Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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mentionedearlierintheparagraph)atmynextstop(NewDelhi),askingthemto

deferReston’svisitortoprovideme“withthenecessaryassurances.”Icouldnot

visualizemarchingintoPeking’sEmbassyinNewDelhiwithoutattractingatleast

someIndianattention.Ithereforecabledback:“AsforReston,host’sdecisionwill

notbeaffectedbymyprotestations....Iamsuretheycanmaintainsecrecyif

theywish.”



OnJuly5,whileIwasstillinBangkok,HaiginformedmethatVorontsovhad

deliveredtheSoviets’long‐awaitedreplyonasummit.Theynowproposed

postponingitfromSeptember1971,ashadbeenscheduled,untillaterinthe

year;eventhen,itwasmadeconditionaluponprogressinongoingnegotiations

anduponthe“assumption”thatnothinghappenedintheintervaltocomplicate

thesituation.Onceagain,theSovietshadunwittinglydoneusanenormousfavor;

theyhadoutfoxedthemselves.TheKremlin’sreplyfreedusfromthecomplexity

ofmanagingtwoparallelsummits.Moscowcouldnotblameusforopeningfirst

toPeking.Wecouldnowcompleteourdesignwithaminimumoffriction.



IcabledHaigthatnoreplyshouldbereturnedtoVorontsovandthat

AmbassadorKennethRushinBonnshouldfindsomepretexttoavoidfurther

BerlinnegotiationsuntilIwasback.IcommentedthatIconsideredtheSoviet

reply“notanunalloyeddisadvantage”becauseaSovietsummitcouldnowtake

placelaterandundermuchbetterpsychologicalcircumstances.Nixonwas

outragedbytheSovietreplyandlookedforwaystoretaliate.Icounseledagainst

showinganyirritationorindeedreactingatall.Ifweplayeda“cool,deliberate

game”afavorableoutcomewasprobable;wecouldnotaffordtheluxur yof

“succumbingtopique.”Thenexttendays,Iwasconvinced,wouldsupplyamore

effectiveripostethananyformalreply.



AgainstthisbackdropofWashingtonapprehensionandsuperpower

maneuvering,IheadedforIslamabad.Mystayhadbeencarefullyplannedbythe

indefatigableFarlandthroughCIAbackchannelcables. Codenamesthatmight

havefooledafive‐year‐oldforthreeminuteswereusedateveryopportunity

(minewas“theprincipal”). Oneproblemwashowtofreemyselffromthe

ubiquitousprotocolofahigh‐levelvisit.OuroriginalthoughtwasthatYahya

shouldostensiblyinvitemetoahillstationforaquiettalk.Thishadthe

disadvantagethatIwouldhavehadtoscheduleastayofseventy‐twohours.In

theinflamedatmosphereofthecivilwarinEastPakistanandthefloodofBengali

refugeesintoIndia,tostayadaylongerinPakistanthaninIndiawouldhavebeen

interpretedasfavoritismtoPakistan,withrepercussionsinNewDelhi,our

bureaucracy,theme dia,andabovealltheCongress. Yahyawouldhavehadto

disappearfortwodays,raisingtheriskofaleakonthePakistaniside.Anditwas

inanyeventinappropriatetouseaheadofstateentirelyforpurposesofcover.



