PEKING: United States President Gerald Ford tonight [Dec 4] wound up his China trip by saying Sino-American relations were good, but “we discussed our differences”. President Ford, in a banquet speech … said his talks with Chairman Mao Tsetung and Vice-Premier Teng Hsiao-ping had been “friendly, candid, substantial and constructive. We discussed our differences, which are natural in a relationship between two countries whose ideologies, societies and circumstances diverge. But we also confirmed that we have common points… .”

… Mr. Teng in his return speech said … “China and the [US] have different social systems, our two sides have different ideologies, and naturally there are differences of principle between us.”

[Meanwhile, as reported by the staff correspondent from Lahore,] the convention of Opposition legislators ended ... without taking any decision and the only outcome appears to be some sort of confidence that the legislators would accept the decisions of party bosses on the crucial issues of resignation from seats and drawing of “line of action”. Meanwhile … a meeting of [Opposition] members of the [NA] and Senate … is likely to be held in Islamabad on Dec 8.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2025