A Note on the Report on the Issue of Diplomatic Intercourse
(October 1959)

Worth a look, and after looking, give it some thought.

Comrades Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Lin, Peng Zhen, Chen Yi, Jiaxiang, Qiaomu, Dingyi, Kangsheng, Boda[2] read,
and return to Mao after reading.

[1] Refers to the report submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 9, 1959, by the Chinese Embassy in Romania, concerning the issue of diplomatic intercourse between envoys of fraternal countries and those of Western countries. The report stated that recently, envoys of certain fraternal countries stationed in Romania have shown great interest in interacting with envoys of Western countries, emphasizing the need to expand contacts with Western countries. They believe that strengthening ties with envoys of Western countries contributes to peaceful coexistence and the improvement of East-West relations. To this end, they have divided the work and cooperated, on the one hand working on us and envoys of other fraternal countries, and on the other hand planning, through certain forms, to expand contacts with envoys of Western countries stationed in Romania. In response, we have already made clear that peaceful coexistence cannot entirely set aside struggle; appropriate contacts are permissible, but one must not place excessive hopes on them.

[2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Lin refers to Lin Biao, then Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council. Peng Zhen, then Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. Chen Yi, then Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Jiaxiang, i.e., Wang Jiaxiang, then Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee. Qiaomu, i.e., Hu Qiaomu, then Alternate Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary to Mao Zedong. Dingyi, i.e., Lu Dingyi, then Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Head of the Central Culture and Education Group, Head of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier of the State Council. Kangsheng, i.e., Kang Sheng, then Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Deputy Head of the Central Culture and Education Group. Boda, i.e., Chen Boda, then Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Political Research Office.