TNAG-0115-FCO40-151-Departmental-briefs-for-Commonwealth-Prime-Minister-s-and-ot-1969 — Page 55

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by a steadier period

although one could not

be sure as long as Mao remained alive.

Although Mr. Aichi had found no signs of

greater flexibility in China's. foreign policy,

we thought that China had taken steps to improve

relations with a number of countries such as

Nepal, Cambodia and Ceylon. China was pre-

occupied with the Sino-Soviet dispute but because it would be through prefers cand a hat

of her inferiority in technology /she would

pursue her hostility. through propaganda. As

diplomatic activitiys were resumed, China's

ambassadors would arrive at their posts carrying

anti-Soviet briefs. Hostility to Russia had

certainly not caused the Chinese to seek friends,

9. Referring to the detention of British

subjects in China, Mr. Stewart said that in

case no

one/charge had been brought; in some cases the

charges brought had little substance; and in

other cases we had no news at all. We were

attempting to achieve an easier relationship

with China generally in the hope that this

would lead to the release of the British subjects

detained (three had been released in recent

months). Mr. Aichi said that Japan had about

thirteen persons under arrest in China. Taking

advantage of the thirty places where both Japan

and China had diplomatic missions, Japan had

approached the Chinese on this question but had

had no success at all. Mr. Stewart said that

our diplomatic representations in London and

Peking had had some result, but it was difficult

to tell what influenced the Chinese Government

/in