Friendly relations grew specially when the former Chinese Ambassador in Paris was posted in Beijin as the Director General of the CNA.
(Unfortunately when papers were ready, they were not signed due to disagreement within the Cabinet in Lisbon, and the whole exercise fell through.
Chairman Mao Tse Tung died but the Americans had meanwhile through Kissinger and President Nixon made contact with China since 1971.
U.S.A./China relations improved when Kissinger
proposed the formula (Shanghai Communique):
"U.S.A. recognises that for all the Chinese at
both sides of the Formosa Strait, there was only one China"
this statement opened the door for Nixon's visit to Beijin in 1972.
On 10th January, 1978, all was well again and signatures were to take place at the Portuguese Embassy in Paris. The drafts and final papers were carefully studied and these were in 3 languages: - Portuguese, Chinese and French.
Agreement was also reached on the quality and colours of the papers, the width of the margins and the position of the ribbons.
Portuguese Embassy was suitably decorated for the occasion the hall had two flags, a Portuguese and a Chinese. The Chinese Team had looked at the arrangements and gave their approval. The signatures would have taken place @ 9:30 a.m. in Paris and the announcement would be made in both Beijin and Lisbon at 13 hours G.M.T.
The day before the signing ceremony, the Portuguese Ambassador was asked to call his Minister in Lisbon, who then said that there was to be 4 modifications despite all the scrutinies and agreements by all parties and also despite the Foreign Minister having agreed to read over the television the "agreement". These changes were: a comma and changes on beginning of paragraphs.
The Chinese were surprised on learning of these changes but came back soon after to say that three changes of paragraphs were alright, but disagreed with the "comma", they hoped that Portugal would backdown and compromise.