A Comment on a Statement
( August 1956 )

It seems there should be a few words of advice to the British and French governments and the British and French peoples, urging them not to do anything that violates the will for peace of the people of the world, and not to become overly agitated and go to extremes, causing the situation to expand, which would be detrimental to world peace and also detrimental to Britain and France.

[1]
This comment by Mao Zedong was written on the joint statement (preliminary draft) of China’s various democratic parties and people’s organizations in support of Egypt’s announcement of the nationalization of the Suez Canal Company. Later, this joint statement was changed to a statement by the Chinese government, published in *Renmin Ribao* on August 16, 1956. Around this time, the various democratic parties and people’s organizations separately issued relevant statements. In accordance with Mao Zedong’s comment, the Chinese government’s statement added a paragraph of advice to the British and French governments: “The Chinese government holds that Egypt’s sovereign act of nationalizing the Suez Canal Company brooks no interference by any foreign country; the question concerning the freedom of navigation on the Suez Canal can be resolved through peaceful consultation. Prior to this incident, Britain and France had taken certain relatively wise actions conducive to easing international tension. The Chinese government hopes that Britain and France will approach the Suez Canal question in this spirit. Any act of threat or interference by force will inevitably meet with resolute opposition from the people of Asia and Africa and the people of the whole world, and will in no way be beneficial to Britain and France either.”