Paris, 1 October 1971
4532. Secret Priority
China
As instructed, I attended the Chinese National Day reception 30th September. To my surprise, the Ambassador literally received me with open arms in full view of a large group of pressmen. He then instructed an assistant to take me into a small closed–off salon where the Minister of Foreign Trade1 received, I gathered, guests singled out for special treatment.
2. I was introduced to the Minister to whom, after normal pleasantries, I recalled the Australian Government’s wish to normalise relations with China and all the evidence it had given of this. The Minister listened attentively but said no more in reply than ‘thank you’. At this point of time I had to move on as other guests were awaiting presentation.
3. I lingered on in the small salon to see who else would be brought in to meet the Minister. Few guests were in fact allowed into the room and notable among these were the Belgian, Argentine and Peruvian Ambassadors (each of whose country is, as you know, negotiating with the Chinese).
4. On leaving the reception, the Ambassador was once again effusively friendly, even bringing out what he thought were the appropriate English words (these consisted of the ’sentence’ ‘very much, same to you’).
5. The only conclusion I can draw from the above is that in their own fashion the Chinese have decided to show a little appreciation of Australia’s efforts to normalise relations.
6. It is quite possible that my presence at the reception may be picked up by Australian press representatives here. Hence, preparations should be made to field questions on the subject.
Renouf.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18, xxi]
1 Pai Hsiang–kuo, PRC Minister of Foreign Trade.