Detente Beneficial People Both Socialist Countries Capitalist Countries

Date: 1959-10-26
Source: en:FLP-Diplomacy
DETENTE IS BENEFICIAL TO THE PEOPLE
OF BOTH THE SOCIALIST COUNTRIES
AND THE CAPITALIST COUNTRIES*
(October 26, 1959)
Tensions in the international situation are created by imperialism, but
they are turning into their opposite. In large part such tensions have made the
imperialists feel things were going against them, against their objectives of
preserving capitalism and eliminating socialism. The actions of Dulles' have
turned out to be counter productive, so the imperialists want to move out of
this very narrow path. If tensions were helping them realise their objectives
of preserving capitalism and eliminating socialism, it would be unthinkable for
them to make any changes. It seems they have come to see the harm and want
to make some changes. Moreover, they are afraid of war. Neither of the world
wars advanced their interests, as is known to all. A third world war would
advance their interests even less. For a country like the United States, the
outbreak of war would be most disadvantageous.
Detente is beneficial to the people of both the socialist countries and the
capitalist ones and results from the struggles of the socialist countries, the
fraternal parties and forces for peace in the world. It would be very good if
we could have another decade of peace. It would be fine if China and the
Soviet Union could carry out several more five-year plans.
But one should see the other side of the coin, that, in order to maintain
its military industries as well as seize interests in other countries, imperialism
still needs a degree of tension in the situation. For example, since Khrushchev's
visit to America, the United States has set up new rocket-launching bases in
some countries and has created an issue out of Tibet in the United Nations. It
shows that it still needs to create tension, so we should remain on our guard.
(From the verbatim record)
* These are excerpts from Mao Zedong's talk with L.L. Sharkey, General Secretary of
the Communist Party of Australia.