London, 26 April 1971
7838. Confidential priority
From Bury.
Following are main points from conversation of about an hour with Douglas-Home to-day.
China
2. I raised the question of China and gave some account of our position and our concern about Taiwan. Home commented that the Important Question position was now ‘almost too thin’. He would want to talk with Rogers about this, but the British were very inclined to change their vote this year and it seemed likely that there would be sufficient numbers to assure Peking entry. The British hoped that ‘it would be possible to leave the U.N. status of Taiwan undecided, and for the [sic] future discussion and settlement. I pointed out that the situation hinged on Chiang Kai-shek and whether he could be induced to be reasonable. In Australia we saw considerable value in preserving Taiwan as such and not allowing it to be discarded to suit the convenience of the large powers. Home indicated sympathy with this and asked had the Americans tried to get Chiang Kai-shek to accept a solution based on a separate status for Taiwan. He acknowledged the difficulty of getting Chiang to drop his claim to represent China. He asked how we would vote on the Important Question and I pointed out that at present we were only left with the Albanian resolution, which clearly was not adequate. Home speculated about the mechanics at the U.N., asking whether on the admission of Peking it would then be open to Taiwan to go to the Credentials Committee and secure membership for the ‘Republic of Taiwan’. One of his officials pointed out that this would lead merely to a Peking veto.
3. I gained the impression that, if we could secure some movement in Taiwan, then the British would be prepared to co-operate in working out some sort of package that would provide membership for a separate state of Taiwan along with Peking’s taking over the China seat.
[ matter omitted ]
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18, ix]