Comments on the Report on Conversations with Chinese Students Studying Abroad[1]
(July 1960)
Print and distribute[2]
The conclusion has been drawn too early. Those who laugh first are in an unenviable position. Our policy is: not to fear isolation, and to strike only after the enemy has struck.

The following is the content of the report sent by the Chinese Embassy in Czechoslovakia to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee on July 18, 1960:
(1) Judging from certain reflections heard by our students studying abroad, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia has already conducted internal briefings among its party members on the circumstances of the Bucharest Conference and carried out so-called "criticism" of our country. On July 13, three student party members from the Brno Military Academy told our students studying at the academy: Recently, a member of the Central Committee briefed us, saying that your three articles commemorating Lenin contained many negative and adverse viewpoints, mainly on the issues of peace and war, and that you do not want peaceful coexistence. During the Bucharest meeting, you were isolated and refused to sign the communiqué; the communist parties of over 40 countries all criticized you. Why do you always advocate using war to solve world problems? They also said that in the resolution of the National Conference of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, right-wing opportunism refers to Yugoslavia, and "left" opportunism refers to you, China. The Chinese student immediately replied: I think the conclusion has been drawn a bit too early; history will still have to prove who is right and who is wrong.
(2) Judging from recent contacts in some foreign affairs activities, no incidents have yet occurred where Czechoslovak officials deliberately provoked arguments with us. However, in some conversations, we sensed that they were hinting: China today is "undermining" unity. These circumstances indicate that in their internal briefings, they have made various distortions and even slanders against us, while simultaneously exerting pressure on us with the big label of disrupting unity.

[2] Refers to distribution to comrades then attending the CPC Central Committee Working Conference in Beidaihe.