Commentary on Matters Requiring Attention During the Soviet Visit
(November 28, 1955)
To Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Chen, Deng [3], and Nie Rongzhen: Please read and return to Mao.
Comrades Zhu De and Nie Rongzhen are going to Germany and the Soviet Union. In your talks, please be careful not to make any commitments on specific matters. If the other side raises such issues, you should refer them to the foreign ministries and the ministries of foreign trade of both countries for negotiation. The situation described in this document is worthy of attention.
Mao Zedong
November 28
[1]
Nie Rongzhen,
at that time a member of the CPC Central Military Commission, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, and vice chairman of the National Defense Commission.
[2]
This commentary was written on a report submitted by Peng Dehuai, Vice Premier of the State Council and Minister of National Defense, to Mao Zedong on November 26, 1955. The report stated that recently, Stoff, Deputy Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic, had sent a letter raising the issue of supplying China with optical and medical instruments. Judging from the tone of the letter, it appeared that the purpose was to find a market for these products in China.
[3]
Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Chen refers to Chen Yun,
who at the time was a secretary of the CPC Central Secretariat and Vice Premier of the State Council. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who was then Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.