IMMEDIATE
CYPR CAT A
GPS 280
FM F C O 180135Z
CONFIDENTIAL
DESK BY 1803302
CONFIDENTIAL
lus file
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 140 OF 18 MARCH.
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FROM SAMUEL, FED.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 168: SECRETARY OF STATE'S DINNER AT CHINESE EMBASSY.
1. CHU'S DINNER WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS RELAXED AND CONVIVIAL (AND THE FOOD EXCELLENT): THE CHINESE WERE CLEARLY MUCH FLATTERED BY THE ATTENDANCE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WITH MRS OWEN, AND OF HIS MINISTERIAL COLLEAGUES.
2. CHU MADE A GRACEFUL LITTLE SPEECH ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS SINCE THE AMBASSADORIAL EXCHANGE AND CHINESE HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. HE SAID NOTHING ABOUT TRADE OR OTHER SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP BUT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THIS WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT. IN REPLY DR OWEN SPOKE WARMLY OF THE TIES ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND LOOKED FORWARD TO YEARS OF GROWING FRIENDSHIP WITH CHINA AND INCREASING CONTACT AT MANY LEVELS.
3,' CONVERSATION DURING DINNER WAS GENERAL AND AS THE MEAL CONTINUED UNTIL AFTER 11 P.M. THERE WAS LITTLE TIME LEFT AFTER- WARDS FOR MORE SERIOUS DISCUSSION. IN A BRIEF EXCHANGE THE SECRETARY OF STATE DID HOWEVER TELL CHU THAT HE WAS SURE, FOLLOWING' HIS VISIT TO WASHINGTON, THAT PRESIDENT CARTER HOPED TO BRING ABOUT A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND IN DUE COURSE TO VISIT PEKING HIMSELF. CHU EXPRESSED INTEREST IN VANCE AND THE TRILATERAL COMMISSION AND, IN A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF AFRICA, CONDEMNED CUBAN INTERFERENCE IN ANGOLA, EXPLAINING THE REASONS FOR CHINESE REFUSAL TO RECOGNISE THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IN LUANDA.
4. SO FAR AS I COULD GATHER NO BILATERAL PROBLEMS WERE TOUCHED ON IN ANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS ROUND THE TABLE. THE EVENING WAS THUS LARGELY SOCIAL, BUT MOST AGREEABLY SO, AND AN EXCELLENT CURTAIN RAISER FOR YOUR DINNER FOR HUANG HUA. I HOPE IT GOES WELL.
OWEN
FILES
FED PS
MR CURTAZZI
PILORD GORONLY ROBERTS.
CONFIDENTIAL
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