Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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admissionofthePekingregimeintotheUNattheexpenseoftheRepublicof

China.”



OnNovember19Icalledforaninteragencystudyofthelong‐termissueof

Chineserepresentation.Nextdaycamethevote.TheImportantQuestion

resolutionpassedby66‐52‐7(thefourteen‐votemargincontrastedwiththe

twenty‐threeoftheyearbefore).TheAlbanianresolutionreceived51votesfor,

49against,and25abstentions.Itfailedforwantoftwo‐thirds—butforthefirst

timeamajorityhadvotedinfavorofPeking.



Aswehadfeared,themajorityfortheAlbanianresolut ionprovedthe

psychologicalwatershed.TheJapaneseforeignMinistryinformedourembassyin

earlyJanuary1971ofitspessimisticassessmentoftheprospectsforadual‐

representationformula(towardwhichwewereworking)andfortheImportant

Questionresolution.OnJanuary22PrimeMinisterSatoattheopeningofthenew

Dietsessionspokeof Japan’sdesireforbetterbilateralrelationswithPekingand

offeredtobegingovernmentalcontacts.BritainandBelgiumindicatedprivately

thattheyexpectedtheUSpositiontobedefeatedin1971.Secretary‐Generalof

theUnitedNationsUThantsaidPekingwouldprevailin1972;andsignsappeared

thattheUNsecretariatwasmakingcontingencyplansforPeking’sadmission.The

British,hopingtoupgradetheirowntiestoPeking,evenhintedthattheymight

opposeusondualrepresentation.



TheStateDepartmenthadindeedworkedoutadual‐representation

formula,anditsoonbecameapparentthatthishaditsCatch‐22aspects.Ifwe

persistedwiththeImportantQuestiontactic,dualrepresentation,whichprobably

couldcommandsimplemajoritysupport,wouldfailforlackofatwo‐thirdsvote.

Ontheotherhand,ifwedroppedtheImportantQuestion,theAlbanian

resolutionwouldprobablypass bysimplemajorityandTaiwanwouldbeexpelled.

AtaSeniorReviewGroupdiscussiononMarch9Ihadindicatedmyowndoubts

aboutthedual‐representationformula;ifcountrieswerelookingforanelegant

wayout,ourvariousdual‐representationgimmickswouldserve.Butiftheywere

determinedtoimprovetheirrelationswithPeking,aswehadbeen,theywould

votetoensurePeking’sadmissionevenatthecostofexpellingTaiwan.Iguessed

thelatterwasmorelikely.ButChinarepresentationwastheonlypieceofthe

actiononChinaunderStateDepartme ntcontrol;itthereforepursueditwith

unrelentingpersistence.Therewereotherincentivesformaximumactivity.The

Departmenthasnevergottenoverthechargeofthefiftiesthatithadbeen“soft 

onCommunism”withrespecttoChina;foreignservicecareershadbeen

destroyedbytheissue.ManyintheDepart menthadwhatturnedouttobean

exaggeratedestimateofthepowerofthe“Chinalobby.”Now,asIhavealready

suggested,itwasintheunusualpositionwhere,byadvocatingsomeformofdual

representation,itcouldpleasebothliber alandconservativeconstituencies—the

liberalsbecausetheywouldseethemoveasawaytogetthePeople’sRepublic

intotheUnitedNations,theconservativesbecauseitwasanefforttopreserve

Taiwan’sseatinsomeform.Theonlythingwrongwithdualreprese ntationwas

thatbothPekingandTaipeirejecteditandamajorityforitwasgettingharder

andhardertoassemble. 



Allthisculminatedinpressurestoadvanceadual‐re presentationposition

publicly,preferablyinamajorspeechbytheSecretaryofState—atthemoment

thatweweretakingthefirsttentativestepstowardPeking.ThisiswhytheState

DepartmentonApril28—thedayafterwereceivedChou’sinvitationtoNixon—

hadcalledthestatusofTaiwan“unsettled”;itwasthelegalbuttressofstate’s

dual‐representationposition.



