July 18, 1955
Memo, Pu Shouchang to Qiao Guanhua
This document was made possible with support from MacArthur Foundation
[To] Comrade [Qiao] Guanhua,
I have reported your estimations of the possible US posture at the talks, which you mentioned to me during our conversation last night, to the Premier [Zhou Enlai]. The Premier said that if the US wants to use the two issues proposed in the Sino-American exchange of notes (i.e., the return of civilians from both sides to their respective countries and other practical matters at issue between the two sides), as the US side stated, it depends on how the first agenda is going to be resolved. Then we can discuss the second agenda issues. We then have to make detailed inquiries into the content of the second agenda which the US side mentioned. Does it include topics such as preparation for higher-level talks between China and the United States in order “to lessen and eliminate Sino-American tension in the Taiwan Strait area?” The Premier said that the point should be included in the speech.
In addition, the Premier wanted you to relay his two other opinions to the core leadership meeting of the Foreign Ministry: 1) Telegrams regarding the Premier’s instructions to be issued should also be marked “extremely urgent” and signed off by deputy foreign minister Zhang [Wentian]. There is no need to send for the Premier’s review.
2) When Comrade He Wei delivers the full text of the “Plan” to the Soviet side, please also deliver a copy of the Sino-American exchange of notes in both Chinese and English to the Soviet embassy. Please explain to them that although we have mentioned this issue in our letter to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the delivery today is a formal notice. If Britain and the US mention this issue, the Soviet Union could then say that the Chinese have formally notified it.
The Central Committee [of the CCP] has approved the Plan without making any changes. Please inform me of the opinions of the Party Committee of the Foreign Ministry so that I can report to the Premier.
With best regards,
Pu Shouchang
In the early morning of 18 July
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