Canberra, 6 October 1971
4980. Secret Priority
For Plimsoll.
Please convey following message from Prime Minister to President Nixon:
‘Thank you for letting me have advance notice of Henry Kissinger’s second journey to Peking in preparation for your own visit to China.
In the circumstances I thought you would like to know something about Australia’s relations with the People’s Republic. We have kept your Government informed of developments in the dialogue which was opened with Chinese Representatives in Paris last May. At the second of two formal meetings between the Australian and PRC Ambassadors in Paris, the Chinese said perfunctorily that they rejected our proposal to work towards a progressive normalization of relations through trade, cultural and scientific contacts in the first instance. They were only prepared to discuss the questions of recognition and diplomatic relations. They also indicated that diplomatic relations could only be established if Australia were to abandon the Republic of China on Taiwan.
No further formal discussions have since been held in Paris.
There have however been friendly social contacts between Australian and Chinese officials in places like Belgrade and Rangoon on the initiative of the Chinese and with an indication that the Chinese would like to have better relations with us. We also had low–level hints to the same effect from third parties in Colombo.
More recently, the Chinese have shown a renewed interest in continuing contact with us. Our Ambassador in Paris was invited to attend their National Day reception on 30th September. He was given an unusually cordial welcome and presented, with a few other guests singled out for special treatment, to the visiting Minister for Foreign Trade.
Recently too in Hong Kong officials of the China Resources Company proposed, through an Australian businessman with long experience in China trade, that a “private” visit be made to China by a junior Australian Minister, preferably the Minister for the Army, and that an unofficial Australian trade mission visit China with a return visit by a Chinese mission to be made later to Australia. We have indicated that it would not be possible for an Australian Minister to visit China at present, but arrangements for the despatch of an Australian trade mission towards the end of November are at present being discussed with the Chinese officials concerned. The Chinese seem to be showing willingness to open up the way to more normal relations with us.
The Chinese have said that they see the proposed exchange of trade missions as a prelude to mutual recognition and that further trade “must be based on recognition of the PRC only”.
We have not commented to them directly on these propositions.
It is possible that the Chinese will try to make further trade dependent on a reversal of our present policies although there is some equivocation in their presentation. I mention this against the background that they have so far allowed trade to go forward with many countries, including Japan in particular, which do not recognize or have diplomatic relations with Peking.
I have set out these recent developments in some detail because I think it important, in our respective dealings with the Chinese, that each of us should have a broad picture of how the other’s relationships with Peking are developing: and that each of us should have some insight into the policies and attitudes of the Chinese themselves in their dealings with the other.’
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18/2/1, i]