(April 10, 1956)
Chairman Mao Zedong (hereafter referred to as Mao): How long have you been in Beijing?
Ambassador Kim A. Gregersen (hereafter referred to as Gregersen):
It has already been three years. I like Beijing very much.
I sincerely hope that the relations between our two countries will develop.
Mao: Our two countries have never fought a war in the past. Will there be a war in the future?
Gregersen:
No, there will not.
Mao: Are you not a country that participates in the Atlantic Alliance? If the United States starts a war, what will you do then?
Gregersen:
That will not happen. There will be no war between our two countries in the future either. The emergence of China as a great power in the world has saved the peace.
Mao: China is merely a so-so country. It has a large territory, but its strength is not great.
Gregersen:
China has a large territory, over 12 million square kilometers, while Denmark has only over 40,000 square kilometers.
Mao:
China’s territory is not that large. If only every square kilometer were as developed as in your country.
Gregersen:
China also has a population of 600 million!
Mao: China will not go about with its tail up toward others. If China does put its tail up, you may
This is part of a conversation between Mao Zedong and the Danish Ambassador to China, Kim A. Gregersen.

criticize it.
Gregersen:
That would naturally not happen. As for Denmark, although its territory is small, in terms of per unit area, it is managed not badly. I would like to draw the Chairman’s attention to the fact that China will send two delegations to Denmark to study agriculture and cooperatives.
Mao: We are very willing to learn from you. We are willing to learn from all countries in the world. If the Americans are willing, we are also willing to learn from them. Every country has strong points worth learning from. We are also willing to learn from Iceland.
Gregersen: Iceland only has fisheries, and very little agriculture.
Mao: Fisheries are precisely worth learning from.
Gregersen: I hope that when the Chinese delegations return from their study tour in Denmark, they will introduce the situation in Denmark.
Mao: It needs to be introduced in the newspapers. If you stay in Beijing all the time, your knowledge is also limited. I think that the diplomatic envoys stationed in Beijing could organize two trips each year, after May 1st and October 1st (that is, after spring plowing and autumn harvesting), to go and see various places in China. What do you think?
Gregersen: This is a very good idea.
Mao: We also need to learn a bit about how you run cooperatives.