Ihadthereforesuggestedthatwepublishaschedulethatwouldhavemein

Pakistanonlyforty‐eighthours,fromJuly8to10,ro ughlyequaltomystayin

India.UponarrivalIwouldpleadastomachache. TheEmbassydispensarywould

beaskedformedication.Mydiscomfortwouldgetprogressivelyworseuntil

Yahyawouldinvitemeoverdinne rtousethePresidentialresthouseinNathiagali

inthemountainstorecover.UnderthispretextIcouldaddanextradaytomy

PakistanstayanddisappearfortwodaystoPeking.Itwasstillnotaseasyasit

looked.IfI“fellill,”howcouldwepreventtheEmbassydoctorfromrushingto

takecareofme?AndhowcouldonerestrainEmbassypersonneltra inedthrough

yearsintheForeignServicetobeatthebeckandcallofPresidentialemissaries

twenty‐fourhoursofeveryday?Ouringeniousambassadorfoundasolutionthat

canbebestsummarizedinhisownbackchannelcable:“Embassydoctornolonger

anyproblem.Hedeparts06July.Embassynurse isquitecontainableunderthese

circumstancesandwouldnotseektointrudeherself.DCM[DeputyChiefof

Mission]goesonleave07July;USAIDdirectordepartsonhomeleave02July.

Everyoneelseismanageable.”Itwasalmost surelythefirsttimeinthelongand

distinguishedhistoryoftheForeignServicethatanambassadorpridedhimselfon

gettingallhiskeypeopleoutoftownforthevisitofarepresentativeofthe

PresidentandthathewascommendedbyWashingtonforhisthoughtfulness.

(Thegodsdecidedtopunishmeforhumanpresumption;inNewDelhiI

developedagenuinestomachachethroughwhichIhadtosufferinsecretlestI

ruinmycredibilitywhenwereachedPakistan.)



Ourplanninghadevenprovidedforthecontingency ofbeingfoundout.In

thatcaseasimplestatementwasto bereleasedbytheWhiteHousealongthese

lines:“Dr.KissingerismeetingwithleadersofthePeople’sRepublicofChinaat

theirrequest.TherewillbeastatementafterDr.Kissingerreturnsandreportsto

thePresident.”Ihadnoillusionthatsoblandastatementwouldhavequietedthe

uproar.



MyvisittoIslamabadfollowedthescripttotheletter.Therewasalunchat

AmbassadorFarland’sresidencewithwhatwasleftoftheEmbassystaff,a

meetingwithPresidentYahya,abriefingattheEmbassy,andthenagainaprivate

dinnerwithYahyaandseniorassociates.Iwasprobablyresponsibleforthelast

pleasantdayYahyahadbeforehewasoverthrownasaresultoftheIndia‐

PakistanwarinDecemberofthatyear.ForYahya wasenthralledbythecops‐and‐

robbersatmosphereoftheenterprise.Hepersonallyreviewedeachdetailofmy

clandestinedeparture;heputthefullfacilitiesofhisgovernmentatourdisposal

andlentmehistrustedpersonalpilot.Heaskednothinginreturn—contraryto

manymediaclaimsatthetime.Hiscourtesywasnotmatchedbyequally

generoustreatmentfromourgovernmentamidtheupheavalinEastPakistan.

Yahyawasabluff,directsoldieroflimitedimaginationcaughtupafterthe

convulsioninEastPakistanineventsforwhichneitherexperiencenortraining

preparedhim.Hemadegrievousmistakes.Yetheperformeda greatservicefor

ourcountry;anditmustberecordedthathedealtwithushonorably.



DuringthecourseofhisdinnerinmyhonorYahya beganimplementingour

plan.Mystomachachebecameatopicofgeneralconversation.Heannounced

loudlythattheheatofIslamabadwouldimpedemyrecovery;heurgedthatI

repairtoNathiagali,aprivateestateadjoiningapresidentialguesthouseinthe

hillsaboveMurree.WhenIdemurred,heinsisted,againstalltheevidenceof

history,thatinaMoslemcountrythehost’sandnottheguest’swishesare

decisive.HewassoconvincingthatoneofmySecretServiceagentswho

overheardtheconversationimmediatelyarrangedforacolleague tomakean

“advance”visittothehillstation.Aroundmidnighttheagentcalledingreat

distress;hehadlookedovertheguesthouseandfounditunsuitable.Therewas

nothinglefttodootherthantoaskthePakistanistodetainthehaplessagentin

NathiagaliuntilmyreturnfromPeking.