AsthemonthswentbyI developedincreasingdoubtaboutthepolicy

proposedbytheStateDepart ment.Itwasboundtoraisehavocwithourrelations

withPekingandeventosomeextentwithTaipei.Therewasnopossibilitythat

thispositioncouldbemaintainedforanylengthoftime.Countrieseagertoget

intothegoodgracesofPekingwouldnotembracesotransparentamaneuver.It

wasapositionbothawkwardandself‐defeating.OurnewadvocacyofPeking’s

admissionincreasedPeking’ssupport;butsincePekingrejectedourdual‐

representationformula,thisnewsupportwenttotheAlbanianresolution

expellingTaipei,nottoourpreferenceofkeepingTaiwanintheGeneral

Assembly.WemightdelayPeking’sentryforayearortwo;theendresultwas

foreordained.



Increasingly,Ifavoredstickingwithourexistingposition(blockingPeking),

doomedasitwas.Itwasatleastprincipled;itavoidedlegalisticevasions.Atthe

endofthedaywewouldbedefeatedwhateverpositionweadopted,unlesswe

maintainedapostureofuncompromisinghostilityagainstPekingandmadeita

testcaseinallourrelationswithothercountries.Thisweweresimplynotwilling

todo.AtanNSCmeetingthathaddiscussedthesubjectonMarch25,after

hearingthecasefordualrepresentation,bothVicePresidentAgnewandTreasury

secretaryConnallyarguedthatwewouldbebetteroffbeingdefeatedwitha

straightforwardpositionthanineffectengineeringourowndefeatbybuyingat

mostaone‐ortwo‐yeardelay.Nixontoldmeafterwardthatheagreedwiththat

view.



Buthe,likeme,wasreluctanttogotothematwithRogersonthisissue.

Wecouldbeaccusedofpigheadednessandofnottryingapotentially fruitfulway

ofsavingTaipei’sseat,allthemoresosincetheStateDepartmentwastellingus

thattherewassomechanceofPeking’sacquiescenceinthescheme.Nixon

thereforechosedelay.HewouldlettheStateDepartmenthaveitsway

eventually—butnotuntilwemadeabreakthroughwithPekingorclearlyfailed.

Notwithoutanguish,hepreventedaspeechondualrepresentationbyRogersin

January,theninApril,andfinallyinJune.Underconstantpressuretoannounce

ourposition,hetoldapressconferenceonJune1,asIhavementioned,thathe

wouldnotmakeadecisionuntilthemiddleofJuly.



OnmysecrettripItoldChouEn‐laiwhatpositionwewereplanningtotake.

Chouconfirmedthatdualrepresentationinanyformwouldnotbeacceptedby

Peking;ontheotherhandChinahadexistedforalongtimewithoutmembership

intheUNandcouldwaitawhilelonger.Ididnothavetheimpressionthathe

consideredtheissuecentraltoSino‐Americanrelations.



Convincednowthatthepricewasmanageable,thePresident,aftermy

return,authorizedRogerstogoaheadwithproposingadual‐representation

formula.ThisRogersdidonAugust2inalengthystatementadvocatingPeking’s

entryintotheUnitedNationsbutopposingtheexpulsionofTaipei. TheGeneral

AssemblywastodeterminethedispositionofChina’sSecurityCouncilseat.(By

earlySeptemberwewereforcedtoretreatfromthispositionandactually

recommendthatChina’sSecurityCouncilseatgotoPeking,inthehopethatthe

majorityofnationswouldbeattractedbythecompromise.)Inaninterviewwith

JamesRestononAugust5,ChouEn‐lairathergentlyturnedasidethisproposal,

callingit—notincorrectly—self‐contradictory.OnAugust6theChinese

AmbassadorinOttawa,mynewfriendHuangHua,toldtheNewYorkTimesthat

Chinawouldnottakeitsseataccordingtosuchaformula;thiswasjustaboutthe

mostcircuitousandconciliatorywaybywhichourproposalcouldberejected.

