Comment on a Document Concerning Khrushchev's〔1〕 Talk Attacking Mao Zedong〔2〕
(September 17, 1964)

For Liu, Zhou, Peng, Zhu, Chen〔3〕 to read, then return to Mao.

It is still the same old talk as last time. Using threats as defense. Fierce in appearance but timid in substance. The majority of world public opinion does not approve.

Mao Zedong

September 17

Published according to the manuscript.

Notes
〔1〕 Khrushchev was at that time First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union.
〔2〕 This comment was written on a document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The content of the document was Khrushchev's attack on Mao Zedong's talk with a delegation of the Japan Socialist Party, made when Khrushchev received a Japanese parliamentary delegation on September 15, 1964.
〔3〕 Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Peng refers to Peng Zhen, at that time a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a secretary of the Central Secretariat. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Chen refers to Chen Yi, at that time a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.