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Conversations with Zhou Enlai

Photograph of Zhou Enlai in 1972.

Zhou, Enlai

1898- 1976

Portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, 1972.

East Asia

China

Aerial view of National Mall

North America

United States

Presidential Office Building of Taiwan

East Asia

Taiwan

Soviet soldier taking a photograph of another soldier in Red Square, Moscow, 1959

Eastern Europe

Soviet Union

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam, 2012.

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Vietnam

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East Asia

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Sino-American Confrontation, 1949-1971

Sino-Soviet Relations

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Representatives from Taiwan at the United Nations, September 1971

Taiwan's International Status

Sino-Soviet Split, 1960-1984

Portrait of Mao Zedong from propaganda poster

Mao, Zedong

1893- 1976

PRC Vice Premier Chen Yi

Chen, Yi

1901- 1972

Photograph of Prince Nordom Sihanouk

Norodom Sihanouk, Prince

1922- 2012

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Ben Bella, Ahmed

1916- 2012

Richard Nixon

Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous)

1913- 1994

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June 21, 1971	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and William Attwood American journalist William Attwood asks Premier Zhou whether the primary obstacle between the U.S. and China is Taiwan, how China plans to reunify with Taiwan, and how China plans to address differences in living standards after reunification. Zhou says that China's stance on the Taiwan issue is that Taiwan belongs to China and the U.S. should not to interfere in China's domestic matters, withdraw its armed forces from the Taiwan straits, and respect China's sovereignty. Zhou believes that living standards will only be improved when Taiwan reunifies with the mainland.
April 14, 1971	[Zhou Enlai's] Conversation with the U.S. Table Tennis Delegation Zhou Enlai speaks with President of the U.S. Table Tennis Association, Graham Steenhoven, after the 31st annual World Table Tennis Championships. Steenhoven thanks Premier Zhou for inviting the U.S. ping-pong team and U.S. journalists to China. U.S. journalists ask Zhou to comment on the American hippie movement. Steenhoven extends an invitation to the Chinese ping-pong team to visit the U.S.
November 30, 1965	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Jean Chauvel Premier Zhou and a representative from the French foreign ministry, Jean Chauvel, talk about the Vietnam War. Zhou voices China's support for Vietnamese people's requests for U.S. troops to withdraw from Vietnam and not interfere in Vietnamese internal issues. Zhou says that the U.S. has not comply to Vietnam's request and has on the contrary expanded the war. Chauvel agrees with Zhou that the final decision about the Vietnamese War should be made by Vietnamese people. Chauvel says that the priority should be to stop the current war and calls for a ceasefire to solve the issue. Zhou cites the U.S. expansion of troops and continued involvement in Vietnam as the cause of heightened tension in Vietnam War.
October 24, 1964	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Philippine's Journalists' Delegation Premier Zhou and Philippine journalists' discuss obstacles to establishing friendly Sino-Philippine relations. One obstacle is that Philippines is part of the U.S. led alliance camp in Asia. Zhou believes that despite China and Philippine being part of two different camps, this should not prevent China and the Philippines from establishing bilateral relations. The second obstacle is that thee Philippines still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Zhou also says that Philippines-Taiwan relations should not prevent the Philippines from establishing relations with the mainland. Reporters ask for Zhou's perspective on U.S. military deployment in Philippines and Filipino people's fear that China might use friendly Sino-Philippines relations to incite communist revolution in their country.
April 18, 1964	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Kenzo Matsumura Zhou Enlai speaks with the spokesman for Japan's conservative party, Kenzo Matsumura. The two sides reached an agreement on the mutual establishment of non-governmental resident offices and the exchange of resident journalists. Zhou also discusses China's stance on the Taiwan issue. Both sides agree to work together toward normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.
October 9, 1963	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Tanzan Ishibashi Premier Zhou speaks with former Japanese Prime Minister Tanzan Ishibashi about promoting Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations. Zhou expresses concern over the U.S.-Japan security treaty and the Japan-Taiwan treaty. Zhou says that diplomatic relations between China and Japan can be normalized when Japan recognizes the CCP as the sole representative of China. Ishibashi raises that there are some Japanese people that still have feelings towards Taiwan. Zhou classifies and explains the "feelings" of the Japanese public towards Taiwan into three groups.
September 21, 1961	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Bernard Law Montgomery Premier Zhou speaks with Viscount Montgomery of Alamein about propositions to ease international tensions. Zhou agrees with Montgomery's three propositions one of which is withdrawal of foreign troops from other countries territory. Zhou proposes withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea and Taiwan cross straits. Also, on the Taiwan issue, Zhou says that there is only one China and Taiwan is a part of China. Zhou believes that Taiwan issue is a internal domestic issue that should not be discussed by the UN.
August 30, 1960	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Edgar Snow Zhou Enlai talks with American journalist Edgar Snow about disputes between China and the U.S. Zhou refutes Western rumors that China has given up on peaceful coexistence with the West. Zhou says that China is willing to use peaceful settlements on disputes between China and the U.S. Zhou talks extensively about the Taiwan issue. Zhou believes that there are two main aspects to the Taiwan issue which needs to be addressed separately. The first is international dispute between the U.S. and China over Taiwan. The second aspect is the domestic dispute between CCP and Chiang Kai-shek over Taiwan. Lastly, Zhou says that the problems over principles needs to be solved before specific problems are addressed.
September 7, 1957	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Reverend Warren McKenna Rev. Warren McKenna from the U.S. talks with Zhou Enlai about the goal of their visit to China, which he says is to better understand "new China". Zhou welcomes the American Youth delegation to China. Zhou agrees with McKenna that working towards world peace and better U.S.-China relations is not only dependent on efforts by professional diplomats, but also direct communication between the two countries' citizens. Members of McKenna's delegation proceed to ask Zhou Enlai questions on various topics, such as the entry of American journalists into China, strategies to improve U.S.- China relations, detained U.S. and China citizens in both countries, Tibet, etc.
January 5, 1955	Transcript of Conversation between Zhou Enlai and Humphrey Trevelyan Zhou Enlai discusses with Trevelyan Humphrey China's concerns with Britain's attitude regarding Sino-British relations. Zhou says that the Chinese side is willing to improve Sino-British relations, improve the situation in East Asia, and ease international tensions. Zhou also discusses with Humphrey the Taiwan issue. He criticizes the U.S. for infringing upon Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan and Britain for its double standards on the Taiwan issue.