Taipei, 5 December 1972
746. Secret
Personal from Dunn.
Relations with PRC: Your 7801
Foreign Minister Shen2 received me on 5 December. Godfrey–Smith and Chao (Australian and Pacific Affairs) were also present. Discussion was relaxed and almost cordial throughout.
2. I made the points in paragraph 3 of your 780. Shen later asked for the wording to be repeated. He took personal notes and Chao later checked the wording yet again. They asked neither of the possible questions you mentioned but obviously took it that I was leaving for good.
3. Shen made no substantive response to the suggestion of an Australian unofficial office in Taipei. He said he would refer the matter to his Government. He also spoke of the length of time that would be involved in setting up an office, citing the Japanese experience. (Comment. This seemed a clear indication that the ROC was interested in such an arrangement but would drag its feet as much as possible.) Shen asked when our announcement of diplomatic relations with the PRC might be expected and connected this thought with the time required to set up an unofficial office. I said I could not judge how protracted negotiations might be but mentioned the Prime Minister’s hope that there would be full diplomatic relations early in the new year (your telegram 769).3
4. Shen said that, while the ROC had hoped for better things, this development came as no surprise. He expressed great regret that the long and close relations between Australia and the ROC would be broken. He also expressed ‘great concern’ about the possible repercussions of our recognition of the PRC in South East Asia. He referred to Australia’s past contribution to regional stability through its close bilateral relations with the countries of the region, its membership of SEATO and its defence arrangements with Malaysia and Singapore.4 I said we had passed to the Foreign Ministry a copy of the ALP platform. The desire to be co–operative and helpful to the region would clearly be a continuing factor in Australian policies, even if emphases changed.
5. Shen noted the rapid development in economic relations between Australia and the ROC which had been to the mutual benefit of both countries. He noted that the ROC still maintained good economic and trade relations with other countries who had recognised Mainland China. In speaking of the unofficial office to be set up in Japan he spoke of it as having ‘consular functions’ and being ’semi–official’ with functions which included the protection of nationals in Japan. In repeating our ideas of an unofficial office I heavily stressed that it would have ‘no political or official function’ .
6. Shen asked whether we had received any information about New Zealand intentions. I replied we had not. He speculated that New Zealand would very soon recognise the PRC more or less in parallel with Australia. I said that it had been a consistent theme in Australian policies to work closely with New Zealand wherever possible. (Comment. I suspect Shen was toying with the thought of using New Zealand if possible as a brake on the Australian Government.)
7. I briefly acknowledged the Prime Minister’s receipt of a telegram from Premier Chiang (your telegram 781)5 and said I would like to make a farewell call on him also in the next few days. Shen thought this would be appropriate. (Comment. We may possibly get some more substantive response from this call.)
[NAA: Al838, 3107/38/18/6, i]
1 Document 349.
2 Shen Chang–huan.
3 Not published.
4 Five Power Defence arrangements between Australia, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, had come into effect on 1 November 1971.
5 5 December. It quoted Chiang Ching–kuo’s message of congratulations to Whitlam, and advised that, while the Prime Minister did not want to publicly acknowledge its receipt, Dunn could look to make ’some appropriate oral reference’ to it in farewell calls to Shen or Chiang.