SEEKS TO BASE TENSION
In a lengthy interview which he granted Gerald Long, general manager of Reuters, and which was made public October 135, Chou En-lai sought to allay the tension deriving from the conflict between Moscow and Peking. Two points made by the Chinese premier were of special interest. One was his reaffirmation of the mutual interests that bind the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China together; the other was the indication that his government has noted the question raised by certain influential Americans on the advisability of taking a fresh look at U.S. policy in relation to China,
Asked whether differences between leaders of the Chinese and Soviet Communist parties would affect state relations, Chou En-lai replied:
We don't see it that way.
‘Of course, there are serious disputes of principle between our two parties, and on some questions, the Soviet side has carried these disagreements over into state relations. On our side, we strictly abide by the principle of dispute between parties.
"Contacts between the two states and the two parties will continue as before. I see no reason for thinking that our two states should be severed from one another. The Soviet leaders themselves say this is a matter within the socialist community of nations.
"Some people may have thoughts of using Sino-Soviet differences to deal with China and the Soviet Union separately. Those with such ideas will certainly be disappointed.
“On the contrary, if any act of aggression occurs against any socialist country this would be an act of aggression against the whole socialist camp. It would be impossible not to give support. If a country refused to give. support, it. would not be a socialist country."
In the last sentence, of course, is an implied threat to revise the estimate of the Soviet Union as a “socialist” country should Khrushchev fail to rally to the support of China in case of imperialist aggression.
On the question of the voices now heard in the United States advocating a change in policy toward China, Chou En-lai said that there were. even people in the ruling group who favored a modification. However, he maintained cautious reserve about the actual possibilities, confining himself to restating the position of the Chinese government.
"They may talk about making some changes in United States policy towards China, but so long as they don't change their basic policy it would -be difficult to bring China and the United States closer together, This policy is one of aggression and war threats against China.
We have been unable to reach agreement with the United States Govern-. ment. representative in the Chinese-United States ambassadorial talks on one basic question: Would the United States agree in principle to withdraw its armed forces from Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait and remove its
armed threats? Up to now the United States ruling group has not agreed."
He said that “regardless of what sect or group it may be, we dontt see that any of them have any idea of changing the policy of splitting Taiwan from China and therefore we don't see any change in this basic policy."
Chou Enelai felt that the U.S, would probably again manipulate its majority in the United Nations to bar China's entrance and to maintain the Chiang Kai-shek delegate. He considered this unreasonable and ridiculous. China had been very patient, but it was inconceivable that a nation and people with self-respect would not feel indignant about this.
In replying to a general question about China's role in international affairs, Chou wound up by again referring to relations with the United States.
‘We are willing to be friendly with all peoples throughout the world," he said. “In regard to all countries which have the same desire as we have, and base their policies on the five principles of peaceful coexistence as we do, we are willing to be friendly with them.
"In my speech at the state banquet on September 30 in honor of our National Day I said we were willing to have friendly contacts with all states, governments, parties, organizations, and individuals which share our desire to be friendly.
"But I must make clear our stand: we cannot be friendly with any country which, violating the five principles of peaceful coexistence, invades us, commits aggression against us, or interferes in our internal affairs. A very obvious example is the United States, which is still occupying our territory, Taiwan, and still carrying out armed threats in the Taiwan Strait."
He said that "even where the United States is concerned we always tell foreign friends we are willing to be friendly to the American people. Nor do we refuse negotiations with the Government of the United States."
In suggesting that the Chinese government is willing to negotiate with the Kennedy administration, Chou En-lai is not initiating a new ‘policy. This was the position of the Mao regime at the time of the great victory over Chiang Kai-shek. All the advances made by the new government of China toward the U.S. were arrogantly and even violently repulsed by - the Truman administration. As a result a process was started that ended in the downfall of capitalism in China and the construction of a workers state. The Eisenhower administration, not having learned anything from the results of Truman's foreign policy, repeated essentially the same pattern with Cuba.
It is to be hoped that the Kennedy administration will finally see the wisdom of making a change and recognizing the established government of China. In any case those in the United States who are advocating such a turn should feel encouraged to continue their efforts. Chou En-lai has . indicated to them through his interview with Gerald Long that the Chinese government would respond to a positive turn by Washington.