OneofmylastcommunicationsfromSanClementebeforemydeparture

informedmethatthePresidenthadatlast—onJuly8—informedhisSecretaryof

StateofmyChinatrip,puttingitthatthevisitwasalast‐minutedecisionin

responsetoaninvitationIhadreceivedwhileinPakistan.Iwasalsotoldby

backchannel,hoursbeforetakingoffforPeking,tokeepinmindthatthepublic

relationsexpertsconsidered10:30p.m.Washingtontime,July15,theoptimum

timeforanyannouncement.Finally,IwaswarnedthatMelLaird,inTokyo,had

helpfullydeclaredtoaJapanesenewsconferencethathewasnotopposedtoan

independentJapanesenuclearcapabilityandthattheSALTtalkswouldconfirma

strategicparitythatmightprovideanincentiveforaJapanesenuclearprogram.



NoneofthiscouldstillmysenseofexcitementandanticipationasIretired

around11:00p.m.aftermydinnerwithYahya.FortheonlytimeinofficeIhad

difficultysleeping.Itriedtoimaginewhatlayahead.Fortheonlytime,too,Ihad

afeelingofsomeinsecurityaboutsomomentousamissioninanunknowncapital

whereIwouldbecutofffromallcommunication. 



At3:30onthemorningofJuly9Iaroseinthestateguesthousein

Islamabadandhadanearlybreakfast.At4:00a.m.Iandmypartyweredrivenin

PakistanimilitaryvehiclestoChaklalaAirport,escortedbyForeignSecretary

SultanKhan.MyassistantsWinstonLord,JohnHoldridge,andDickSmyserwere

withme,aswellasSecretServiceagentsJohnD.ReadyandGaryMcLeod.At

Farland’ssuggestion,Ihadwith meahatandsunglassestoensurethatnostray

pedestrianspottedme—anunlikelycontingencyatthathourinIslamabad,where

mynamewasscarcelyahouseholdword.ABoeing707ofPakistaniInternational

Airlines(PIA)waswaitingatthemilitarysideoftheairport.Theplanehadmadea

testruntoPekingoverJuly6 ‐7andreturnedwithChinesenavigatorswhowould

accompanytheJuly9flight;theyremainedaboardandoutofsightuntilmystaff

andIarrived.TheaircraftwaspilotedbyYahya’spersonalpilot,whohadbeen

briefedonthedangersofinterceptsofradiocommunicationsandwouldbe

accordinglycircumspect.Myownaircraftwasparkedontheciviliansideof

Chaklala,welloutofsightofthePIABoeingandwellwithinviewofanystray

journalistsorEmbassypersonnel.



Beforedeparting,IwroteoutbyhandabriefcabletoHaigconfirm ingthatI

understoodthepreferredtimefortheannouncementofNixon’sjourney.I

informedSanClementethattheChinesehadsentnotmerelythreenavigatorsbut

aseniorfour‐mandelegationtoaccompanymeontheflight.PresidentYahyahad

toldmethattheChinesewere“veryhurt”bytheAmericaninsistenceonsecrecy

andwouldprobablywishafullannouncement.“Gotoffinfineshape,”my

messageconcluded.At4:30a.m.wewereairborneforPeking,aflightoftwenty‐

fivehundredmilesandfourandthree‐quarterhours.



Afewhourslater,at8:00a.m.onJuly9,whileIwasalreadyapproaching

Peking,thecoverplanwentintoeffect.Adummymotorcadeproceededwithout

meonthethree‐ho ur,fifty‐milejourneytoNathiagali;itspassengersincluded

AmbassadorFarland,myaideDavidHalperin,twootherSecretServiceagents,

andPakistaniaideM.M.Ahmed.HalSaunders(whowasfamiliarwiththeplan)

remainedinIslamabadtodiscussbilateralissueswithPakistaniofficialsandto

handleemergencies.At9:00a.m.thenextday(whenIhadalreadybeeninPeking

nearlytwenty‐fourhours),DavidHalperin,fromNathiagali,phonedHalSaunders

inIslamabadto“inform”himthatIneededanextraday’srestandtocancelmy

appointments.Halperinalsophonedthepilotofmyofficialaircraftandrequested

thathefilethenecessarychangesintheflightplan.TheEmbassywasinstructed

tosendoutcablestotheremaining stops—Tehran(ashortrefuelingstop),Paris,

SanClemente,andalsoWashington—notifyingthemofmy“revisedschedule.”



