Comments on Three Documents Submitted by the Department of International Relations of the CPC Central Committee, as Reported by Deng Xiaoping [1] [2] (February 23, 1962)

To Comrade Xiaoping: I have read this document [3]. Please discuss it first among yourselves and let me know your preliminary views. I am still considering this matter and have not yet formed any opinions. I will come to Beijing in mid-March to study this issue with you. Mao Zedong February 23 Printed from the manuscript.

II. I am studying this point. Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript.

Notes  [1] Deng Xiaoping was then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

[ ] This section (I) is a comment written on a letter dated February 14, 1962, from Wang Jiaxiang, Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Department of International Relations. Section (II) is a comment on Deng Xiaoping’s remarks appended to Wang Jiaxiang’s letter. Deng Xiaoping’s remarks read: “Chairman: Please take a look at this document first. We have not yet discussed it, mainly because the question remains whether it is appropriate for us to propose convening an international conference at this time. It would be best if you could share your views with us first.”

[3] Refers to three documents from the CPC Central Committee’s Department of International Relations, together with Wang Jiaxiang’s letter forwarding these three documents to Deng Xiaoping and to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee. The three documents are: (1) a report submitted on February 14, 1962, by Vice Ministers Lenin Yi and Wu Xiuquan to Wang Jiaxiang and the Central Committee, requesting instructions regarding the drafting of a letter to fraternal parties and an oral message to the Albanian Labor Party; (2) a draft reply from the CPC Central Committee to the central committees of fraternal parties; and (3) a draft oral message from the CPC Central Committee to the Albanian Labor Party. In their report, Liu Ningyi and Wu Xiuquan noted that they had recently received letters from several fraternal parties, some of which suggested holding a conference of fraternal parties. They proposed adopting a unified reply expressing support for such a conference, which would address both Soviet–Albanian relations and issues before the World Peace Council, as well as other matters. In this way, regardless of whether the conference ultimately takes place, our Party would remain in a proactive position.