Comments on the Draft Letter to Eisenhower
(September 7, 1958)
Comrade Enlai:
This morning, about five or six people conducted a thorough review of Document III, the draft of Khrushchev’s letter to Eisenhower. If possible,
[I) Refers to the draft letter dated September 7, 1958, from Nikita Khrushchev, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, to U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In the letter, Khrushchev urged the U.S. government to proceed with caution regarding its actions in Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait, warning against any rash steps that could lead to uncontrollable consequences. He pointed out that the persistent and highly abnormal tension in the Far East stemmed from the U.S. government’s hostility toward the People’s Republic of China, its social system, and its state structure.
The primary cause of the current tense—and indeed very dangerous—situation lies in the fact that the United States has, by force, occupied China’s age-old territory: Taiwan Island and the Penghu Islands—and continues to hold these territories, using as a pretext its support for Chiang Kai-shek, a traitor to the Chinese people. The letter emphasized that China is not isolated; it has loyal friends who stand ready to assist at a moment’s notice should China be attacked, since China’s security interests are inseparable from those of the Soviet Union. The letter also noted that, owing to the U.S. government’s stance, the Government of the People’s Republic of China has been unable to participate in the work of the United Nations, a situation that is profoundly abnormal and gravely unfair to the Chinese people. Only the government based in Beijing, the capital of China, which enjoys the unwavering trust of hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens in its leadership of the nation, possesses both the right and the genuine capacity to represent China on the international stage. It is solely the unrealistic position adopted by the U.S. government—constantly disregarding the realities of China—that serves as an obstacle, preventing the member states of the United Nations from adopting the only correct decision: to expel Chiang Kai-shek, a political impostor and mere shell, from the organization and to grant the representatives of Great China their legitimate seats within the United Nations.
September 10, 1958
The People’s Daily published the full text of this letter.

If feasible, please draft an opinion paper for Foreign Minister Gromyko[1] to take with him. The parts that are undoubtedly correct account for approximately 90 percent, while the points open to discussion constitute only a small minority. What do you think?
Mao Zedong
7:00 a.m., September 7
Khrushchev’s text should include commentary on the new Sino-U.S. statement.
[1]
Refers to Andrei Gromyko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.