AboardthePIABoeingatChaklalaAirportintheearlymorningofJuly9,the

firstpersonIsawwasChangWen‐chin,headoftheWestEuropean,American,

andOceaniaDepartmentoftheChineseForeignMinistry,whomChouEn‐lai,asa

tokenoftheimportanceheattachedtothevisit,hadsenttoescortmetoPeking.

(PerhapsonthetheorythatallWesternerslookalike,theChineseForeignOffice

groupedWesternEurope,theAmericas,Australia,andNewZealandintoone

department.)LookinglikeaSpanishcardinalinanElGrecopainting—thoughof

courseinMaouniform—Changcombinedaustereeleganceandunderstated

intelligence.HiscommandofEnglishwasawe‐inspiring.Herarelyspokeit,butit

stoodhimingoodsteadindraftingsessions.Hegreetedusasifitwerethemost

naturalthingintheworldforaseniorChinesediplomattotraveltwenty‐five

hundredmilestoaccompanyacapitalistofficialtotheseatofagovernmentthat

proclaimeditselfthefountainheadofworldrevolution.



WithhimwastheinterpreterT’ang Wen‐sheng—theformidableNancy

T’ang—borninBrooklynandthereforespeakingperfectAmericanEnglish.Iused

toteaseherthatbecauseshewasbornintheUnitedStates,she,unlikeme,was

notbarredbytheConstitutionfrombecomingPresident.Itwasaprospect

unlikelytotempther;herintelligenceandvivacityforalongtimeobscuredher

fanaticalideologicaldedication.Sheconsideredherselfmorethananinterpreter;

onseveraloccasionsshedidnothesitatetoarguewithChouEn‐laiinour

presence.ThethirdmemberofChang’spartywasWangHai‐jung,aForeign

Ministryofficial.ShewasreportedtobeMao’snieceorgrandniece,ashy,gentle

personwiththelookofaneasilystartleddeer.(Thetwowomenwouldturnout

tobeatallmymeetingswithMaoaswellasthosewithChou.)Thefourth

memberwasT’angLung‐pinfromtheprotocoldepartment.



IhadnevermetanyChineseCommunists;neither,Imustadd,hadthe

membersofmySecretServicedetail,whohadnotbeentoldofmydestination

andwhonearlyhadheartattacksatwhattheywerewitnessing.Theirchargewas

notmerelyflyinginaforeignairplane—whichwascontrarytoalltheprinciplesof

theirtraining—butwasbeingwhiskedbyagroupof CommunistChineseto

locationsforwhichtherehadbeenno“advance”andinwhichtheywouldhave

nowayoftellingwhoconstitutedasecurityrisk.JackReadyandGaryMcLeoddid

theirdutybystickinggrimlybymysidewhereverweweretaken;theyinsisted

evenonsittinginonthemeetingswithChouEn‐lai.(Lateron,theChinese

excludedsecuritypersonnel.)Theyguardedourtwoheavybagsfullofclassified

material,carryingthemeverywhere,includingtomealsandonthetourofthe

ForbiddenCity.Theycomportedthemselvesasiftheywereamatchforwhatever

800millionChinesemightthrowatthem.