BothChouandHuangHuainsisted,however,thatthePresident’striptoChina

wasnotjeopardizedbyourpositionintheUN.



OnSeptember22welostacrucialproceduralvote,whichwasanauguryof

thingstocome.TheUNGeneralCommitteeplacedtheAlbanianresolutiononthe

agendaaheadoftheUSresolutionsfordualrepresentation.Sincewehad

confinedtheImportantQuestiontotheissueofexpulsion,itwasallbutcertain

thatPekingwouldbeadmittedbeforeourdual‐representationformulacouldever

cometoavote.Whilewefoughtthisproceduralbattle,Pekingaskedthatwe

postponetheannouncementofmyOctobertrip.(Intere stingly,Pekingseemedto

feelthatannouncingmytripwhilethismaneuvering wasgoingonmightimply

Peking’sblessingofourformula.) MytripwasannouncedonOctober5.



<<Contents>>

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****



“PoloII”



henIreviewtheexchangesprecedingwhatwecode‐named“PoloII,”itis

difficulttoimagine howwehadevermadeittoPekingthreemonths

earlierwithonlythePakistanichannel.Intheintervalwehadmanagedtoenmesh

thenewrelationshipinbureaucraticcomplexity.TheChinesewereastonishedat

thesizeofwhatwecalledanadvancepartyforthePresidentialtrip,andthefact

thatitwouldneedtobefollo w edbyathirdvisitbyayetlargertechnicalteam.

Theywereabouttolearnmethodsofbureaucratic managementunknownevenin

thecountrythathadinventedbureaucracytwomillenniaearlier.The

compartmentalizationofknowledgethatWinstonLordhadtokeeptrackofon

myfirsttriphadgrownincomplexityaswebroughtwithusalargegroupof

technicalpersonnelinOctober.Mypartywouldcontainatleastfourlevelsof

knowledge,whichtheindefatigableLordhadtokeepstraight;I,Lord,and

Holdridgewerefamiliarwithboththepolicyandsomeofthetechnicalsideofthe

President’strip(thoughnotwithhowheintendedtoexploititdomestically).

DwightChapin,DeputyAssistantto thePresidentandheadoftheadvanceteam,

wasfullyacquaintedWithalltechnicalissues(andprobablyknewmorethanIdid

aboutthepublicrelationsplans).Thesecurityandcommunicationstechnicians

werefamiliaronlywiththenecessitiesundertheircare.Finally,therewasaState

Departmentrepresentative,theable,wise,andwittyoldChinahandAlfred

Jenkins.HewasanexpertinthebilateralissuesthathadbeenthestaplesofSino‐

Americandiscussionsfortwodecades;mytaskwastogivehimasenseof

participationwithoutlettinghiminonkeygeopoliticaldiscussions,especiallythe

draftingofthecommuniqué.



IsolvedthisproblemasbestIcouldbyconveyingtotheChinesethrough

ourParischannelalogisticalproposalaboutmytripofsuchcomplexitythataless

talentedpeoplewouldneverhavestraighteneditoutintime.Itinvolvedseveral

levelsofmeetings,eachtailoredtothe“needtoknow”ofaparticulargroup,

preferablygoingonatthesametime,sothatChouandIandarestrictedgroup

couldsettlethemostsensitiveissuesundisturbed.



