Welcome, friends. We are friends. We and you are standing on one battlefront, jointly opposing imperialism and colonialism. The majority of imperialist countries do not recognize us. They in fact ruled China for over one hundred years. They turned China into a very poor state, into a state of being poor and blank. Poor means poverty, and blank means there are many illiterates. This situation has now begun to change. In the past, China was nominally an independent country, but in reality, it was a semi-colony of imperialism. China has a population of over six hundred million, yet Jiang Jieshi had only one hundred thousand tons of steel. A country as small as Belgium had three million tons of steel, so we were very poor. We achieved liberation only after decades of struggle. In armed struggle alone, we fought for twenty-two years. The entire mainland of China was liberated in 1949, with only Taiwan left, still occupied by imperialism. American imperialism has established many military bases in the East, for example, in Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, South Vietnam, Thailand, and Pakistan, which pose a great threat to us.

Westerners say we are no good, say we Chinese are no good, say we are a colored race, and colored races are no good. That we cannot accomplish anything, are unhygienic, very dirty, and not noble. It seems our race is about the same as you Africans, and it seems Westerners also say you are no good, and they do not help you develop industry. Even if they develop a little industry, it belongs to the imperialists. So our positions are the same. You are doing very well now, you have united. The whole of Africa has united, has awakened, or is in the process of awakening step by step. You in Africa have a population of over two hundred million. When you unite, awaken, and organize, the imperialists will be afraid of you. The imperialists spread an atmosphere of terror; they kill people, or kill people through their running dogs. In China, they killed us through Jiang Jieshi. Your countries may also have such people, who carry out the will of imperialism. Such people are very few, at most one in ten, or even less than one. So the people you can unite are nine out of ten, or even more. In reality, imperialism is not to be feared. Every day, imperialism publicizes its great strength to intimidate us. In the past, we Chinese also had a period of fearing the Americans, fearing imperialism, fearing their running dog Jiang Jieshi. Because they killed people, or used various other methods, for example, arresting people and locking them up in jail cells; in short, they wanted to make us fear the Americans and eliminate our fighting will. We Chinese also awakened step by step. Later, we gradually became unafraid and fought their running dogs. In the beginning, we were bare-handed and did not know how to fight. We learned this method from them. You can oppress us, but can I not oppress you? If one person out of ten oppresses the nine of us, can we nine not unite and drive that one person away? We came to the conclusion, we said, yes, we can. If one person oppresses nine people, and we nine do not unite to drive him away, that is unreasonable. As a result, we made revolution for several decades, and didn't we win?! Our enemies had powerful foreign aid; it was American imperialism that aided Jiang Jieshi. Their weapons were very powerful; they had arsenals, weapons sent to them by foreigners, warships, heavy artillery, tanks, and an air force. We had nothing, no artillery, no airplanes, no tanks. What we had were rifles and light artillery. Where did these things come from? They were not made in arsenals, but seized, obtained in war. American imperialism sent guns to us through Jiang Jieshi, and so we had guns and artillery. Later, we also had tanks and heavy artillery, and we could fight big battles. In 1949, we occupied the mainland. Their air force bombed us over our heads every day, but they did not intimidate us. Later, it turned into them being afraid of us; it was not we who feared them, but they who feared us. Later, Jiang Jieshi also feared us, and the Americans were also a bit afraid of us, because we had united over ninety percent of the people. It is people who are crucial; weapons are secondary, of minor importance. As long as the people are united and have weapons in their hands, the colonialists will be afraid of us. Of course, fighting is not the only method; there are other methods. Some of the countries you are from did not seize political power by fighting, like Guinea. Algeria is still fighting now. The war in Algeria has helped Guinea. Is it true that our friends from Guinea also see it this way? (A foreign guest from Guinea says: Yes.) Because France has half a million troops tied down in their country by the Algerians, it doesn't have many troops left. The imperialists occupy too wide an area. As a Chinese proverb says, if you try to press down on ten fleas with ten fingers, you won't catch a single one. (The whole audience becomes animated) Because it manages too wide an area. The United States now occupies too many places in the world. Look, in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, South Vietnam, and also in Latin America and Africa, many countries have American military bases. It wants to control Europe, and also to control Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. In the last few days, the situation has changed somewhat. The people of South Korea had no way out, so they rose up against America's running dog, Li Chengwan. Li Chengwan is a running dog of the United States, an old running dog. (Laughter) As soon as the South Korean people rose up, with a shout and a roar, hundreds of thousands of masses demonstrated, and Li Chengwan collapsed. Li Chengwan had seventy-five divisions, while the masses of the South Korean people did not have a single gun, yet when they rose up, Li Chengwan fell. Of course, the problem is not yet solved. The Americans are still in South Korea and have chosen a new running dog, Heo Jeong. Their struggle will continue to develop. The masses in Turkey have also risen up against America's running dog. So in the last few days, we have held mass rallies to support the South Korean people, and held mass rallies to support the Turkish people. The Japanese people are also rising up. Today is the 7th; the day after tomorrow, Japan will have a vast mass movement. It is said that hundreds of thousands or millions of people will rise up to oppose the military alliance treaty signed by the Kishi Nobusuke government and the United States. We will also hold a mass rally to support the Japanese masses. Some of you may say that South Korea, Japan, and Turkey are far from the United States, so they are not afraid of the United States and dare to rise up against its running dogs. But please take a look at Cuba. Where is Cuba? It is very close to the United States; the flight distance is only half an hour. The Cuban people were also bare-handed, and Cuba's ruler, Batista, killed as many as twenty thousand Cubans in a few years. You might also say that China is a big country with a large population. But Cuba is not a big country; it has only six million people. It is so close to the United States, with a population of only six million, and Batista killed twenty thousand people among those six million. But on July 26, 1957, Cuba's national hero, XXXX, led eighty-two people in a small boat from Mexico and landed in Cuba. They were defeated in the very first battle; only eight of the eighty-two people were left, among them XXXX and his brother XX XXXXX. They had to hide. Then they came in again, and in a flash, they fought for two and a half years, seized many guns and cannons, and even seized tanks. Batista had no choice but to flee. You see, the Cuban people were also bare-handed, while Batista's was a regime armed to the teeth, supported by a country as big as the United States, and so close by, but when the people united, they drove Batista away. Have any of you been to Cuba? If no one has been, we suggest you take a trip to Cuba. It is very necessary to study Cuba's experience. Such a small country dares to make a revolution right next to the United States, so Cuba's revolution has world significance. The people of all of Latin America welcome Cuba's regime.

