Asian-African countries Should Unite To Safeguard Peace And Independence

Date: 1956-08-21
Source: en:FLP-Diplomacy
ASIAN-AFRICAN COUNTRIES SHOULD UNITE
TO SAFEGUARD PEACE AND INDEPENDENCE*
(August 21, 1956)
We welcome very much your visit to China. Our two countries are
neighbors and friends, and we are very happy that relations between our two
countries have recently become closer and have developed further. You have
already seen how delighted the Chinese people are to see you.
We in China have difficulties, too. As we have been oppressed by foreign
powers for over 100 years and founded the People's Republic not long ago,
development is needed in industry, culture and other fields. We need help
from friends. Our countries can carry on cooperation in the future.
We welcome your visit to China in order to promote mutual understanding. Smaller countries should also be respected. Cambodia regards herself as a
small country, but we have received her visiting delegation as envoys of a great
nation. We treat big and small countries as equals.
All Asian-African countries are now striving for independence. It has been
only a little over one year since the Asian-African Conference'" and the
Bandung Spirit has spread fast and its impact is great. The Asian-African
conference united big and small countries encompassing a population of 1.5
billion. Since the Egyptian incident'" the line of demarcation between
colonialism and anti-colonialism has become more pronounced. At the London
Conference'" even Japan did not side with the colonists. Japan had not been
so active at the Bandung Conference. The colonialist countries have few people
and are fundamentally not frightening. With their wings clipped, they cannot
fly now. Currently all Asian-African countries are striving for independence
and developing their economies and cultures, and this has even influenced
Latin America.
As our numerous Asian-African countries had been subjected to foreign
domination, with the winning of independence we should unite to safeguard
* These are excerpts from Mao Zedong's talk with Prince Souvana Phuma, Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Laos.
peace and independence. It can be seen by just looking at our countries that
we shall not commit aggression against other countries. There is no reason to
commit aggression against others. A land has long been inhabited by its own
nation; on what grounds should other nations intrude? In the past Japan was
the aggressor, and now the United States is. There are still foreign bases on
your soil, and our Taiwan is still occupied by others.
Your policies and principles are very good—internally you have pursued
a policy of peace and democracy, and externally a policy of independence and
friendship. This enables you to develop your economy in a peaceful environment. Now your civil war has ended and reconciliation has been achieved. We
follow a similar policy, and we are ready to resolve the Taiwan question with
Chiang Kai-shek by peaceful means. You have done very well—with the
solution of internal problems, things are easier to manage.
Among those present here today on our side there are none who fought
with us in the past, but there are some who quarreled with us, because they
belong to various political parties. Those who fought against us also have their
jobs in Beijing, with each playing an appropriate role.
Many of our principles are identical. We shall never interfere in your
internal affairs, never do communist propaganda in your country, never
attempt to overthrow your government—ours is a policy of friendship.
Whatever system, policy and religion you choose is your own affair, in which
we shall not, and should not, interfere. We shall assuredly support you on the
basis of the Five Principles,'® and this is mutually beneficial.
We are concerned about the East, not the West, as in the East there are
still people like Syngman Rhee,®® Chiang Kai-shek and Ngo Dinh Diem."® In
the past Japan committed aggression against China; now many Japanese have
contact with us. We want to have good relations with them, and we are also
willing to have good relations with the United States. We have talked with the
United States at Panmunjom for two years and at Geneva for a year; we believe
the talks will end up well one day, and we are not impatient. Over the Taiwan
question our attitude is the same, we are not impatient.
(From the verbatim record)