TheChinese,withlongexperiencewiththestrangewaysofbarbarians,

tookallthiswithremarkableaplomb.Theyhelpedtosolveourbureaucratic

intricaciesasifitwerethemostnaturalservicetorendertoacountrysixmonths

earlierstilldepictedasthecapitalistarchenemy.Indeed,theChinesearranged

themeetingssoseeminglyspontaneouslyastogivetheimpressionthatitwasall

theiridea.First,ofcourse,therehadtobemanymeetingsbetweentheintrepid

GeneralWaltersandtheChineseembassyinParis.Hereportedincharacteristic

styleonesessionwithAmbassadorHuangChen,lubricatedbythepowerful

liqueurmao‐tai,withwhichIwasalreadypainfullyfamiliar:



Foodwasthenbroughtin.First,stuffedpastries,stuffedroundpatties,friedshrimpand,

finally,soup.Largequantitiesofallofthesewereheapedonmyplateatregularintervals.Allof

thiswaswasheddownwithaperfumedredwineandacolorlessliquidthatmusthavebeen

relatedto110octanegas.Inasmuchasthesmellofshrimpalonenauseatesme,Ihadtodrown

itinsoysauce.HenotedapprovinglythatIcouldeatwithchopsticks.Eachsipofthecolorless

liquidgavemetheimpressionthattheliningofmythroathadbeenremovedbutthen,

unfortunately,thefishinessoftheshrimpprovedthatthiswasnotthecase.Iwasverycautious

withthestrongbeverage,raisingitmanytimestomylipsbutdrinkingverylittle,bothtoavoid

gettingdrunkandtosavemyalimentarytract.TherewaslongchitchataboutChinesecooking

atthosetimeswhenIcouldspeak.



BeforeIcouldsetoutonmyjourneytherewasthebynowalmost

traditionaldisputewiththeStateDepartment.Rogerslearnedofmytripafew

daysbeforeitwasto beannouncedandobjectedstrenuously,thistimeonthe

groundthatitwouldinterferewithourstrategyonChineserepresentationinthe

UnitedNations.Hewasrightinprinciple:Presidentsshouldnotsendemissaries

whoareindependentoftheSecretaryofState.IdidnotthinktheUNvotewould

bedecisivelyaffected;nordidourUNAmbassador,GeorgeBush.MyOctobertrip

undoubtedlyreinforcedtheconvictionthatChina’semergenceontheworld

scenewasnowafactoflife.Ontheotherhand,itcouldalsobeseento

demonstratethatitwaspossibletohavebusinesslikerelationswithPekingwhile

opposingTaiwan’sexpulsionfromtheUN.(TheChinese,too,asnoted,seemedto

fearthatthiscouldcutbothways.)Wetriedtomakethispointtowaveringallies.

Theproblemwasnotanyonetripbutthebasictrend:nowthatPekingwas

emergingfromitsself‐imposedisolation,countrieswouldnotbasetheirvoteon

legalformulasbutonthepoliticalimportancetheyattachedtotheirrelations

withPeking.ThetruewatershedhadbeenNixon’sJuly15announcement.The

proceduralvoteofSeptember22foreshadowedtheoutcome.



Inanyevent,wecouldhardlychangethedateofavisitagreed tofortwo

monthswithoutsomecosttoournewrelationswithPeking.IfthePresident’strip

wastotakeplaceintheearlypartof1972—aswasnecessarytoavoiddoubling

upwiththeMoscowsummit—wecouldnotdelay.(Itwasjustaswellthatwedid

notpostponemytrip,forhadwedelayedbyamonthIwouldhavefoundmyself

inPekinginthemidstoftheIndia‐Pakistanwar.)



SoIsetoutonOctober16,thistimemuchmorecomfortablyinAirforce

One,tryingtherouteplannedfortheNixontripwithstopoversinHawaiiand

Guam;thiswastopermitthePresidenti alpartytoreachChinawithoutbeingtoo

exhaustedbytimechangesandjetlag.IarrivedonOctober20inaChinathat

onlyrecentlyhadseenamassivepurgeofitstopleadership.TheChinesewere

undergoingaphilosophicalcrisis,tornbetweentheimperativesofRealpolitikand

thedictatesofideology.Thisaccountedinpartforthechilly,oratleastaloof,

circumstancesofourreception.WhenwelandedinShanghaitheweatherwas

partiallyovercast;onlyahandfulofofficialswereonhand—thesamefourwho

hadmetusinIslamabadinJulyplustworepresentativesoftheShanghaiforeign

AffairsOffice.Theirmannerwascorrectbutrestrained.InPeking,too,the

receptioncommitteewassimilartotheonethathadgreeteduswhenwearrived

secretly,althoughthistimethevisitwaspubliclyannounced.Asbefore,Marshal

YehChien‐yingheadedtheofficialwelcomingparty,joinedthistimebyActing

ForeignMinisterChiP’eng‐fei.



