Fmr. Foreign Minster Fredrick Chien: When the U.S. Ended Formal Ties with the R.O.C. (Taiwan) - on air version

·14 min·1 clip

Former Foreign Minister Frederick Chien reveals what happened when Jimmy Carter cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1978.

This episode of Taiwan Talk features an interview with former Foreign Minister and Control Yuan President Frederick Chien, recorded as part of ICRT's 45th birthday celebration. Chien provides a first-hand account of the diplomatic crisis that unfolded after U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced on December 15, 1978 that America would recognize the People's Republic of China and end formal relations with Taiwan effective January 1, 1979. Chien recalls receiving a late-night phone call summoning him to President Jiang Jingguo's residence at Seven Seas Villa. He reveals that he had prepared ten different scenarios for potential U.S. diplomatic shifts years earlier, including the exact scenario that unfolded. U.S. envoy Leonard Unger arrived around 2 a.m. with three documents: Carter's notification to Chiang, the U.S.-PRC joint communique, and details about future unofficial relations. Unger demanded that Taiwan keep the news secret for eight hours, which angered President Chiang who felt betrayed after decades of alliance. The meeting lasted less than an hour. Chiang immediately implemented Chien's contingency plan, calling top officials and alerting embassies worldwide. Chien describes the difficult two-week transition period where they secretly prepared negotiation positions using past experiences with diplomatic breaks. He mentions how the foreign minister initially resisted preparations with a Chinese proverb about not preparing coffers before death. On December 19th, Unger expressed concerns about American safety in Taiwan, to which Chien assured protection while demanding reciprocal protection for Taiwanese in the U.S. The episode explains how this crisis led to the creation of ICRT radio to maintain American cultural presence after U.S. armed forces left Taiwan. Chien's narrative provides rare insider perspective on one of Taiwan's most significant diplomatic moments.

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