethatstoodusingoodsteadfive

weekslaterwhentheVietnameseoffensivebrokeoverus,especiallywhen

accompaniedbysimilar(iflesseloquent) assurancesfromMoscow.



Nixonrepliedinamoreemotionalvein.HehadworkedoverthedraftIhad

submittedtohim,castingitintohispersonalidiomandaddingquotationsfrom

Mao.Hestressedthatwesharedcommonintereststhattranscendedthe

ideologicalgulf(without,however,specifyingwhattheywere):



Whatlegacyshallweleaveourchildren?Aretheydestinedtodieforthehatredswhich

haveplaguedtheoldworld,oraretheydestinedtolivebecausewehadthevisiontobuilda

newworld?



Thereisnoreasonforustobeenemies.Neitherofusseekstheterritoryoftheother;

neitherofusseeksdominationovertheother;neitherofusseekstostretchoutourhandsand

ruletheworld.



ChairmanMaohaswritten,“somanydeedscryouttobedone,andalwaysurgently.

Theworldrollson.Timepasses.Tenthousandyearsaretoolong.Seizetheday,seizethe

hour.”



Thisisthehour.Thisisthedayforourtwopeoplestorisetotheheightsofgreatness

whichcanbuildanewandabetterworld.



Aftermymanytripsthebanquets,thetoasts,themusic,havebecome

commonplace,butIconfessthatwhenonthisfirstoccasiontheChinesePremier

begancirclingthetablestotoasteachAmericanmemberoftheofficialparty

individually,tothestrainsof“AmericatheBeautiful”playedbymusiciansofan

armywithwhichtwodecadesbeforewehadbeenatwar,Iwasdeeplymoved.In

anyevent,whenRichardNixoncouldquoteMaoTse‐tungtosupportAmerican

foreignpolicyonWashington’sbirthday,adiplomaticrevolutionhadclearlytaken

place.



Thesymbolismwasmeaningfulonlyifitcouldbematchedbysubstance.

Thiswasapproachedonthreelevels.ThereweremeetingsbetweentheSecretary

ofStateandtheChineseForeignMinisterandtheirstaffsthatweredevotedto

theobsessionsofourEastAsianBureau:thepromotionofmoretradeand

exchangesofpersons—inotherwords,thesubjectmatteroftheWarsawtalks

thesemanyyears.ThesemeetingsalsoservedthepurposeofkeepingtheState

DepartmentdelegationoccupiedwhileNixonwasinmeetingswithMaoand

Chou.(Nixonwasconvinced‐andsotoldChou—that“ourStateDepartmentleaks

likeasieve.”)ThisgroupmetintheguesthousesetasidefortheSecretaryof

State.ThemajorproblemwastopreventtheChinese,whoseinternal

communicationswerelessconstrainedthanours,fromrevealingintheForeign

Ministers’meetingsmattersthathadalreadybeenessentiallysettledinother

forums,suchasthestructureandcontentofthecommuniqué.Iattendednoneof

thesesessions.



ThesecondlevelofmeetingswasthedailysessionsbetweenPresident

NixonandPremierChouEn‐laiintheafternoons,followingthemorningsight‐

seeing.Fourofthesetookplace,extendingoversometwelvehours,alternating

betweentheGreatHallofthePeopleandtheguesthousewhereNixonwas

staying.NixonandChoureviewedtheInternationalsituationandmadeexplicit

theparallelismofviewsanddefactocooperationbetweenthetwocount riesthat

hadgrownupsincemysecrettriptoPeking.Onoursidetheparticipantswere

Nixon,I,andWinstonLordandJohnHoldridgeofmystaff.



Thethirdlevelwasthedraftingofthecommuniqué,whichinvolved

primarilyDeputyForeignMinisterCh’iaoKuan‐huaandme,withoccasional

recoursetotheprincipals.Thesedraftingmeetingstookupatotalofabout

twentyhours,withanadditionaltwohoursbetweenmeandChouEn‐lai,who

stoppedbyourmeetingsontwooccasionstoletmeexplainapointtohim

personally.Wemetinasepara teguesthousesetasidebytheChinesefortheir

deliberations.



Butbeforethesemeetingscouldtakeplace,ChouandIhadtosortoutthe

scenariotomakesurewhowouldparticipateinwhichmeetingandwhoknew

what.AbouttwentyminutesafterthemeetingwithMaoended,ChouandI

conferredforaboutanhourintheguesthousethathadbeenreservedfor

communiquédrafting.MymajortaskwastoconveytoChouwhichtopicsshould

beraisedinwhatgroup.“TheAmericanfolklorehasit,”Itoldhim,“thatthe

Chinesearecomplicatedandwearesimple,butwhenIhearmyselftalkIthinkwe

arecomplicatedandyouareeasier.”ChouhandledtheexoticAmericanswith

aplomb.IncontrasttotheSoviets,withwhomnosecretnegotiationwas

completewithoutsomeattempttoplayourvariouschannelsoffagainsteach

other,theChineseneverdroppedastitch.Theyscheduledthemeetingsandkept

theinformationcompartmentalizedasiftheyhaddealtwithourstrangepractices

alltheirlives.ItturnedoutthatChoudidnotmindkeeping hisownActingForeign

MinisterChiP’eng‐feiotherwiseoccupied.“Hehashislimitations,”Chou

explaineddrylytoNixon.



BeforeChouandIcoulddiscusssubstance,anotherbizarrebitof

Americanarequiredattention.BecauseofmoderncommunicationsthePresident,

whereverhemaybelocated,isalwaysinchargeofthegovernment.Butevery

Presidentbelievesheneedssomesymboliceventtodemonstratethis.Forthis

tripithadbeendecidedthatthePresidentwouldsignbeforetheassembledpress

abillprovidingforarbitrationtosettleaWestCoastdockstrike;inconjunction

withthateventhewouldissueastatementcallingforactiononlaborlegislation

inCongress.Thepublicrelationsgeniusesundoubtedlycalculatedthatthesewere

idealsubjectstohaveemanatefromthecapitalofacountrycallingitselfa

workers’state.Allwouldhavebeenwellhadnot oneoftheadvancemen

conceivedtheideathatNixonmightpresentthepenwithwhichthelegislation

wassignedtoChouEn‐lai.Foronce,ourusuallyimperturbablehostwas

nonplussed.HehadnotheardofthecustomofbestowingPresidentialpensthat

hadsignedpublicdocuments.HedidnotlikehisroleinitwhenIexplaineditto

him.Hetactfullypointedoutthattoacceptthepenmightlooklikeinterferencein

ourinternalaffairs.Perhaps,hehelpfully suggested,ifweinsistedongivinghima