Chapter 12 Won the hearts of the American people - Deng Xiaoping and Bush (4)

Bush was very dissatisfied with the booing of "stop all cooperation with China" by the ultra-conservatives in the Republican Party, saying that these people "always want to mess up US-China relations" and "are the kind of people who oppose everything indiscriminately".Two weeks later, Bush broke through his own ban and decided to send a special envoy to visit Beijing secretly. Bush wanted to have a direct telephone conversation with Deng Xiaoping.In his secret letter to Deng Xiaoping, he stated that the letter he had personally drafted was "from a person who firmly believes that the friendly relations between China and the United States are in the fundamental interests of the two countries" and "a person who is grateful for what you have personally done for the Chinese people." Everything, the hand of someone with deep respect for helping your great country achieve great progress".

In 1989, when political turmoil occurred in Beijing at the turn of spring and summer, the United States was deeply involved in the incident and took the lead in setting off a wave of anti-China and sanctions against China in the Western world, which was strongly and resolutely opposed by the Chinese government and people .Sino-US relations are at a trough. Under the pressure of Congress and domestic public opinion, the Bush administration carefully sought a balance between sanctioning China and maintaining normal Sino-US relations.Bush was very dissatisfied with the booing of "stop all cooperation with China" by the ultra-conservatives in the Republican Party.In his diary on June 5, he said that these people "always want to mess up the relationship between the United States and China" and "are the kind of people who oppose everything indiscriminately."Under pressure, Bush reluctantly announced sanctions against China.But two weeks later, Bush broke through his own ban and decided to send Scowcroft and Deputy Secretary of State Eagle Berger to visit Beijing secretly.

And as early as June 9 (June 8, US time), Bush decided to call Deng Xiaoping directly to learn about the situation in Beijing.This move is a move that has never been made by any US president since China and the US resumed contact in 1972.However, the Chinese embassy in the United States told the White House after consulting the country that Chinese leaders have no habit of talking to foreign leaders on the phone.Therefore, Bush decided to write a letter directly to Deng Xiaoping, expressing his hope to send his special envoy to China to express his concern about the situation in China and his desire to maintain Sino-US relations.Let us take a look at this letter drafted by Bush himself on June 20:

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter.I really wanted to discuss the issue in a direct way, but unfortunately, it didn't work out.First of all, I am writing this letter with sincere friendship. I believe you can understand that this letter is written by a person who firmly believes that the friendly relations between the United States and China are in the fundamental interests of both countries.This is how I've felt for years.Despite the difficult circumstances, today I feel more strongly than ever. Second, this letter is from someone who has deep respect for what you personally have done for the Chinese people and for the great progress that has been made in your great country.

... I recall you telling me the last time we met that you had largely ceased to be involved in the day-to-day running of your great country.But I also remember your haunting words: China's need to maintain good relations with the West, your concern about China being "besieged" and countries that have seriously hurt China, and your determination to promote China's progress.I'm not writing to you to bypass other Chinese leaders, I'm just writing as a friend, a real "Lao peng you" (old friend). It is with this in mind that I am writing to you to ask for your help in maintaining this relationship, which we both believe is very important.I try my best not to involve myself in China's internal affairs.I also try to avoid looking like I'm teaching China how to deal with its internal crises.I respect the differences between our two societies and our two systems.

In the letter, Bush also talked about the coverage and influence of the Tiananmen incident by the Western media, as well as the pressure he faced as the president of the United States.In the U.S., he said, "the clamor for tougher action [on China] is rampant. I have resisted the clamor and made it clear that I don't want to see this relationship that you and I have worked so hard to build." harmed. I have made it clear to the American people that I do not want to place an unfair burden on the Chinese people through economic sanctions." At the end of the letter, Bush reiterated: "It is with great respect and deep concern that I send this letter. We must stop the deterioration of this important relationship. Please help me maintain this relationship... …I would certainly like to have your personal answer to this. The matter is too important to be left to those below us."

In order to be able to communicate directly, Bush hoped that Deng Xiaoping could receive his special envoy under confidential circumstances, and especially emphasized that the statements and actions of various departments of the US government were under his direct guidance and control.Bush knew that sending a secret envoy to visit China was an adventure.So he only showed the letter to Scowcroft, Baker, and White House Chief of Staff Su Nunu. After the letter was written, on the morning of June 21, Bush decided to personally seek the opinion of Han Xu, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, to see if the suggestion of sending a special envoy was appropriate.Scowcroft quickly arranged a time for the meeting, but because the Washington press heard the news, a large number of reporters flooded into the White House, forcing Bush to cancel the meeting, and Scowcroft secretly delivered the letter to the White House. Ambassador Han Xu.

