CIA: Cold Open.

Cold Open. This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency intelligence appraisal on U.S. – China relations, dated April fifteenth, nineteen eighty‑three. The document is notable because it records Beijing’s assessment of American policy toward China, Taiwan, and technology transfer during a period of heightened diplomatic tension. The source is archived at archive.org, the public repository for The Black Vault. Provenance. The appraisal was released to the public through The Black Vault, a digital collection of declassified U.S. government records. The declassification authority is the Central Intelligence Agency, and the material was made available online on the date of its upload to the archive. The record is reproduced here exactly as it appears in the original file. The Document. Central Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Intelligence, April fifteen, nineteen eighty‑three. U.S.–China Relations. Beijing’s dissatisfaction with U.S. policy toward China apparently has led it to redefine its objectives and interests in dealing with Washington. The Chinese, in fact, have stated that they expect little progress in relations over the near term. As a result, Beijing appears determined to restrict cooperation to areas that offer China clear and immediate advantages. Events since the Secretary of State’s visit—particularly the decision to grant asylum to tennis star Hu Na—have further reinforced Beijing’s inclination to maintain a somewhat distant geopolitical relationship in Washington while continuing to seek U.S. technology. Concern over U.S. policy toward Taiwan—particularly U.S. arms sales—led Beijing in early nineteen eighty‑one to begin questioning the value of its ties to Washington. In October nineteen eighty‑one, China began insisting that Washington set a date for terminating its arms sales to Taiwan. Although the Joint Communiqué of seventeen August nineteen eighty‑two temporarily defused the arms‑sale issue and allowed Beijing to reaffirm its interest in strengthening the relationship, the Chinese have not yet indicated how far they wish to go in developing bilateral ties. Part of this uncertainty stems from the fact that the Taiwan arms issue reinforced the general movement in Chinese foreign policy toward a more self‑assertive and nationalistic style that began in nineteen eighty‑one. In stressing its independence of both superpowers and reemphasizing its ties to the Third World, China has distanced itself from the United States, which Chinese propaganda labels, as it does the Soviet Union, a “hegemonist” power. CONFIDENTIAL. At the same time, China also has begun to explore ways to reduce tensions and improve relations with the Soviet Union. While still regarding the Soviet Union as its main adversary, Beijing has broadened bilateral contacts and increased trade with Moscow. The Chinese not only see value in a reduction of Sino‑Soviet tensions but also deem it a reminder to… After the seventeen August Communiqué, Beijing aired further complaints about U.S. policy, the chief being policy toward Taiwan. China increased its attacks on the Taiwan Relations Act as inconsistent with the normalization Communiqué of nineteen seventy‑nine, and continues to view the provisions of the Act as an obstacle in the relationship. Beijing’s dissatisfaction over U.S. restrictions on advanced technology has become the second major issue clouding Sino‑U.S. relations. Already sensitive about allegedly unfulfilled U.S. commitments, China is seeking a better response on this subject. Beijing desires access to as much advanced and restricted U.S. technology as possible, and argues that the United States is not treating China as an equal. The theme of unequal treatment has been a consistent Chinese complaint about Soviet behavior in the 1950s and its extension to relations with the United States may be fueling a more recent nationalistic tone of Chinese foreign policy. Beijing also has raised several other complaints about U.S. policy, and most recently retaliated against the Hu Na decision by canceling the remaining Sino‑U.S. cultural and sports exchanges for nineteen