Office of the Historian

The Summit in Beijing, August–December 1975

118. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, August 12, 1975, 3:45 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Staff for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Convenience Files, 1969–1977, Box 39, Richard Solomon Subject Files, 1974–76. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Gleysteen.

119. Memorandum of Conversation

New York City, September 28, 1975, 8:10–11:55 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, September 28, 1975, Kissinger’s Meeting with PRC Officials. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The dinner meeting took place in the Secretary of State’s suite on the 35th floor of the Waldorf Towers. All brackets are in the original.

120. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, October 17, 1975, 9:30–10:47 a.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser Memcons, Box 16, July–October 1975. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the Oval Office.

121. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, October 20, 1975, 10:00–11:40 a.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, 1974–76, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People.

122. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, October 20, 1975, 4:15–6:35 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, 1974–76, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People. All brackets are in the original.

123. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, October 20, 1975, 5:07–6:08 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Top Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People. All brackets are in the original.

124. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, October 21, 1975, 6:25–8:05 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in Chairman Mao’s residence.

125. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, October 22, 1975, 3:40–4:45 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Advisor, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People. All brackets are in the original.

126. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, October 23, 1975, 12:35–2:30 a.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in Guest House #5. All brackets are in the original.

127. Memorandum From Secretary of State Kissinger to President Ford

Washington, October 24, 1975.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, October 19–23, 1975, Kissinger’s Trip. Secret; Sensitive. There are no notations on the memorandum that indicate that Ford saw it.

128. Paper Prepared by the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lord)

Washington, undated.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Trip Briefing Books and Cables for President Ford, Presidential Trips File, Box 19, 11/28–12/7/75, Far East, Briefing Book, Peking, Meeting with Chairman Mao, President’s copy (3). Secret; Sensitive. A handwritten note at the top of the first page reads: “(Lord memo)HAK handed to President. 10/25/75.” Kissinger gave this paper to Ford during a 9:30 a.m. meeting in the Oval Office. see Document 129.

129. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, October 25, 1975, 9:30 a.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, National Security Adviser Memcons, Box 16, July–October 1975. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. All brackets are in the original, except those bracketed insertions describing the omission of material. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Ford, Kissinger, and Scow-croft met from 9:35 until 11:05 a.m. (Ibid.)

130. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, October 31, 1975.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSA Memcons, Box 16, July–October 1975. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. According to the President’s Daily Diary, it lasted from 9:18 to 10:10 a.m., with Scowcroft joining at 9:25. (Ibid.) All brackets are in the original, except the bracketed insertion describing the omission of material.

131. Backchannel Message From the Chief of the Liaison Office in China (Bush) to Secretary of State Kissinger

Beijing, November 6, 1975, 0855Z.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger–Scowcroft West Wing Office Files, 1969–1977, Box 5, China, unnumbered items (23), 11/1/75–11/6/75. Secret; Sensitive; Handle Via Voyager Channel. A stamped notation in the upper right hand corner of the first page indicates that the President saw this message.

132. Memorandum From Secretary of State Kissinger to President Ford

Washington, November 20, 1975.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Trip Briefing Books and Cables for President Ford, Presidential Trips File, Box 20, 11/28–12/7/75, Far East, General. Top Secret; Nodis. This memorandum was attached to a November 22 covering memorandum from Scowcroft to the President, which noted, “It was prepared jointly by the NSC Staff and Department of State. It is meant to pull together the many aspects of U.S.–PRC relations that you will be reviewing in the other briefing materials we have sent.”

134. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, December 2, 1975, 4:10–6:00 p.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, December 1–5, 1975, President Ford’s Visit to Peking. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place at Mao’s residence. Ford arrived in Beijing on December 1.

135. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, December 2, 1975, 11 p.m.–midnight.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, December 1–5, 1975, Mr. Ford’s Visit to Peking. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place at Guest House 18. All brackets are in the original.

136. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, December 3, 1975, 9:25–11:55 a.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, December 1–5, 1975, President Ford’s Visit to Peking. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in Guest House 18. All brackets are in the original.

137. Memorandum of Conversation

Beijing, December 4, 1975, 10:05–11:47 a.m.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 2, China Memcons and Reports, December 1–5, 1975, President Ford’s Visit to Peking. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People. All brackets are in the original.