Critique and Revisions to Zhang Wentian's Draft Speech on International Issues[1]
(July 5, 1959)

Distribute to all comrades. Well worth a look.

Shang Kun[3] to handle.
Mao Zedong
July 5

[1] Refers to the draft speech on international issues by Zhang Wentian, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered at the Foreign Ministry's theoretical discussion meeting on June 27, 1959. Its main content covers four aspects: the question of differences among socialist countries, the question of the middle line of certain nationalist countries, the question of changes in the foreign policies of the United States and Britain, and the question of the overall assessment of the international situation.
[2] In Part Two of this text, the words printed in Song typeface were added by Mao Zedong.
[3] Shang Kun, namely Yang Shangkun, then served as alternate secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.

Critique and Revisions to Zhang Wentian's Draft Speech on International Issues

Therefore, on many issues of common interest and concern in the West, Britain and the United States are united in opposing us. However, on certain other issues, even on some extremely important ones, Britain and the United States do not act in concert against us, but have serious differences. For example, on the question of fighting a third world war, Britain is extremely afraid of fighting, whereas a section of people in the United States seems somewhat inclined to fight. For example, Britain is closer to the Soviet Union than the United States is; this is because West Germany attacks Britain very fiercely, and the United States is quite aggressively encroaching on Britain's turf. For example, on the question of two Chinas, they are in agreement, but should a war break out between the United States and China over the Taiwan issue, Britain is resolutely opposed. One must not overestimate the changes in Britain, nor harbor unrealistic illusions.