Canberra, 21 December 1972

Secret

China

Attached is a draft telegram¹ to a number of posts instructing them to hand over in confidence, in advance of release here, the text of your press statement and the joint communique.²

2. The draft telegram also gives posts some talking points. These are deliberately quite frank, in order to impress on other governments both that we have no need or wish to be other than forthcoming, and also that we stood up to China on the Taiwan issue and achieved a satisfactory result.

3. Because of the time difference, London will not be able to give the FCO the text of your statement before its release here. We accordingly propose to call in the British High Comrnissioner³ tomorrow morning.

4. In Burma's case, we think it would probably be enough to send to Rangoon the text of your statement, without the talking points. Unlike the other countries we are informing, Burma has not had and will not have a direct interest in the Taiwan issue; and Burma has quite close relations with China.

5. Before despatching any telegrams, we shall need to be sure that Peking has accepted the present text of the communique and that it has actually been signed, as scheduled, at 7 a.m. (our time) tomorrow morning.

6. Also attached is a draft telegram to Taipei.⁴ It would be inappropriate to have our Charge express regret about the severance of diplomatic relations, but it would be in order, and could serve a useful purpose, if he were to speak as in para. 1(c) of the draft telegram. (In addition to our desire for continued trade, there is the point that we may yet be in some difficulties over ROC property here.)

7. We propose with your concurrence to call in the ROC Charge tomorrow morning and to speak to him in the terms of the telegram to Taipei.

[NAA: A1838, 3107/38/18/6, ii]

1 Final is Document 382.

2 See Current Notes, vol. 43, 1972, pp. 631–3.

3 Sir J.M.C. James, UK High Commissioner in Australia.

4 The final, Cablegram 878 of 21 December, asked Godfrey-Smith to inform the ROC Foreign Minister of the timing of the release of the Australia–PRC joint communique and of the references to Taiwan in Whitlam's press release of 22 December. Furthermore, Godfrey–Smith was to convey the Prime Minister's 'appreciation of the good relations which have existed over the years between the ROC and Australia, and also of the dignity and restraint of ROC representatives in the recent difficult circumstances' .mdash;as well as his hope that the withdrawal of the respective Embassies would 'be completed in the same spirit' .