There could also be reciprocal visits by environmentalists. It is also worthwhile to consider whether some type of Chinese delegation might visit the U.S. to reciprocate the Congressional visits.
Lin Ping said he had a few comments on what Habib had said. Regarding qualitative as well as numerical reciprocity, the exchanges are of course mutual. In general there should be reciprocity of quality, but this is not an absolute certainty in any one year. Some times one side can send one type of delegation and the other side cannot reciprocate in the same year. Instead it might be able to do so the following year or a year after that and in some fields we cannot reach qualitative reciprocity. For example, there is no way the Chinese can reciprocate Congressional visits. In some fields reciprocity is also related to the state of political relations.
Habib said he appreciated Lin's point but our doors are always open to any delegations the Chinese think they can send.
Tsien Ta-yung, referring to the idea of qualitative reciprocity, humorously noted that in 1975 the Chinese will receive an American delegation to study early man but the Chinese can hardly send a delegation to the U.S. to study early American man. As another example, although he has been in the U.S. for one and a half years, he does not know of anything equivalent to the Chinese martial arts group.
Habib said that he was referring to qualitative reciprocity in broad terms; obviously we must be practical. Lin Ping rejoindered that even in broad terms qualitative reciprocity cannot be achieved. Decisions must be based on the actual conditions and situations.
Habib gave as an example the fact that the Chinese would be sending a performing arts troupe and perhaps a sports team to the U.S. to be hosted by the National Committee, while the Chinese would be receiving a group of mayors and a foreign affairs delegation. This is the type of situation we should consider in the future as part of our planning process.
Lin Ping said that we should both look at qualitative reciprocity from an all around viewpoint, not a limited viewpoint.
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