Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XVII, China, 1969–1972

44. Memorandum for the President—Evening Report¹

Washington, November 12, 1969.

[Omitted here is a brief discussion of a House of Representatives resolution concerning Vietnam.]

2. GRC Representations on Okinawa and the Formosa Straits—Nationalist Chinese Foreign Minister Wei Tao-ming called on me today to convey his government’s views on Okinawan reversion and on our decision to modify, beginning next Saturday, the Taiwan Strait Patrol.²

On Okinawa,³

With respect to modification of the Taiwan Strait Patrol, Wei stated that although our decision involved little change from a technical point of view, it could have serious repercussions in terms of possible Chinese Communist reaction and public opinion in the Republic of China. He urged reconsideration of that decision. I emphasized that the decision had been prompted solely by budgetary considerations and reassured him that it involved no change in policy or our defense commitment, and that the Seventh Fleet would be able to carry on the functions of the regular patrol. I held out no possibility that the decision would be changed, noting that it had been approved at the highest level.

[Omitted here is information on Nigeria, West Germany, and media relations.]

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 13, President’s Daily Brief. Secret. An Evening Report memorandum was forwarded daily to the President under the signature of the Secretary or the Under Secretary. The reports discussed overseas developments as well as budget issues and congressional relations. The information was sometimes placed into the daily briefing memorandum for the President produced by NSC staff under Kissinger’s signature, but the President rarely read the Department of State’s Evening Report itself.
2. Rogers met with Wei and his party at 12:35 p.m. (Private Papers of William P. Rogers, Appointment Books) For background on the Taiwan Strait patrol, see Document 34. A record of this meeting was sent to Taipei in telegram 191895, November 12. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 19 RYUKYUS)
3. Chinese interest in Japanese-American negotiations over the disposition of Okinawa is discussed in more detail in Documents 45, 113, 115, 133, and 134, as well as in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XIX.