March 5, 1964
Note number 150, 'Visit of M. Ho Ying'
This document was made possible with support from MacArthur Foundation
French Embassy in Tanganyika
Dar es Salaam, 5th March 1964
Note number 150
Henri de Bourdeille, French Ambassador in Tanganyika
To
His Excellency the Foreign Minister
Africa-Levant Department
Visit of M. Ho Ying
M. Ho Ying, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, came this morning, or a few weeks after the renewal of diplomatic relations between our two countries, for the customary protocol visit. I have known my Chinese colleague for a while since he had taken his post in Dar es Salaam two months after my arrival. With the approval of the Department, when I had become dean, I had established some ties with him as part of my deanship. On his part, M. Ho Ying had done his utmost to expand these relations, and he treated me during meetings with an affability that I did my best to prevent from becoming too exuberant.
This morning, he was also particularly pleasant. He declared that he really wanted to maintain regular and friendly relations with me. He thus declared: ‘France is a great country that must take a lead in the Third World. Like China, it has decided to affirm its independence. France and China have a similar policy: as long as certain countries will possess nuclear weapons arsenals, and machines to transport them, both countries will refuse to give up their right to build nuclear weapons’.
He added: ‘China is ready to establish diplomatic relations with the United States. But before that happens, the latter must evacuate its military bases in Taiwan. Communist China, however, is very keen to see France play a role in Vietnam and Cambodia’. I welcomed this last remark from my colleague. On the other subjects, I remained cautious. Indeed, it seems to me that my Chinese colleague would like our two embassies to flaunt their friendship in a very obvious manner.
On Zanzibar, M. Ho Ying indicated that he would have no authority on the island, but that his government would soon nominate an ambassador who would take charge of the embassy currently run by a chargéd’affaires.
Signed Henri de Bourdeille
Henri de Bourdeille reports on his meeting with the Chinese Ambassador following the establishment of relations between France and China.
Author(s):
Associated Places
Document Information
Source
Original Archive
Rights
The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.
To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at HAPP@wilsoncenter.org.
Original Uploaded Date
Language
Record ID
Donors
Explore Related Resources
A “Diplomatic Nuclear Explosion”? Sino-French Relations in the 1960s
When France and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations in January 1964, observers called the event a “diplomatic nuclear explosion," but the high hopes entertained for Sino-French relations never quite materialized, undermined by China and France’s conflicting goals toward the Vietnam War and the turmoil associated with the Cultural Revolution.