The anti-colonialist struggle in Africa has even more world significance. It is not one country, but many countries that are having revolutions. The national liberation struggle is being carried out not just among a few million people, but among tens of millions or even more. We completely sympathize with you; we completely support you. We believe that your struggle supports us, that you have helped us. We believe that Cuba's struggle has helped us, that the struggle of all of Latin America has helped us. We believe that the struggles in countries like South Korea, Turkey, South Vietnam, and Japan have helped us, that all the peoples of Asia have helped us. Of course, the socialist countries are the first to help us; XX helps us. Outside of the socialist countries, the vast anti-colonialist struggles of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America have helped us. This disperses the enemy's strength and lessens the pressure on us. Therefore, we have an obligation to support you, because you have helped us. We support each other and help each other. At the same time, we also support the great powers conference. The four-power summit will be held in France; this is also a method. In Chinese terms, this is also called "walking on two legs." The great powers conference is to talk with them at the table; this is one leg. The anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist struggles of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America are another leg. It is easy to walk with two legs; one can stand up. With one leg missing, it is not good, not easy to walk. We believe you also agree that we should not fight a world war; we are against a world war. But at the same time, we support the right of the peoples of all countries oppressed by imperialism to rise up against their oppression. To avoid a world war, the peoples of all countries must rise up and oppose their oppressors. We can give a concrete example. For instance, Algeria has tied down half a million of France's troops. If a world war were to break out, the force France could contribute would be very small; it only has so many troops. When the South Korean people rise up, they tie down the American troops stationed in South Korea. If the Japanese people also rise up, they can tie down another portion of America's troops. When the Turkish people rise up, they tie down yet another portion of America's troops. Some people say that for world peace, one should not oppose imperialism, lest the imperialists become unhappy, and that no country should engage in struggles against imperialism. I think it is better to walk on two legs. The peoples rising up to resist their oppressors is one leg; we say this is an important leg, perhaps the first leg. Meeting with them at the table at a great powers conference to talk about things like disarmament and solving the German problem is also a leg. By walking on two legs, it will be difficult to fight a world war. If there is only one leg, there is no guarantee that the imperialists will not fight a world war.

