The Press TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1975. Peking's cool diplomatic reception

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33985, 28 October 1975, Page 16

The Press TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1975. Peking's cool diplomatic reception

The American Secretary of State . (Dr Henry Kissinger) is not going to see the United States give up detente with the Russians to please the Chinese. It was one of the greatest prizes of his prize-studded diplomacy. It is hard to believe that the Chinese do not understand that, yet the differences over the Soviet Union seem to have dominated Dr Kissinger’s recently-concluded talks with the Chinese when he was preparing for a visit by President Ford to China late next month or early in December. They probably unuerstand well enough, and the apparent coolness in the talks and the use of that damning word in the Communist vocabulary " frank. ” to describe the talks is merely an indication that both sides held to their positions If anything serious had been the matter, President Ford s trip would have been called off. It is not surprising that when two of the three strongest Powers in the world meet, the attitude of each to the third should be of great concern. The Chinese seem to believe that the Americans are being deceived by the Russians over detente, and the Americans seem to be trying to make the point that they are not as naive as the Chinese appear to believe them to be.

Dr Kissinger had a brief interview with Chairman Mao, but spoke mostly with Mr Teng Hsiao-ping, the Deputy Premier, and with Mr Chiao Kuan-hua, the Foreign Minister. Mr Teng, who is 71. is the most active leader in China Chairman Mao is 82 and Chou En-lai. the Prime Minister, is 77. The United States will be making its own calculations of what will happen in China when Chairman Mao’s leadership •■nds. and possibly even after that of Mr Teng. Will the delicate balance among the three Powers be main-

tained. or will it swing one way? There have been suggestions in the United States that American arms should be supplied to China to bind China closer to the United States. This is hardly a plan that would win favour with the Russians and might even bring detente to an abrupt end.

No spectacular result of the talks between President Ford ana the Chinese leaders is expected. China wants the United States to exchange ambassadors, but only on the condition that the United States gives up its support of Taiwan. Since the United States is unlikely to do that for some time, and certainly not until after the Presidential election next year, the Chinese know that they will have to wait. To push the United States on this question might mean that Taiwan would turn to the Russians. The present Prime Minister there. General Chiang Ching-kuo, was trained in Russia and is married to a Russian. The Chinese would be prepared to wait a long time to avoid forcing Taiwan into the Russian camp.