Cable from Ambassador Katori to the Foreign Minister, 'Prime Minster Visit to China (Conversation with Chairman Deng Xiaoping)'

Number R037810

Primary: Asia and China

Sent: China 20:50 Year Month 25

Received: MOFA 22:04 1984 March 25

To: The Foreign Minister From: Ambassador Katori

Prime Minster Visit to China (Conversation with Chairman Deng Xiaoping)

Do not cite underlined in press release

Number 1362 Top Secret Top Urgent Q36RA

Wire 1361 Separate Wire 1

The following is in regards to Sino-Soviet relations.

Prime Minister: What do you think about General Secretary Chernenko? Furthermore, how do you feel about the new Soviet administrations’ policies?

Deng: I knew Andropov, but I do not know Chernenko. I do not believe policies will change. China advocates the resolution of the 3 barriers to the development of Sino-Soviet relations. Of particular importance in the 3 barriers is the Cambodia problem. During the fourth Sino-Soviet conference, we engaged in an intensive conversation regarding the Soviet military along the Sino-Soviet border and the Soviet military based in Mongolia.

Mongolia was once Chinese territory. Because Jiang Jieshi [Chiang Kai-shek] had gone and recognized their independence, Mongolia is now a dependency of the Soviet Union. When I was young, it was written in our textbooks that Chinese territory resembled the mulberry leaf. With Mongolia taken away, it no longer resembles the mulberry leaf. However, after the Nationalist Party Government and the Soviet Union agreed on Mongolian independence, the national boundaries have become fixed. There are places where Sino-Soviet boundaries are not fixed.

The issue with Sino-Mongolian relations is not the return of Mongolia to China, but the development of bilateral relations based on peaceful coexistence.

However, the stationing of Soviet troops in Mongolia is a threat to China. We all have some understanding of military affairs. Soviet and Mongolian military deployment is meant to isolate China with two lines extending eastwards from Vladivostok and westwards from Mongolia. This is the same method used when the Soviets fought the Kwantung Army.

The Soviet Union has refused to discuss the Mongolia issue, citing that it would meddle in the interests of 3rd party countries. However, the stationing of Soviet troops in Mongolia represents a threat to China, and thus is not an issue of a third party country. The Soviet Union’s position did not change during the fourth Sino-Soviet conference. We believe that this policy will probably not change even with the Chernenko government.

Prime Minister: Japan also is deeply concerned with the expansion of Soviet military strength in Asia; in particularly, we oppose the expanded deployment of SS-20s in the Far East. We find it vital for disarmament of nuclear and non-nuclear arms to be conducted on a global scale.

Deng: China and Japan shares a common concern over the Soviet Union’s expansion of naval and air forces in Asia. Even during the recent Sino-Soviet conference, this was a central issue from the start to the finish.

Forwarded to Soviet Union and Mongolia.

Please forward to Shanghai. (End)