Because he also first visited Beijing and Hong Kong and met with Jiang Zemin, Chi Haotian, Wang Daohan and Tung Chee-hwa, Perry's visit could be interpreted as being a message-bearing mission.
至於培里一行人，由於來台訪問前，曾訪問北京和香港，並會晤江澤民、遲浩田、汪道涵、董建華等人，因此被認為傳話意味濃厚。