Canberra, 4 October 1971
1536. Secret Immediate
For Bareham.
1. In light of Chinese request in your 12801 and 12862 for names of participants in proposed mission before ‘finality’ can be reached, we have arranged for Kibel to return to Hong Kong from Hawaii so that he, with you, can submit to the Chinese for their reaction the general approach and the list contained in this and the immediately following cablegram. This should be done as soon as possible.
2. In compiling the list we have tried to keep several issues in mind.
3. In the first place there are the points made by the Chinese. We have included three of the four names they themselves suggested, and we have kept in mind the balance of the mission between buying and selling interests.
4. Second, we ourselves have wanted the prime emphasis to be on the buying and selling aspects of the mission and we have therefore concentrated on people from those fields.
5. But we have been considering whether we might properly and usefully introduce into the mission, so as to broaden it out, one or two persons from other sectors. One might be a distinguished academic economist who might assist in surveying the long term economic possibilities and relationships, and the other a Foreign Affairs officer. We do not wish formally to propose any persons in either of these categories at this stage but you should mention to the Chinese that you may wish to return to these possibilities later. This as you will understand is something to be put forward in low key at this stage. We would not want the idea of an unofficial trade mission to be prejudiced.
6. We are conscious that our list of names, including two Kibels, runs to 23 without any provision for press representation. This is not to say that we are proposing a mission of that size. In fact, our thought is that 18 in total should be the maximum and that 15 would be even better.
7. Except in the four cases of McLennan, Myer,3 Vines4 and Glenn,5 no approach has been made to any of the people about their availability or agreement to participate. One obvious reason for this is that in the last analysis some may not be approached and, in addition, the possibility of premature breaking of news about the proposed mission is an important consideration. We have put up 23 names having in mind that some will not in the result participate.
8. We expect that the names we finally choose will be drawn from those now listed and we authorise you to say that to the Chinese. However, we think we should not entirely rule out the need for minor flexibility in case a representative of a trading interest of particular importance is unavailable. In that case, we may wish to propose another name. We hope the Chinese will accept our proposals on that basis.
9. Altogether, it will be important to be prepared to take a flexible attitude with the Chinese on the various points affecting the nature of the mission and its size rather than to present our position as one of insistence. In all these matters, we wish to have a full degree of accord with the Chinese. We hope, of course, for as full acceptance as possible but, if it seems desirable at any point to adjourn discussion so that you can check with us, you are authorised to do so.
10. We hope that the Chinese will accept our list on the basis that it is indicative of our ideas on composition. We hope also that you will be given their reactions as soon as possible, and preferably within a day or so of your meeting with them. We then hope they will agree that an announcement be made at a very early date of the intention that mission will be sent, its timing (two weeks beginning 29 November best from our point of view) and name of leader—McLennan, who has accepted.
11. Only after such an announcement can the necessary approaches be made to the remaining members of the mission without fear of premature publicity.
12. We cannot, of course, provide at this stage all the details requested in paragraph 116 of your 1280 but we will follow up with these as and when possible.
13. We have not referred specifically to the press. We would prefer to return to this aspect in a later message. Our present thought is that we draw on the wide coverage wire services.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18/2/1, i]
1 28 September: Bareham reported to Waller that he had accompanied Kibel to a meeting with the China Resources Company. Bareham explained that the Australian Government’s advice to Kibel was that the membership of the proposed trade mission to the PRC should consist of three categories: private businessmen; representatives of group organisations; and representatives of statutory boards which were concerned with the marketing of agricultural products. C.K. Wang of the CRC indicated to Bareham that whether the proposed trade mission were to have a continuing benefit would depend on Australia’s attitude in the United Nations to the question of seating the PRC. The PRC saw a ‘paradox in the fact that the Australian Government is hostile to China and on the other hand we are willing to send an unofficial mission to China for trade purposes’.
2 29 September. Bareham reported to Waller that he had discussed the question of publicity being given to the prospect of a trade mission to the PRC with C.T. Mao of the CRC. Mao indicated that no publicity should occur until the PRC had approved the names of those who would comprise the mission and that, if any publicity occurred in Australia, the PRC would deny knowledge of the matter.
3 K.B. Myer, Chairman, Myer Emporium Ltd.
4 J.W. Vines, Chairman, Australian Wool Commission.
5 J.R.A. Glenn, Chairman, Imperial Chemical Industries Limited.
6 It requested personal and professional details about individual members of the proposed trade mission.