Opinion on Consulting India
Regarding the Plan for the Repatriation of Prisoners of War [1]

(May 6, 1953)

Please, this evening (preferably well in advance of the meeting at Panmunjom), summon the Indian Ambassador to your office and formally inform him that our side will, on the 7th at 11:00, propose India as one of the five nations on the Neutral Nations Committee, and hand over the new plan to him. Also inform him that our side’s April 26 plan remains in reserve. Should the U.S. side adopt a hostile attitude toward our new plan, we will still revert to the old plan, at which time we will nominate India alone as the sole neutral nation to take custody of the prisoners of war. It is hoped that India will, for the time being, refrain from declaring a unilateral preference for the second plan between these two plans, while deeming the first plan inappropriate, because the United States is exceedingly cunning. If it does not accept our second plan, we will still return to the first plan. In reality, sending the prisoners of war to India will not cause India great trouble. On the contrary, it is likely that the majority of prisoners of war will be swiftly repatriated, leaving only a small number behind. The approach India has taken over the past week of temporarily refraining from expressing a stance on our first plan is a good one, and it is hoped that in the future the first plan will not be blocked off entirely. Asian nations should unite and assist one another. The imperialists are never well-disposed toward us, but China trusts India. The above is for your consideration and handling.

Mao Zedong
May 6