<<Contents>>



****



TheMiddleKingdom:FirstMeetingwithChouEn‐lai



tisnotoftenthatonecanrecaptureasanadultthequalitythatinone’syouth

madetimeseemtostandstill;thatgaveeveryeventthemysteryofnovelty;

thatenabledeachexperiencetoberelishedbecauseofitssingularity.Aswegrow

olderwecomfortourselveswiththefamiliarforwhichwehavedevelopedrote

responses.Inthesamemeasure,astheworldbecomesmoreroutinetimeseems

tospeedup;lifebecomesakaleidoscopeofseeminglyinterc hangeable

experiences.Onlyso metrulyextraordinaryevent,bothnovelandmoving,both

unusualandoverwhelming,restorestheinnocenceoftheyearswheneachday

wasapreciousadventureindefiningthemeaningoflife.Thisishowitwasforme

astheaircraftcrossedthesnow‐cappedHimalayas,thrustingtowardtheheavens

intheroseateglowofarisingsun.WeflewveryclosetoK‐2,thesecondhighest

mountainintheworld.IhadalwaysthoughtofChinaasadenselypopulated,

highlycultivatedcountry,butweflewforhoursoverbarrendesertsdottedby

oases.WinstonLordisquiteproudthathewasstandingfarthestforwardinthe

aircraftwhenitcrossedtheborderandthuswastechnicallythefirstofficial

AmericanintoChina.



TheChineseandwesatarounda tableineasyconversation,asiftherehad

neverbeenaday’sinterruptionincontactsbetweenournations;therewas

nothingtoremindoneofthebitterinvectivethatonlyyesterdayhadbeen

routineinallourcountries’publicdiscourseabout eachother.Theyprobedgently

intothereasonforourinsistenceonsecrecy.Wereweashamedtoacknowledge

meetingChineseleaders?TheslightofJohnFosterDulles’srefusaltoshakeChou

En‐lai’shandatthe1954GenevaConferenceonIndochinahadnotbeen

forgotten;itwasreferredtoontheflightandonmanyoccasionsinthedays

afterwardandonsubsequentvisits. ItoldChangthatthepurposeofmytripwas

toannounceanew periodinourrelationship,butitwasbestthatweagreefirst

onthecontext.HesaidthatPremierChouEn‐laiwouldbepreparedtoexploreall

subjects.



WelandedatamilitaryairportattheoutskirtsofPekingatfifteenminutes

afternoonPekingtime,Friday,July9.WeweregreetedbyMarshalYehChien‐

ying,oneofthemostseniormembersoftheChinesePolitburoandViceChairman

oftheMilitaryAffairsCommittee;HuangHua,recentlyappointedAmbassadorto

Canada(laterChina’sfirstUNAmbassadorandlaterstillForeignMinister);Han

Hsu,ActingChiefofProtocol(laterDeputyChiefoftheChineseLiaisonOfficein

Washington);andanotherinterpreter,ChiCh’ao‐chu,whohadstudiedchemistry

atHarvardandsincegoneontobetterthings.HehadbeenwithMaoandEdgar

Snowduringtheparadereview.



MarshalYehChien‐yingtookmeintothecityinalargelimousine,with

curtainsdrawn.Peekingfrombehindthecurtain,Iglimpsedwide,cleanstreets

withlittletrafficexceptbicycles. WedrovethroughthemassiveTienAnMen

Square.Ourdestinationwasaguesthouse forstatevisitors,oneofmanyina

largewalled‐offparkintheWesternpartofthecity.Thepark,Iwastold,usedto

containtheimperialfishinglake.Eachofthemanyguesthousesislocatedona

smallpeninsulaconnectedtoitsneighborbyasmallelegantbridge.Thewhole

complexconveysasenseofextraordinaryspaciousness,jarredonlybytheshock

ofasentryemergingfromconcealment behindabushwhenoneattemptsto

crossabridge.(Thesentrieslaterbecamelessobtrusiveandthewholeparkwas

openeduptoguests.)



ThehouseswerelegaciesoftheperiodofSovietinfluence;theywerebuilt

intheheavy,stately, VictorianstylethatinCommunistcountriesconfirmsstatus.