These are some opinions from us Chinese; perhaps you may not necessarily agree. We are exchanging opinions. Would you please speak? I am very willing to hear about your situations and opinions.

[When a friend from Somaliland spoke of the situation in striving for independence] Thank you. Congratulations to all your patriots, congratulations on your victory. You will surely be victorious; how could there be any reason not to be victorious?

[When a friend from Madagascar spoke of the situation in striving for independence] One day, you will be completely independent.

(Youth delegate from Cameroon: We agree with the method of walking on two legs that the Chairman spoke of. But we have some doubts about its implementation. The imperialists and colonialists never practice what they preach; all the various conferences they hold are nothing but conspiracies. I think the summit conference leg is a diseased leg; the other leg is healthier and more important, and that is the anti-colonialism leg.)

Well said, I am of your faction. The imperialists are capable of deception. Imperialism also has two legs, one of which is a leg of deception. Regarding the deception of imperialism, we are as skeptical as you are, because it is always deceiving. But why support the great powers conference? It is to use it as an opportunity to take a look, and by taking a look, we can expose it, expose which of its legs is diseased. (The whole audience becomes animated)

[When the trade union delegate from Algeria said in his speech that to have peaceful coexistence, colonialism must be eliminated] Right, how can there be coexistence with colonialism?

[When the student delegate from Algeria expressed in his speech the determination to wage a long-term struggle against French imperialism, and said: French imperialism has built a strong rampart around us, trying to suffocate us. We can only ask for help from friends. We do not need manpower, but material assistance. This is a characteristic of the Algerian war. I hope Chairman Mao will express some opinions on this.]

Let me say a few more words. I agree with the idea expressed by this friend that countries like Algeria, and those in roughly the same situation, must be prepared to wage a long-term struggle. It is more advantageous to be mentally prepared for this. There are difficulties, sometimes very great difficulties. I have said that China's struggle, the armed struggle alone, lasted twenty-two years. Your struggle has only been going on for six years. We went on for twenty-two years and also made several mistakes. We made the mistake of right-opportunism twice, and the mistake of "left"-opportunism three times, which caused great losses to our forces. Our military strength was originally three hundred thousand, but because of mistakes, it was reduced to less than thirty thousand, less than one-tenth. The important thing at such a time is not to waver. Which is more powerful, thirty thousand or three hundred thousand? Having learned the lesson, the force of less than thirty thousand was more powerful than the three hundred thousand. Later, when the opportunity arose, it grew again to one million; this was in 1945 when Japan surrendered. In 1946, the United States and Jiang Jieshi attacked us. The United States did not come forward itself, but supported Jiang Jieshi through aid, causing us to lose many places and many cities. It launched an all-out offensive against us, and we adopted a strategy of retreat to annihilate the enemy's effective strength. In ten campaigns over a year, we lost many places, but we annihilated over one hundred divisions of the enemy's military strength. At this point, we began our counter-offensive. By 1949, we had gained the upper hand, and Jiang Jieshi was at a disadvantage. The majority of his troops were annihilated by us, and we occupied many cities such as Shenyang, Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, and Zhengzhou. Their places were occupied by us, and their main forces were annihilated by us. At this time, they requested peace talks and sent representatives to Beijing. We then used the method of walking on two legs. We knew their peace talks were a sham, but if we didn't talk, the common people wouldn't believe it; it would seem as if Jiang Jieshi loved peace and we loved war. Alright! Let's talk peace! Send representatives! At that time, they sent a delegation, and we talked for three weeks. We said, you must hand over your guns and turn over political power to us. Their representatives signed the agreement and sent someone to Nanjing, the seat of the Kuomintang government, to request approval. Jiang Jieshi said no, we cannot hand over our guns, we cannot transfer political power. This tore off his mask of peace. The day they refused to sign, the next day we crossed the Yangzi River; that leg stretched right across. (The whole audience becomes animated) The enemy often deceives us; we must see this clearly. Sometimes it is necessary to accept negotiations, to expose it during the negotiations. This is how one walks on two legs. It is not about surrendering to the enemy, but about making the enemy surrender. For example, the people of the world now want disarmament. We are in favor of it. Let's see if you disarm or not. If you disarm, that's very good. If you don't, it proves you are deceiving. To expose the enemy, one must use various methods to expose the enemy. Peace negotiations are in fact a method of exposure; this is how we see it. We do not believe that Eisenhower loves peace. Where do imperialists love peace? What they love is colonialism.

