President Ronald Reagan is Interested in His Close Friend Douglas Morrow’s Impressions of China

Douglas Morrow was a Hollywood screenwriter and film producer. He earned an Academy Award for his script for 1949’s The Stratton Story, a biography of baseball player Monty Stratton, who was disabled in a hunting accident. Reagan played the lead role in the film, and the men stayed close. Morrow’s other films included Jim Thorpe – All-American and Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. He also wrote for a number of television series.

Typed Letter Signed “Ron” as President, on White House letterhead, Washington, December 18, 1981, to Morrow who had recently returned from China. “Many thanks for your detailed and colorful report of your trip to China. You certainly covered a great deal of territory in a short time, and I found your exchanges with the Chinese to be highly interesting. The jade elephant has been received. It is a beautiful piece of artwork which Nancy and I appreciate very much. Nancy joins me in sending you and Margot our warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

In a handwritten postscript Reagan writes “P.S. How did you handle chopsticks? – Not the music-the eating kind.”

Reagan himself would visit China in 1984. The visit would be a vast undertaking with an enormous entourage – over 800 people. For a politician like Reagan who had repeatedly criticized President Jimmy Carter for establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing, it was a huge move. For the Chinese, it was a very welcome symbol of acceptance.