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by history. But three years had now passed. The United States had no reason to continue the sale of advanced
military equipment to Taiwan. This was the present situation. But the US wished to continue to sell arms:
China was firmly opposed to this, and had told the US that if they continued to sell arms it would be an inter- ference in Chinese internal affairs, and an obstacle to the improvement of relations. The Chinese people would
never endure it.
8.
The Chinese were therefore waiting to see what
the Reagan administration would do. If the US wished to see any further development of relations and to take into consideration the overall strategic relationship, then they must exercise a certain amount of restraint on the Taiwan issue. Huang Hua had exchanged views with Secretary Haig: he had told the US side that this was a problem bequeathed by history, and that both sides should conduct talks, but that during the course of the talks
the US should not sell arms to Taiwan.
9.
If the US did not take the natural feelings of the Chinese people into account, it would certainly affect bilateral relations. China had been very patient, but
there was a limit to her patience. This state of affairs should not be allowed to last indefinitely. If the US clung to its present position, then either bilateral relations would stagnate, or they would go backwards. There were some in the US who thought wrongly that China always proceeded from consideration of the overall strategic situation, and that if something was beneficial to the united front against hegemonism then the Chinese would swallow any bitter pill. But on this important
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