We are happy to see that so many African friends have broken with superstition. The first superstition is the fear of imperialism. You have broken with this one; you are no longer afraid of imperialism. But I believe that among your two hundred million people in Africa, there are still some who fear imperialism, who still have superstitions about imperialism, or rather, have illusions. Therefore, you still need to do work among them. In ten years, or eight years, the number of people will gradually increase. Among the two hundred million people, there could be one hundred million or more who completely break with superstition, stand up, and are not afraid of imperialism. Then victory will be assured. People often have many superstitions. Superstition about imperialism is one kind of superstition. Another is not believing in one's own strength, feeling that one's own strength is very small, feeling that we are no good, and that their Western world is very good. What they, the white people, can do, we, the yellow, black, and brown peoples, can also do, and can even do it better than them. Because their numbers are very small, only a few hundred million. Moreover, the white people are not all bad people; only one-tenth are bad people, and nine-tenths are good people, or are temporarily deceived and not yet awakened. One day they will awaken. This is the proletariat and other people who sympathize with the proletariat—the laborers, the peasants. Among the white people, there are also those who truly fear atomic war; some capitalists also fear it. There are contradictions among their several countries, so there are opportunities to be exploited. They are not that united. The Americans and the British are not that united, nor are the Americans and the West Germans that united. Adenauer also does not get along with the British. So, the laborers of the world and the patriotic people oppressed by imperialism have many allies.

We have drawn a conclusion from experience: strategically, do not fear the enemy. Imperialism has already been weakened; one, two, or three of its ten fingers have already been chopped off. In the Soviet Union, the Tsar is gone, and it has become the Leninist Soviet Union. China has also broken away from the rule of imperialism. Besides these two countries, there are ten other socialist countries; these are fingers of imperialism that have also been chopped off. What remains are Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Some countries have already become independent, and some are striving for independence. It can be said that the remaining few fingers of imperialism have also been injured. For example, Cuba is right next to the United States and has driven away America's running dog. Algeria has a large liberated area. And Guinea has also become independent, and there are several other independent countries in Africa. It seems that a great storm is brewing in Africa, and a similar storm is brewing in Latin America. Some say that the national independence movement in Asia has been at a relatively low ebb in recent years, but there was the Iraqi revolution on July 14, 1958. In the Suez Canal War of 1957, imperialism did not win; Egypt won. In the last few weeks, the people of South Korea and Turkey have risen up. It seems there is also hope for the Japanese people. So now, the imperialists cannot sleep. Friends have spoken of difficulties and worries in some countries. We think there is a happy side and a worried side. I think the imperialists only have a worried side; I cannot see a happy side. Do you think the Americans can sleep? I don't believe it. And Britain, France, and what else, Belgium, Adenauer, and the Japanese government. There is a Chinese proverb: they are like fifteen buckets drawing water from a well—seven up and eight down. So, strategically, we have every reason to despise them. The imperialist system is doomed to perish, and the people of the whole world are going to stand up. This is speaking strategically. What about tactically? We must be cautious. Every step must be carefully studied; we must take it seriously and handle matters conscientiously. To put it together: strategically, despise the enemy; tactically, take the enemy seriously. Only in this way can one dare to think, dare to speak, and dare to act. Everyone should take a look at China's experience; we welcome you to do so. Some experiences may serve as a reference for you, including the experiences of revolution and construction. But I must remind my friends: China has its own historical conditions, and you have your own historical conditions. China's experience can only serve as a reference for you.

Congratulations on our unity. Because of unity, we will surely be victorious. Congratulations on our victory. Let us unite to achieve victory.