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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, December 12, 1979
Page 2
Worldwide Church of God, and they knew well what I really meant. It was
just said in a polite way, unoffensive to them--yet unmistakably getting
the message over.
Tuesday night, after a day's trip to the Great Wall of China, I
spoke to the Diplomatic Corps. Beside Chinese officials, there were
present FIFTY-SEVEN ambassadors--officials from 57 OTHER NATIONS! The
speaking that night was also taped. You'll probably hear it next Sabbath.
This dinner was held in the Great Hall of the People in spacious
Peoples' Square. It is a huge building, filling an entire block, and
housing government headquarters.
The dining room is larger than a U.S.
football field!
Wednesday morning we visited the State Library, and Forbidden City-
the walled-in former headquarters and palaces of the E�perors--now
apparently just a sightseeing place. There was a luncheon, with ��
speaking except the usual continual round of toasts.
At 4 p.m. we had a meeting lasting one hour with one of the two Vice
Chairmen. The other Vice-Chairman and Chairman Hua were at the same time
at the airport welcoming Prime Minister Ohira of Japan, who was just
arriving for important talks on the Korea and Viet Nam situations--crucial
to them right now.
Wednesday evening we attended a show at a theatre, sponsored by the
AICF. It was a series of semi-ballet performances--quite a spectacular
performance. Mr. Rader will probably arrange for the troup to appear at
Ambassador Auditorium, with other appearances in New York, Chicago,
Washington, and other U.S. cities. There was great applause from the
audience when I walked in, and Mrs. Armstrong and I, with Mr. and Mrs.
Rader, were whisked up on the stage at the conclusion, shaking hands with
the many performers, as the audience applauded.
That had been an exhausting day. But Thursday at noon we drove to
the airport and flew back to Tokyo.
Saturday night there was an important banquet in my honor in Tokyo
with several ambassadors and wives and chief officials from the Chinese
Embassy present.
Sunday evening, 6 p.m., our aircraft was taking off for Tucson. We
arrived here in Tucson Sunday afternoon, hours before we left Tokyo. When
you ARRIVE before you START, that's speed! Of course we were helped by
the international date line.
So the long-anticipated visit to Communist China has come and gone--a
huge success, as we all believe.