
China-Western Europe Relations
This collection follows China's relations with countries in Western Europe from the early 1950s through the 1980s. It includes documents from China, Italy, France, West Germany, and other countries. See also the Digital Archive collection: Sino-French Normalization, 1964.For materials on China's relations with Eastern Europe, see China-Eastern Europe Relations. (Image: The Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong (r), welcomes CSU Chairman Franz Josef Strauß (l). The politicians met on January 16, 1975 in Beijing, China.)
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October 12, 1972
Department Head van Well to Foreign Office, 'China Visit by the Foreign Minister'
Report on a West German Foreign Ministry delegation to China lead by Walter Scheel exploring the possibility of opening diplomatic relations. In meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Ji Pengfei they discuss detente, Chinese mistrust of the Soviet Union, and the CSCE.
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October 13, 1972
Telex from Department Head van Well, 'China Visit by the Foreign Minister'
In a meeting with Foreign Minister Walter Scheel, Zhou Enlai expressed support for West Germany’s proposal to join the United Nations, discussed European security, and the China's mistrust of the Soviet Union.
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October 26, 1972
Draft of a Planned East German Demarche, to be Read to the Chinese Ambassador, Against Chinese Statements on the Occasion of the Establishment of Chinese-West German Diplomatic Relations and Walter Scheel's Visit
This document is a demarche to be delivered to the Chinese ambassador in East Berlin. It was written by Erich Honecker, the general secretary of East Germany's Socialist Unity Party, on the occasion of the establishment of diplomatic relations between West Germany and the People's Republic of China (PRC). Honecker says the West German government is pursuing a revisionist policy and does not accept the post-war separation of Germany. Honecker assesses the role of Bonn in international relations as detrimental to the entire Socialist camp and regards the visit of West German Foreign Minister Walter Scheel to Beijing, as well as diplomatic relations between China and West Germany, as damaging the interests of East Germany. He asks China to reconsider this policy, with reference to East Berlin's support for the PRC's territorial claims to Taiwan/Formosa. According to a marginal note, the demarche was never delivered.
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November 27, 1972
Report by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on Talks Between Zhou Enlai and Walter Scheel
These statements by the Central Committee (CC) of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) concern talks between Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and West German Foreign Minister Walter Scheel. The CC assesses the improvement of relations between China and West Germany as adverse to the interests of East Germany and of Socialism. China is criticized for not supporting the idea of a European conference on security and cooperation and for sustaining the role of organizations such as the European Economic Community and NATO. The CC expresses disagreement with China's abstention from the disarmament process and with its position within the UN.
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July 09, 1973
Report by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on China's Policy toward Western Europe and Opposition against the CSCE
This document contains information prepared by the Central Committee (CC) of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) on China's European policy and Chinese opposition to the convocation of a Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). It states that China's overall goals are diametrically opposed to those of the European Socialist countries and their Communist parties, with Beijing identifying the Soviet Union as its primary enemy. In this light, the Soviet leadership maintains that actively confronting China in ideological and political terms remains one of the most important tasks of the Warsaw Pact countries.
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July 18, 1973
Preparatory Materials for East German Protest Against the Intended Establishment of a Chinese Trade Representation in West Berlin
These documents are related to East Germany's protest against the intended establishment of a Chinese trade representation in West Berlin. The East German Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that West Berlin cannot be regarded as part of West Germany. Therefore, by initiating diplomatic relations with West Berlin without considering the existence of the internationally acknowledged Four Power Agreement on Berlin between the US, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union, China is deliberately acting against the interests of East Germany.
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August 02, 1973
Memorandum of Conversation Between the Head of the China Desk in the East German Foreign Ministry and the First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy, Tji Hai-yuan
This is a memorandum on a conversation reflecting the differences of opinion between the head of the China Desk in the East German Foreign Ministry and the First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy Tji Hai-yuan with regard to the intended establishment of a Chinese trade representation in West Berlin. East Berlin is clearly concerned such a step might favor West Germany's alleged goal of winning sovereignty over West Berlin, in violation of the Four Power Agreement. Tji states that he does not understand the East German position, and that the activities of Chinese diplomats in West Berlin are in accordance with international law. He rejects the notion that these relations might conceivably harm the interests of East Germany.
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October 10, 1973
Verbatim Transcript of the First Meeting between Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai and Pierre Trudeau discuss Canada's overarching foreign policy positions and Sino-Canadian relations. Trudeau says that Canada wants to be "a strong country with a strong identity."
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October 11, 1973
Meeting of Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Zhou Enlai at the State Guest House (Diaoyutai)
Zhou Enlai offers Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau an extensive history of the Chinese Civil War and Chinese Revolution. Zhou also comments on China's foreign policy positions toward and views on the Soviet Union, nuclear war, Bangladesh, revisionism, and great power hegemony, among other topics.
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December 03, 1973
Memorandum of Conversation Between the First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in East Berlin and the Head of the West Berlin Press Office on China's Intention to Establish a Trade Representation and Consulate in West Berlin
This is a memorandum of a conversation between the first secretary of the Soviet embassy in East Berlin, Rodin, and the director of the West Berlin Press Office, Günter Struve, with regard to China's intention to establish a trade representation in West Berlin. Apart from stressing that by initiating diplomatic relations with West Berlin, China is not implicitly acknowledging the existing international agreements, Rodin makes clear that East Germany will not rescind the rules on obligatory currency exchange for citizens of Western states.
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December 18, 1973
Memorandum of Conversation Between the Head of the Far Eastern Department in the East German Foreign Ministry Liebermann and Chinese Ambassador Peng Guang-wei on China's Intention to Establish Diplomatic Presence in West Berlin
This memorandum of conversation between the Head of the Far East Department in the East German Foreign Ministry Liebermann and Chinese Ambassador Peng Guang-Wei refers to China's intention to establish diplomatic relations with West Berlin. The East German side stresses the fact that countries such as Hungary and Bulgaria also established diplomatic relations with West Berlin taking into considerations the conditions posed by the international law and that China should do the same.
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May, 1975
Itinerary of Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping's Visit to France from 12 to 17 May 1975
Itinerary for the visit of Deng Xiaoping, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China, to France. Deng's visit includes meetings with Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and Foreign Minister Jean Sauvagnargues, as well as visits to a farm outside Paris and the Phenix nuclear reactor in Marcoule.
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May 12, 1975
Record of Conversation between French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and Vice Premier of the People's Republic Deng Xiaoping
French Prime Minister Chirac and Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping discuss economic relations and technology exchange between China and France. They also discuss the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and issues of collective security in asia.
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May 13, 1975
Record of Conversation between French President Giscard d'Estaing and Vice Premier of the People's Republic Deng Xiaoping: First Meeting
French President Giscard and Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping discuss the current international situation, including the balance of power between the Soviet Union and the United States and issues of European unity and security. They also discuss the current situation in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos following the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War.
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May 14, 1975
Record of Conversation between French President Giscard d'Estaing and Vice Premier of the People's Republic Deng Xiaoping: Second Meeting
French President Giscard and Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping discuss economic issues, including development funding and international aid for Third World countries, as well as the recent oil crisis.
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May 26, 1975
Telegram, French Ambassador to China Claude Arnaud to French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, No. 998/1000, 'Follow-up to the Visit of M. Deng Xiaoping to France'
French Ambassador Claude Arnaud reports that Princess Ashraf Pavlavi, sister of the Shah of Iran, met with Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping in Beijing. Deng had recently returned from a trip to France and he "advised the princess to make sure that Iran will tighten and deepen its links to France."