CONFIDENTIAL
and deserve encouragement in our and others' interests.
But even if they are maintained, Britain will need to
look at a closening relationship with China in a wider
international context which embraces countries of greater
immediate importance to the UK. There is no question
of us undervaluing China's importance; but we need both to
be coolly realistic and to keep the balance in our overall
relationships right.
3.
Irrespective of the way the Chinese order their society!
there is no alternative to treating as a world power a
country which is a permanent member of the UN, has perhaps
one-quarter of the world's population in a territory the
size of the United States and traditions and resources which
make her formidable even against the background of
enormous demographic problems.
her
Given the great differences in China's culture and history of self- containment, it is not surprising that the West's and Britain's, relations with
in the past have often been unhappy.
It is not long
since China effectively renounced an alliance with the country which is still our main adversary.
Memories
This
of Korea and Vietnam die hard; you yourself need no reminding of the horrors of the Red Guard years. makes the friendlier face which China is now turning
to the West the more welcome and I believe we should respond to it, while remembering that profound differences between China's view of the world and our own are likely
"Friendship" to the Chinese is a diplomatic
to persist.
/instrument
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