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Teng: There is something else I would like to ask about your SALT agreement. Does it mean strategic arms? Does it apply only to nuclear arms?
Kissinger: Yes, and only those with an intercontinental range.
Teng: That means that only those strategic weapons are included, not others.
Kissinger: According to the definition of the agreement.
Teng: But outside of that agreement, what is meant by strategic weapons? For example, conventional weapons have been considered strategic?
Kissinger: No.
Teng: Then we differ a bit here. Because here is the question of whether a future war would be a nuclear war.
Kissinger: What do you think?
Teng: We don't think so necessarily.
Kissinger: I agree. But I would like to say, as I said to the Chairman and Prime Minister, we would consider any sign of expansion of the Soviet sphere -- either to the West or East, whether countries were covered by treaty or not, as a threat to our long-term security. It has nothing to do with our affection for the countries covered but strategic reality. Secondly, we don't care if that expansion comes with conventional or nuclear weapons.
Teng: You know there is a story, after Khrushchev came to Peking. He came to Peking in 1954, and he gave us this reasoning: During that visit, aside from boasting of his corn planting, he also boasted about the uselessness of naval vessels. He said that in the missile era naval vessels were nothing other than moving targets and they would be finished off at once. And the Soviet Union actually ceased to build their Navy for two or three years. But they very quickly rectified that. And since then, while energetically developing their nuclear weapons, they are at the same time continuing to build their conventional weapons and their navy also.
Kissinger: That is true, but we don't think that they have a strong navy.
Teng: But they have increased their numbers.
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