Inourridefromtheairporttothesameguesthouseinwhichwehad

stayedbefore,themotorcadereachedthecityoverroadsthatwereagainclosed

totrafficandheavilyguarded.Wediscovereduponenteringourroomsthateach

containedanEnglish‐Language propagandabulletincarryinganappealonthe

coverforthepeopleoftheworldto“overthrowtheAmericanimperialistsand

theirrunningdogs.”Similarsignswerepaintedalongtherouteofourmotorcade,

mostinChinesebutoneortwoinEnglish.Ihadnointentionofacceptinginsults,

nomatterhowmuchimportanceIattachedtoUS‐Chineserelations.Iinstructeda

memberofmystafftohandmypamphlettoaChineseprotocolofficerwiththe

remarkthatitmusthavebeenlefttherebythepreviousparty.Ihadalltherestof

thebulletinscollectedandpresentedtotheChinesewithoutcomment.They

receivedtheminsilence.



TheChinesehadnotconstructedthenewanddelicatemechanismof

rapprochementwiththeUnitedStatestohaveitsmashednowonthealtarof

ideology.Athawbeganto setinassoonasChouEn‐laireceivedourentireparty

intheGreatHallofthePeoplelaterthatday.Aftera grouppicturewastakenat

theentrancetothemeetingroom,Chouseatedusbehindtheinevitablecupsof

greenteaandproceededtosayafewwordsofpersonalgreetingtoeveryonein

theparty.ThePremierhaddonehisbiographicalhomeworkwellandflatteredmy

associateswithreferencestotheireducationalandprofessionalhistor yor,withAl

Jenkins,tohisresidenceinChinatwenty‐five yearsbefore.



Ourpreliminarysessionwasconfinedtogeneralitiesandtheagenda.Chou

En‐laithenhostedabanquetinourhonoratwhichhedeliveredatoastof

extraordinarywarmth,freeofanyideologicalcontroversy,withoutanyreference

tothewarinIndochina.HededicatedmyvisittofriendshipbetweenChinaand

theUnitedStates.Nordidheomitsubtleflattery,jokingaboutmypenchantfor

philosophy,pickingupa remarkofseveralmonthsbefore—myopening

statementcallingChinaalandofmystery.Thetoastwasnotpublished,andsince

itwaslessformal,itgivesabetterpictureofChou’sstylethantheofficialones:



Dr.Kissingerandfriends,IwouldliketotakethisopportunitytowelcomePresident

Nixon’sspecialenvoyDr.KissingerandtheotherAmericanfriendswhohavecometoChinafor

thisinterimvisit.ThepurposeofDr.Kissinger’spresentvisitistomakepreparationsrelatedto

thepoliticaldiscussionsandthetechnicalarrangementsofPresidentNixon’svisit.



AnewchapterwillnowbeopenedinthehistoryoftherelationsbetweenChinaand

theUnitedStatesaftertheyhavebeencutofffortwenty‐twoyears,andweshouldsaythatthe

creditforthisshouldgotoChairmanMaoTse‐tungandPresidentNixon.Ofcourse,theremust

besomeoneservingasaguide,anditwasDr.Kissingerwhocourageouslymadeasecretvisitto

China,theso‐called“landofmystery.”Thatwasquitearemarkablething.ThisisnowDr.

Kissinger’ssecondvisittoalandthatshouldnolongerbeconsidereda“mystery.”Hehascome

asafriend,andhasalsobroughtwithhimsomenewfriends.