Inthereceptionroom,overstuffedheavychairsandsofasformedaquadrangle,

whereMarshalYehmadeusfeelathomeandsharedteawithus.Onthedriveto

theguesthousehehadapologizedforbeing unabletogivemeanappropriate

publicreception;thiswouldberemediedwhenthePresidentvisitedPeking(a

predictionwhichwasnot,infa ct,totallyfulfilled).TheMarshalinvitedustoone

ofthemanymealsofstaggeringvarietyandquantitythatcausedmeto speculate

toourhoststhatsomewherethousandsofyearsagoaChinesehadbeenaccused

ofstarvinganimportantguestandtheyweredeterminednottoallowthisto

occuragain.



ChouEn‐laiarrivedat4:30.Hisgaunt,expressivefacewasdominatedby

piercingeyes,conveyingamixtureofintensityandrepose,ofwarinessandcalm

self‐confidence.HeworeanimmaculatelytailoredgrayMaotunic,atoncesimple

andelegant.Hemovedgracefullyandwithdignity,fillingaroomnotbyhis

physicaldominance(asdidMaoordeGaulle)butbyhisairofcontrolledtension,

steelydiscipline,andself‐control,asifhewereacoiledspring.Heconveyedan

easycasualness,which,however,didnotdeceivethecarefulobserver.Thequick

smile,thecomprehendingexpressionthatmadeclearheunderstoodEnglisheven

withouttranslation,thepalpable alertness,wereclearlythefeaturesofaman

whohadhadburnedintohimbyasearinghalf‐centurythevitalimportanceof

self‐possession.Igreetedhimatthedooroftheguesthouseandostentatiously

stuckoutmyhand.Chougavemeaquicksmileandtookit.Itwasthefirststepin

puttingthelegacyofthepastbehindus.



UnlikeMao,Chouhadlivedabroad;bornofamiddle‐classfamilyin1898,

hehadbeena brilliantstudentandhadstudiedandworkedinFranceand

Germanyinthe1920s.WhenImethim,hehadbeenaleaderoftheChinese

Communistmovementfornearlyfiftyyears.HehadbeenontheLongMarch.He

hadbeentheonlyPremierthePeople’sRepublichadhad—nearlytwenty‐two

years—andfornineofthoseyearshehadalsobeenForeignMinister.Chouhad

negotiatedwithGeneralMarshallinthe1940s.Hewasafigureoutofhistory.He

wasequallyathomeinphilosophy, reminiscence,historicalanalysis,tactical

probes,humorousrepartee.Hiscommandoffacts,inparticularhisknowledgeof

Americaneventsand,forthatmatter,ofmyownbackground,wasstunning.

Therewaslittlewastedmotioneitherinhiswordsorinhismovements.Both

reflectedtheinnertensionsofa manconcerned,ashestressed,withtheendless

dailyproblemsofapeopleof800millionandtheefforttopreserveideological

faithforthenextgeneration.HowtoinvitePresidentNixoninamannerthat

accommodatedalltheseconcernswasclearlyamatterofsomeemotionand

difficultyforhim.