After Scowcroft handed Bush's letter to Han Xu, he explained that Bush wanted to communicate with Deng Xiaoping directly in a secret way.Han Xu appreciated the idea of ​​sending a special envoy very much, and said that he could do it. To Bush's surprise, Deng Xiaoping agreed to his proposal within 24 hours. At 5 o'clock in the morning on June 30, Scowcroft and Eagle Berger secretly left Washington on a C-141 transport plane of the US Air Force.In order to deceive the public, in the official flight log, the destination of the plane was Okinawa, Japan (OKINAWA), and the US military logo on the plane was also removed.When the plane flew over Shanghai, China, the Chinese air defense force, which had not been notified, became nervous for a while, and began to aim and ask whether to shoot down the "unknown nationality" plane.Fortunately, relevant parties reported to Yang Shangkun in time to avoid misunderstanding. On the morning of July 2, Deng Xiaoping personally received them at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Deng Xiaoping went straight to the point, clearly expressing the Chinese government's firm position against US interference in China's internal affairs, and at the same time expressing China's belief and position on maintaining the basic stability of US-China relations. Although the talks did not reach specific consensus, they kept the channels of dialogue open among the top leaders.Scowcroft reported to Bush immediately upon his return.According to the report, Bush wrote another letter to Deng Xiaoping on July 21.Bush's letter began thus: Dear Director Deng, dear friend: I use this unique title because General Scowcroft told me that if I continued to consider you a friend, you would be more than willing to consider me a friend, no matter what the difficulties that now exist between us such consequences.

Without a doubt, I want our relationship to be like this. ... Then, on July 31 and September 28, US Secretary of State Baker and Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen met in Paris and New York successively.Then, on October 28, Nixon visited China, and Deng Xiaoping once again expressed China's position to Nixon.Therefore, Bush decided to take considerable political risks again and openly sent Scowcroft and Eagle Berger to visit China as special envoys. On December 10, 1989, Deng Xiaoping, who had fully retired in November, still made an exception to meet with two special envoys of President Bush, and said earnestly: "I have already retired. It is not my job to do such a thing, but I It would be too impolite and unreasonable for me to see you as the special envoy of my friend President Bush." ​​Scowcroft conveyed Bush's greetings to Deng Xiaoping and said: "Although you have retired, President Bush still treats you as a Friends, always friends."

In his speech, Deng Xiaoping emphasized the importance of Sino-US relations, the weight of China and China's role in the Asia-Pacific region, and the joint efforts of China and the United States to improve Sino-US relations and other issues.Finally, Deng Xiaoping said: "Please ask the special envoy to tell President Bush that there is a retired old man in eastern China who is concerned about the improvement and development of Sino-US relations." Under the atmosphere unfavorable to China in the United States, the Bush administration stubbornly withstood all kinds of pressure and kept the last cornerstone of Sino-US relations—the most-favored-nation treatment, thus ensuring the normal operation of Sino-US economic and trade relations, making Sino-US relations had a new foundation in the post-Cold War period.This is just as Bush said in June 1991: "I don't want to be a president who will set back Sino-US relations." In the general election, Bush finally lost to Clinton and became the fifth incumbent president of the United States in the 20th century who failed to be re-elected. Politicians of great powers who lost elections. After retirement, Bush continued to work hard for the friendship between China and the United States, emphasizing the importance of China in Asia and the international arena to the American people, refuting the absurd "China threat theory", and building bridges for the economic and trade development of China and the United States, becoming the most frequent visit to China. America president. In 1996, Bush said in Beijing that his and his wife Barbara's life in China was a unique experience, "Since then, we have always returned to China with our long-lasting affection and friendship with the Chinese people. And we also return to China with a better understanding of Chinese culture. To understand China, we must respect it as a big country.” He feels that contemporary China not only has great diversity and a long history, but is also full of With endless opportunities. In December 1989, a retired Chinese old man said: "Although there are some entanglements between China and the United States, there are various problems and differences, but in the final analysis, Sino-US relations must be improved. This is the need for world peace and stability. " In August 1996, a retired American man said on the other side of the world: "There is no relationship in the world today that is more important than the US-China relationship. In the next millennium, there is no relationship that is more important than the US-China relationship." peace is more important." Then let us remember their names --- Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening up, and George Bush, the 41st president of the United States.