Asforme,althoughIhaveneverbeentotheUnitedStates,IknowquiteafewAmerican

friends,andtheUnitedStatesisnotunfamiliartome.Itisevidentthatthesocialsystemsofour

twocountriesaredifferent,andourrespectiveworldoutlooks—Dr.Kissingerlikestousethe

word“Philosophy”—aretotallydifferent,yetthisshouldnotpreventusfromfindingcommon

ground.TheSino‐Americantalkshavegoneonforsixteenyearsnow,butnocommonground

hasyetbeenfound.NowPresidentNixonwillpersonallycometoPekingfordiscussions,and

Dr.Kissingerishisadvanceman.Wehopethesediscussionswillachievepositiveresults.



Ourtwopeoplesaregreatpeoples.Althoughourtwocountriesareseparatedbythe

vastPacificOcean,friendshiplinksourtwopeoplestogether.AfterreceivingtheU.S.table

tennisteamthisyear,wereceivedanumberofotherAmericanfriends.Wehopethatthisnew

erawillbeapproachedinanewspirit.



IproposeatoasttothefriendshipbetweenthegreatAmericanpeopleandthegreat

ChinesepeopleandtothehealthofDr.Kissingerandallourotherfriends!



Chou’sreferencetoourearlier conversation,asifwewereengagedina

continuousdialogue,wasacharacteristictouch,oneofthemostinsinuating

Chineseskills.EverythingeversaidtomebyanyChineseofanystationduringany

visitwaspartofanintricatedesign—evenwhenwithmyslowerOccidentalmind

ittookmeawhiletocatchon.Andsubjectswerecarriedforwardbetween

meetingsmonthsapartasiftherehadneverbeenaninterruption.



AttheendofthedinnerChouwalkedaroundtheroom,shakinghandsand

clinkingglasseswitheverymemberofmyparty,includingjuniorstaff,secretaries,

andthecrewofftheaircraft.Thissetthewarmtonefortherestofthetrip,which

waspartlydesignedbytheChinesestagemanagerstoaccustomtheChinese

peopletothenewrelationship.



First,however,theChinesehadtoclearuptheissueofthebulletinsinour

roomandthepostersthatwehadencounteredonthewayintothecity.The

ActingForeignMinistercalledformeattheguesthousethedayafterourarrival

toescortmetoameetingwithChouEn‐lai.InthecaronthewaytotheGreatHall

ofthePeople,hepointedoutthateachnationhaditsownmeansof

communicatingwithitspeople;weusednewspapersandtelevision,theChinese

usedwallposters.Hepointedtoaposterthatwewerejust thenpassingasan

example.FreshlyinstalledwhereonlyyesterdayasignhadcastigatedAmerican

imperialism,itnowreadinEnglish:“WelcomeAfro‐AsianPing‐Pong

Tournament.”AfewminuteslaterChouEn‐laimentionedinpassingthatwe

shouldobservePeking’sactions,notitsrhetoric;theanti‐Americanpropaganda

was“firinganemptycannon.”



IdonotknowwhethertheoffendingsignshadbeenputupbyChou’s

opponentsandChouthenusedmyprotesttogetMaotooverrulethem;or

whethertheywereerectedwithChou’sapprovaltotestthelimitsofour

tolerance;orwhethertheyhadbeenputuplongbeforeandleftbybureaucratic

inertia.Whateverthecause,therewasnofurtheruntowar dIncident.Wesawno

otherhostilepostersandmanyexamplesofpostersthathadbeenblottedout.

(whenweleftPekingfivedayslater,similarsignsattheairporthadbeen

replaced.)



Themoodchangedsharplyafterthat.Indeed,therestofmyvisitwas

markedbyoverwhelmingcourtesyandfriendliness,and,evenmoreimportant,by

amajorefforttoestablishintheChinesepublicmindthatAmericanswerethere

ashonoredguests.OnthedayofourarrivaltheofficialPartynewspaperlisted

thewelcomingcommittee;itshighrankunderlinedtheimportanceattachedto

thevisit.OnOctober21,thePeople’sDailycarriedtwophotographsofChouand

me;itwasthefirsttimeintwentyyearsthatanAmericanofficialhadbeen

picturedwithaChineseleader.