ForitwasevidentthattotheChineseourarrivalhadanevendeeper

meaningthanfortheAmericanparty.Tousitwasthebeginningofan

advantageousnewturnininternationalrelations.FortheChineseithadtobea

personal,intellectual,andemotionalcrisis.Theyhadstartedasatinysplinter

group,withnohopeforvictory,enduredtheLongMarch,foughtJapanandacivil

war,opposedusinKoreaandthentookontheSoviets,andimposedtheCultural

Revolutiononthemselves.Andyetheretheywere—conferringwiththe

archenemyoftwenty‐fiveyearswhileweintervenedinwhattheyconsidereda

“warofliberation”ontheirveryborder—actingoutanencounterofphilosophical

contradictions.Thismoralambivalencewasreflectedinacertainbroodingquality

ofChou’s,intheoccasionalschizophreniaofhispresentation,inthejagged

rhythminwhichtheannouncementofmyvisitwasdrafted,interspersedwith

epictalesoftheLongMarchandaccountsofMao’sinspirationalleadership.Yet

therewasalsoaboutChouaninnerserenitythatenabledhim,Iwouldsoonlearn,

toeschewthepettymaneuversthatcharacterizedournegotiationswithother

Communists.Allourmeetingsonthisandmysubsequentvisitslastedformany

hours(sessionsoffivetosevenhourswerenotuncommon);yetonnooccasion

didherevealanyimpatienceorimplythathehadanythingelsetodo.Wewere

neverinterruptedbyphonecallsorthebureaucraticnecessitiesofrunningahuge

state.Idonotknowhowhemanagedit;Iusedtojokethatseniorofficialsin

WashingtonwouldprobablynotbeabletofreesomuchtimefortheSecond

Coming.



Choucouldalsodisplayanextraordinarypersonalgraciousness.When

juniormembersofourpartytookill,hewouldvisitthem.Despitethegapinour

protocolrankheinsistedthatourmeetingsalternatebetweenmyresidenceand

theGreatHallofthePeoplesothathewouldcallonmeasoftenasIcalledon

him.AfterwehadsettledonParisasourfuturepointofcontact,Chou

neverthelessproposedthatwecontinuetousethePakistanichanneloccasionally

because“wehaveasayinginChinathatoneshouldn’tbreakthebridgeafter

crossingit.”



Ononeoccasion(inJune1972)Itoldhimthatthesoldierswhostepped

forwardonthebridgesconnectingthevariousguestcottagesmademefeellike

theplumberinKafka’snovelTheCastle,who,havingbeensummonedandthen

deniedentrance,spenthislifetryingtogetin,havingquiteforgottenwhyhewas

summonedinthefirstplace.IdidnotknowwhyIwantedtogetacrossthat

bridge;butIknewIdid.Choulaughedbutdidnothingduringthattrip.Mynext

triptookplaceinFebruary1973;onmyverylastnight,asIwaspackingmybags,

awomanfromprotocolknockedatmydoorandtoldmethatthePremierinvited

metoaprivatetalk.Weweredriventoanotherguesthouseontheothersideof

thelake,whereChouEn‐laiandItalkeduntilthreeinthemorning.AsItookmy

leavehesuddenlysaidinEnglish:“Let’stakeawalk.”Whilecontinuingourchat,

wecrossedtwobridges;hethenenteredhiscar,whichhadbeenfollowingus,

anddroveoff.Itwasanextraordinarygesture.



EventheChineseseemedtoregardhimwithspecialreverence,toseein

himofalltheirleadersaspecialhumanquality.Onavisitinlate1975Iaskeda

younginterpreteraboutChou’shealth;tearsbrimmedinhereyesasshetoldme

hewasgravelyill.ItwasnoaccidentthathewassodeeplymournedinChina

afterhisdeath,orthattheextraordinaryexpressionsofyearningforgreater

freedomthatappearedinChinainthelate1970sinvokedandpraisedhisname.



ChouEn‐lai,inshort,wasoneofthetwoorthreemostimpressivemenI

haveevermet.Urbane,infinitelypatient,extraordinarilyintelligent,subtle,he

movedthroughourdiscussionswithaneasygracethatpenetratedtotheessence

ofournewrelationshipasiftherewerenosensiblealternative.Thechallengeof

bringingtogethertwosocietiessoestrangedbyideologyandhistorywas

considerable.Conventionalwisdomwouldhavecounseledtheremovalofspecific

causesoftension;buttherewasonecauseoftension—Taiwan—thatpermitted

norapidsolution,whiletheothersweretootrivialtoprovidethebasisofan

enduringrelationship.Theanswerwastodiscussfundamentals:ourperceptions

ofglobalandespeciallyAsianaffairs,inamannerthatclarifiedourpurposesand

perspectivesandtherebybridgedtwodecadesofmutualignorance.Precisely

becausetherewaslittlepracticalbusinesstobedone,theelementofconfidence