1st Session CHINA: A QUARTER CENTURY AFTER THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S 45-236 JANUARY 1975 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1975 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LIBRARIES Page F. List of congressional delegations which have visited China from 43 G. Text of a speech by Senator Mansfield at the University of Mon- 44 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL JANUARY 29, 1975. Hon. JOHN SPARKMAN, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR SPARKMAN: Almost three years have elapsed since the visit of the joint Senate leadership to China in April-May 1972. A second visit just recently completed has afforded me an opportunity to learn more about the nation that is home to one-quarter of the world's people and has permitted me to explore further the prospects for the evolving Sino-U.S. relationship. I had seen the old China as a U.S. Marine in the early 1920's, as a special representative of President Roosevelt during World War II, and, shortly after the war, as a member of the House of Representatives. I became reacquainted with China on an official joint Senate Leadership visit in 1972 and, together with the Senate Republican Leader (Mr. Scott) reported to the Senate on the initial and limited observations which were possible at that time.1 Through the courtesy of the People's Republic of China, I spent the period from December 9, 1974, when I arrived in Shanghai, until December 30, 1974, when I crossed the border into Hong Kong, in that vast and still little known and understood nation. This second visit to the People's Republic was made with the full concurrence and support of the President and the Secretary of State as being in line with the policy of normalization. It represented a continuation of the bipartisan approach which, from the beginning, has characterized the rapprochement with China. Through the excellent cooperation and assistance of the staff of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and officials in cities and areas across China, I talked with people in all walks of life. To study as many aspects as possible of the new Chinese social order, I inspected factories, communes, homes, schools, historic sites, museums, irrigation and reclamation projects and hydroelectric plants. While in China, I travelled some 6,000 miles by plane, train and car. A detailed itinerary of the juorney appears in the appendix.2 I spent five days in Peking holding discussions with leading officials of the People's Republic. These conversations included one hour with Premier Chou En-lai, five hours with Vice-Premier Teng Hsiao-ping, and seven hours with Foreign Minister Ch'iao Kuan-hua. Outside of Peking, I met with local officials wherever I went. Briefings were provided by the U.S. Liaison Office in Peking and, in Honolulu, by Ambassador George Bush, Chief of the United States Liaison Office in Peking, as well as Admiral Noel Gayler, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. forces in the Pacific. 1 See appendix I. 2 See appendix A. (V) |