Premier:
Comment on the Note to the Indian Government
(January 24, 1960)
1 The note delivered by our government to the Indian government on December 26, it is suggested that a notice be issued in the name of the Central Propaganda Department, and that all Party and League organizations at all levels read and discuss it once. Discussion in the countryside seems unnecessary, as the majority there cannot read. Discussion can be held in factories. Please consult the Standing Committee for a decision.
Mao Zedong
January 24, 2 a.m.
[1]
Refers to the note delivered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on December 26, 1959, to the Embassy of India in China, further stating the facts concerning the Sino-Indian boundary and reiterating the resolution of the boundary question through negotiations. The main contents are as follows:
(1) Has the Sino-Indian boundary ever been formally delimited? The note points out: "The entire Sino-Indian boundary, whether the Western, Middle, or Eastern Sector, has never been formally delimited." "That the Sino-Indian boundary remains to be delimited has been acknowledged by the Indian Government and the British Government over a long period, and there is incontrovertible evidence for this." (2) Where does the traditional customary line of the Sino-Indian boundary lie? The note points out: "Although the Sino-Indian boundary has not been formally delimited, both sides recognize the existence of a traditional customary line, which is the line formed by the jurisdiction historically exercised by each side." The difference lies in that "the Chinese Government's view of the traditional customary line, whether in the Western, Middle, or Eastern Sector, is based on objective facts and substantiated by a vast amount of factual data. The boundary line marked on Indian maps, however, except for the Middle Sector which largely conforms to reality, does not represent the traditional customary line at all in other parts. The boundary lines in the Eastern and Western Sectors, in particular, can be seen beyond doubt to be products of the policy of aggression and expansion pursued by Britain in its modern history." (3) What is the correct way to resolve the Sino-Indian boundary dispute? The note points out: "The Chinese Government has consistently maintained that China and India should take into account the historical background and the current actual situation, and, in accordance with the Five Principles, achieve a comprehensive settlement of the boundary question between the two countries through friendly consultations; pending this, as a provisional measure, the two sides should maintain the status quo of the boundary, and neither side should alter this state of affairs by unilateral action, still less by the use of force; with regard to certain parts of the dispute, it is also possible to reach partial and provisional agreements through negotiations." There are two key issues demanding immediate solution: A. Accepting the simple fact "that the entire boundary between the two countries has indeed never been formally delimited, and therefore, it still awaits settlement through negotiations"; B. "Pending formal delimitation of the boundary, the status quo of the boundary between the two countries must be effectively maintained and tranquility on the border ensured." The full text of this note was published in Renmin Ribao on January 3, 1960.

Reply Letter to Khrushchev [2] on Sending Representatives to Attend the Regular Meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Treaty [1] States Parties
(January 31, February 1, 1960)
Issue as drafted.
Mao Zedong
January 31
[1]
Refers to the treaty signed in Warsaw on May 14, 1955, by eight countries: the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Romania, and Albania, with a term of validity of 20 years. The treaty stipulates the establishment of organizations such as the Unified Command of the Armed Forces and the Political Consultative Committee. When the treaty entered into force on June 4 of the same year, the Warsaw Treaty Organization was formally established, with its headquarters in Moscow.
[2]
Khrushchev, then First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.
[3] This comment is written on the draft reply letter submitted by Zhou Enlai for review on January 31, 1960. The draft submitted for review was dated "January 31, 1960." After Mao Zedong's approval, Zhou Enlai changed the date to "February 1, 1960" upon dispatch.

Dear Comrade N. S. Khrushchev:
Your letter of January 23 has been received. Thank you for informing us of the decision to convene the regular meeting of the Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Treaty States Parties [1]. We have decided to send Comrade Kang Sheng (Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee), Comrade Liu Xiao (Member of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese Ambassador to the Soviet Union), and Comrade Wu Xiuquan (Member of the CPC Central Committee) as representatives to attend this meeting in the capacity of observers. We believe that the convening of this meeting will certainly make new contributions towards promoting the relaxation of international tension, exposing the arms expansion and war preparation schemes of the imperialist war-mongering blocs, and inspiring the will of the people of the whole world in their struggle for peace. We wish the meeting success.
With
Communist salutations
Mao Zedong
February 1, 1960
[1]
This meeting was later convened in Moscow on February 4, 1960.