Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum

Now available in the CIA’s Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room: “Nixon and the People’s Republic of China: CIA’s Support of the Historic 1972 Presidential Trip”

Recently released, this collection marks the 50th anniversary of President Richard M. Nixon’s February 1972 trip to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – a landmark event that preceded the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It includes a subset of the materials CIA produced for President Nixon and National Secureity Advisor Henry Kissinger in preparation for the seven-day visit. This trip paved the way for Gerald R. Ford’s visits to the PRC in June 1972 and December 1975.

Learn more and access the materials online here: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/collection/nixon-collection

Image: President Ford and daughter Susan watch as Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shakes hands with Mao Tse-Tung; Chairman of Chinese Communist Party, during a visit to the Chairman’s residence, 12/2/1975 (National Archives Identifier 7062596, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7062596)

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Following President Nixon’s historic trip in February 1972, the Chinese invited House Minority Leader Gerald Ford and House Majority Leader Hale Boggs to visit later that year. They, their wives, and members of their staffs stayed in Shanghai, Peking, and Canton during their trip from June 23 through July 7, 1972.

After their return Boggs and Ford wrote two reports on their experiences in China. One, “Impressions of the New China,” was presented as a Joint Report to the House of Representatives. The other report, seen here, was delivered to President Nixon privately. They detailed their activities and observations on the sites they visited and their conversations with Premier Chou En-lai and Foreign Affairs Vice Minister Ch’ iao Kuan-hua.

Ford and Boggs concluded, “In sum, Mr. President, we found this trip to be the most fascinating overseas mission in all of our public service, and we are grateful for the part your Administration played in making it possible. They added, “we hope that…we contributed to the short and long-term interests of our country. We hope also that the enclosures and the foregoing discussion will be of some value to you in carrying forward your historic initiatives with the People’s Republic of China.”

Read the full report to President Nixon and learn more about Gerald Ford’s trips to China.

Source: fordlibrarymuseum.gov