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October 20, 1954

Excerpt from Premier Zhou Enlai's Second Meeting with Nehru

This document was made possible with support from MacArthur Foundation

[...]

 

Nehru: Many countries in Asia and some countries in Europe and South America do not have fixed opinions. If they are given explanations, they will gradually understand. We have made them understand through friendly means. This is how we treat these countries.

 

Certain countries do not want to see the tense situation ease up. They want the crisis to continue. Our goal is to further ease the tension and eventually put an end to the tension, so that all problems can be solved. Our main goal is to avoid war without surrendering to anyone. We will never give up our rights, but we must avoid war.

 

I’d like to hear Premier Zhou’s opinion.

 

Zhou: According to the conversation yesterday and what Prime Minister Nehru has said today, China and India understand each other’s positions best. We both realize that some country, that is, America, does not want to see the tension ease up. We are willing to ease the tension and avoid or delay world war. This will allow people around the world to live in peace together and engage in peaceful development. The question is, why does America want to create tension? Why does it threaten the world? What is its purpose? Yesterday, Prime Minister Nehru said to Chairman Mao that America wants to maintain the interests it has. I think that America not only wants to maintain its interests; it also wants expansion. American wants to get more interests with threats.

 

[...]

Zhou and Nehru ponder American foreign policy and whether the US wants "to create tension."



Document Information

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PRC FMA 204-00007-04, 33. Obtained by Chen Jian and translated by 7Brands.

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2015-03-20

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121741

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MacArthur Foundation