Leaders continue talks in Peking

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32848, 23 February 1972, Page 1

Leaders continue talks in Peking

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PEKING, February 22. President Nixon and the Prime Minister (Chou En-lai) began a second round of talks in Peking today on the issues that sharply divide the United States and China.

The talks, which were initiated yesterday, got under way in Peking’s Great Hall of the People. President Nixon had spent the morning of the second day of his eight-day visit to China working on White House papers in the State guest house in western Peking.

His wife Pat, meanwhile, visited the kitchens of a main Peking hotel to talk to the chefs and see how Chinese food is prepared. The President went into to-

day's discussions after urging China’s leaders at a banquet last night to join the United States in bridging the gulf between the two nations. At the banquet last night Chou, according to Chinese custom, selected choice pieces of food for Mrs Nixon. The banquet, at which both

sides made appeals for improved relations, served to dispel the chill of the austerely correct welcome given the Presidential party at Peking airport earlier in the day. In an unexpected move for the first day of the visit, Mr Nixon met 78-year-old Chairman Mao Tse-tung for discussions described as serious and frank. In Communist terminology this might mean that they ended in fundamental disagreement. Both sides used the phrasing. No other details were given.

Tough issues Despite the bonhomie of the banquet, today’s talks were expected to get down to the tough issues that divide the two countries, such as the United States commitment to Taiwan, the Vietnam war and the growth of Japanese power. •In an exchange of toasts at the banquet in Peking’s Great Hall of the People, televised live to many nations, Mr Nixon admitted differences but added “while we cannot close the gulf between us we can try to bridge it so that we may be able to talk.” The Prime Minister said that after 20 years friendly contacts had been opened and both peoples wanted to promote the normalisation of relations, and work for the relaxation of tension.

‘Long march’ President Nixon called for “a long march together on different roads leading to the same goal—the goal of building a world structure of peace and justice.” Referring to the talks, the Prime Minister said: “We hope, through a frank exchange of views between our two sides, to gain a clearer notion of our differences and make efforts to find common ground.” Observers saw a comment by Mr Nixon on nations having the right to determine their own form of government as a reference to South Vietnam and the President’s continued backing for the Saigon Government—-a subject likely to be high on the secret agenda in Peking. Quotation made Chairman Mao was not at the banquet, but Mr Nixon

in his' toast quoted from a passage in his writings in calling on the two nations to “seize the day” to build a new and better world.

At last night’s banquet both Mr and Mrs Nixon wielded chopsticks while a Chinese Army band, as though returning the compliment, played such traditional American songs as “Home on the Range” and “America the Beautiful.” President Nixon followed Chinese custom by passing around the tables in the huge banqueting room, raising his glass in private toasts with many of the Chinese guests.

Five principles Premier Chou said that though the two countries’ social systems were fundamently different, this should not hinder them from establishing normal State relations on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-exist-ence. Observers said Mr Chou was not, in fact, offering to establish diplomatic relations as such because the viewed question of Taiwan—supported by the United States as an independent nation but regarded by the Chinese as a province—remains to be resolved.

Answering a question on whether she would visit the Peking Zoo, Mrs Nixon replied. “Yes, and we’re going to get the giant pandas. They were so pleased with the oxen that they wanted to give us two giant pandas.”

Two pandas To mark their visit, the Nixons will present the zoo with two rare North American musk oxen—male and female—later this month as a gift from the people of the United States to the people of China. Peking Zoo is famous for breeding giant pandas. Outside China there are only two other giant pandas in captivity—An-An in Moscow and Chi Chi in London. Describing the Chinese as “friendly, warm-hearted and generous,” Mrs Nixon said. “I’ve loved every minute.” (Other reports: Page 17)