Table-Hopping Chou

China continues its quest for new contacts and alignments throughout the world. Last week, the Chinese welcomed the inaugural flight to Peking by Ethiopian Airlines. TIME's Hong Kong Bureau Chief Roy Rowan was aboard and duly found himself face to face with Premier Chou En-lai at the Great Hall of the People. His report:

After climbing what seemed like an acre of white marble stairs, up a cascading red carpet, we were herded into position on a three-tiered platform erected especially for group portraits with the Premier. Immediately in strode Chou, brisk and businesslike, and very trim in a plain gray tunic with matching gray trousers. A miniature Chairman Mao button pinned to his tunic gave the only dash of color to his outfit. The guests applauded the Premier, and Chou, still unsmiling, clapped in return. Floodlights snapped on and the official photographer cranked off three exposures. Then everybody trailed after the Premier as he entered the Great Hall of the People for the banquet.

For the next hour and a half Chou table-hopped. Through an interpreter, he alternately fielded and ducked the questions thrown at him, but usually with a quip.

"Are you coming to the United States?" one guest asked.

"I don't know which airline to take," said Chou. "I have too many debts [for foreign travel]."

Each time Chou moved to a new table, he shook everyone's hand. Then a waiter would give him a warm, moist rag to wipe his hands. His right hand was injured during the Long March and is sensitive.

"How high-ranking a diplomat will the U.S. send to Peking?" someone asked.

"Not less than the ambassadorial level that the U.S. has in some countries," he replied.

"Is Henry Kissinger a good negotiator?"

"I think so!"

"When will China inaugurate air service abroad?"

"Within a year. Asia will have the first priority. Africa too. Canada will be first in North America."

An American travel agent, Thomas M. Keesling, asked when China might be opened up to tourists. "Have you met our travel service people?" asked Chou. Moments later, Yang Kung-su, director of the China International Travel Service, was delivered to the table. Chou then told both Keesling and Director Yang that he would like to see a greater exchange of people and that Keesling could come back to China to work on this whenever he wanted. Then the questions started again.

"When do you think the U.S. and the Peoples' Republic of China will establish full diplomatic relations?"

"You have Chiang Kai-shek's representatives in the U.S.," said Chou. "Once you realize that Taiwan is a province of China, that will solve everything."

The Premier continued to table-hop. At every table Chou would carefully clink his glass of Mao Tai, which he barely sipped, against the glass of each guest. One very striking young Ethiopian woman started to pull back her glass, reminding the Premier that he had already toasted her at another table. Chou's eyes stayed right on the beautiful lady and his glass kept moving forward until it clinked hers.

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