Taipei, 31 January 1969
40. Confidential
From Cooper.
Interview with President Chiang
Yesterday at the President’s invitation I spent nearly two hours with him. Apart from Aides, the only other person present was Vice Minister James Shen.1 The discussion was wide ranging but seemingly without specific purpose other than the opportunity it provided for the President to reiterate his well known views on how to deal with the Chinese Communists.
(Details by bag).
2. The President did, however, specifically ask me to convey his personal thanks to the Prime Minister for Mr Gorton’s statement indicating that no change of policy was contemplated by Australia on the Chinese recognition issue.2 The statement was especially welcome at this time when ROC was in danger of losing significant international support.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/33/111, xix]
1 James C.H. Shen, ROC Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
2 The context of Gorton’s statement has not been identified.