Nixon-Zhou Talk Taiwan (Feb. 24, 1972)

In this de-classified memorandum President Richard M. Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai speak frankly about mutual interests in advance of the publishing of the Shanghai Communique. They are very candid with each other about the status of Taiwan. And both leaders give some real insight as to how each country views postwar Japan. A topic that was naturally discussed was Vietnam and Indochina and each party’s position on that issue. One need not be an historian to feel a sense of excitement as they listen to the “voices” of Zhou Enlai and Richard M. Nixon. 

The status of Taiwan is as current as January 2016, but has its roots all the way back in history. Read the document and see how the US and PRC’s positions have changed and stayed the same since 1972.

http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB106/index.htm

Important: Scroll down to—

Document 3: Memorandum of Conversation, 24 February 1972

Photo: National Security Archive