These two incidents [2] clearly demonstrate the depth and breadth of the feelings expressed by the peoples of various fraternal countries toward the Chinese people. The revisionists are single-mindedly intent on isolating China—yet who, in fact, is being isolated? It is the revisionists themselves who have become estranged from the masses and thereby plunged into isolation, while we—the so-called dogmatists—are firmly supported by the broad masses. The combined forces of global imperialism, reactionary nationalism, Yugoslav revisionism and their allies in various countries—in short, all exploiters and oppressors of the people together with their lackeys—amount to only a few hundred million individuals worldwide, representing less than ten percent of the total population. By contrast, the revolutionary peoples and their allies constitute more than ninety percent, numbering over two billion people. This is beyond doubt. In India, although the reactionary elements oppose China, the Indian people do not; they deeply resent their own reactionaries. One piece of evidence [3] is that in 1960, a Chinese agricultural exhibition received widespread welcome and support from the Indian public. Mao Zedong November 11, 1961 Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] These are comments written in response to two articles titled “Our Song and Dance Troupe’s Performance Creates a Sensation in Leningrad” and “The Bulgarian People Revere Chairman Mao and Love China,” which were published separately in Issues 195 and 200 of the International Edition of Xinhua News Agency’s Internal Reference in November 1961. 6£°
The title was proposed by Mao Zedong. [2] Refers to the situations reported in the aforementioned two dispatches. The first dispatch states that a performance by China’s Central Song and Dance Ensemble in Leningrad caused quite a stir in the city. While praising the artistic achievements, the audience also expressed their deep affection for the Chinese people, a sentiment that became particularly pronounced after the full text of Vice Chairman Zhou Enlai’s speech at the 22nd Congress of the CPSU was released. The visitors’ book saw an unusual number of entries with strong political overtones, such as: “Glory to China!” “Great art of a great people!” “Only a great people can possess such rich and comprehensive art!” “Long live the great, brotherly Chinese people!” “Glory to the Chinese people! Our friendship is eternal and unbreakable!” On October 14, during the premiere of the dance drama “The Lotus Lantern,” the audience applauded and cheered nonstop for twenty minutes, prompting the performers to take fifteen curtain calls. Tickets for subsequent performances sold out quickly, forcing the theater to issue standing-room-only tickets. On the evening of the 21st, during the intermission of the first act, a large crowd of those who had failed to secure tickets broke through multiple layers of security and rushed into the auditorium, hailing the action as “the storming of Berlin.” From renowned Soviet artists to ordinary spectators, many told us that the success of the performance had been “simply unexpected.” The second dispatch reports that from September 30 to October 5, seventeen industrial and mining enterprises, agricultural communes, and other organizations across about ten provinces (cities) in Bulgaria held rallies celebrating the twelfth anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Xinhua News Agency reporters interviewed participants in several of these events. A prominent impression gleaned from these activities was that the Bulgarian people revere Chairman Mao and have a deep affection for China. [3] See Note 2 of the article “On the Anti-China Issue” on page [page number] of this volume.