OntheeveningofOctober22weweretakentotheGreatHallofthe

Peopletoseea“revolutionary”Pekingopera—anartformoftrulystupefying

boredominwhichvillainsweretheincarnationofevilandworeblack,goodguys

worered,andasfarasIcouldmakeoutthegirlfellinlovewithatractor.We

wereescortedbyMarshalYehChien‐ying,ActingForeignMinisterChiP’eng‐fei,

thePrimeMinister’ssecretary,andotherleadingChinesepersonalitiesintoan

auditoriumwhere,tooursurprise,approximatelyfivehundredmiddle‐level

Chineseofficialshadbeenassembled.Itwasacarefullyselectedgroupandthis

wasthefirsttimethatourexposurewaswidenedbeyondthetopleadership.We

wereabouttwohourslate,ameetingwithChouhavingbeenunexpectedly

protracted.Immediatelyuponentering,MarshalYehandtheothertopleaders

begantoclaploudly,invitingaresponsefromtheaudience.Imustinallcandor

admitthattheAmericanvisitorsdidnotexactlybringthehousedown,partly

becausewewereunfamiliarwiththeCommunisthabitofclappingback.Inany

event,thepointwassurelydrivenhome:theseAmericansweredistinctly

personaegratae.



Thenextday,October23,mypublicexposurewasadvancedanotherstep,

withanostentatiouspublicappearance.InthemorningIwastakentovisitthe

GreatwallandtheMingTombs,notatallshielded,asinJuly,fromcurious

tourists.IntheafternoonourhostsarrangedavisittotheSummerPalace,about

ahalfhour’sdriveWestofPeking.MyescortagainwastheeminentMarshalYeh,

whosawtoitthatheandIwereproperlydisplayedtogetherbeforewhatthe

Chinesecall“themasses.”TheActingForeignMinisterandthesecretarytothe

PrimeMinisterwerealsopresent.Thehighpointofthisepisodewasourtaking

teaaboardaboatpoledoutontothelakeinplainviewofliterallyhundredsof

Chinesespectators—including,inaddition,aNorthVietnamesenewsmanwho

tookpictures.Choulatermentionedhispresencetomeandapologized.Ididnot

object;itdidnotbothermeifHanoigotthemessage;IsuspectedthatChouhad

thesamepurposeinmind.Thefactthatastrong,coldwindwasblowingdidnot

deterourhosts;theyclearlywantedtheboatridetotakeplace,andonlya

hurricanecouldhavepreventedthis“contact”withtheChinesepeople.



Graduallyescalatingpublicexposurese rvedChinesedomesticnecessities,

butthetestofourvisitwouldbeourabilitytoarrangethePresident’strip,

advancefurtherourpoliticalrapprochement,andbegintoagreeona

communiqué.ThedetailsoftheNixontripweresettledveryrapidly.We

proposedtwodates,February21andMarch16;Chouchosetheearlier.Sincethe

sizeofourproposedpartywassomuchlargerthanIhadindicatedinJuly,Ihad

hadmystaffprepareabriefingbookforChouthatshowedthedimensionsofpast

Presidentialtrips,a“reducedoptimumplan”forNixon’svisittoChina,andthe

“bareminimumplan”thatwehadfinallymade.Myhopewasthatifwe

presentedareasonableproposition,Chouwouldnothaggle.TheChinesestudie d

thebriefingbookfortwodaysandthenacceptedwhatweconsideredabare‐

bonesPresidentialparty,whichstillamountedtosomeseveralhundred.Choufo r

somereasonusedthisoccasiontotellmethathehadseenthemoviePatton,

afterhearingofNixon’sadmirationforthefilmanditssubject.