Premier Zhou:
Remarks on the Draft Reply Note [1]
(19 September 1965)
A one-day limit is too rushed. In fact the Indian side cannot manage it, and it will be difficult to obtain the sympathy of other countries and the Indian people. How about changing it to a two-day limit for dismantling (dismantlement)? Or change it to within three days, namely midnight on the 21st [3]? This may gain the sympathy of other countries and the Indian people, which is better. Please consider and decide.
Mao Zedong
4:30 a.m., the 19th
[1]
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs sent a note dated 17 September 1965 to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in India, stating that Indian personnel had never crossed the Sikkim border into Chinese territory to carry out any harassment or attacks. “In September 1962, some defensive structures were erected on the Sikkim side of the Sino-Indian border. Since the cessation of hostilities in November 1962, these structures have not been occupied.” “Although the Government of India is confident that its troops have not constructed works inside Tibet, it has no objection to a joint investigation of the sites along the Sikkim-Tibet border where Indian personnel are alleged to have constructed works inside Tibet.” “If any works are found on the Tibetan side of the border, there will be no objection to their demolition.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China drafted a reply note on 19 September 1965 to the Indian Embassy in China for central review and approval. The reply stated, “With regard to the facts of the Indian troops crossing the China-Sikkim border and constructing military works, the Chinese side possesses a large amount of ample evidence sufficient to prove this point to the whole world, a fact of which the Indian Government is also well aware. There is now no need to conduct an investigation. The Indian Government’s note also admits that it does not rule out the possibility that there may be Indian works on the Chinese side of the Sino-Sikkim boundary, and has no objection to the demolition of any such works that may exist. This in fact indicates that the Indian side indeed has aggressive works located on Chinese territory and on the boundary line. The Sino-Sikkim boundary is a settled boundary. The Chinese border defence forces know precisely where the Indian troops have crossed the boundary and constructed works. The Chinese Government firmly demands that the Indian Government dismantle these aggressive works. To provide the Indian Government with an opportunity to do so, the Chinese Government is willing to extend the deadline stipulated in the note of 16 September until midnight on 22 September.” The reply also stressed, “The Chinese Government finally reiterates: The Indian Government must dismantle, before midnight on 22 September 1965, all its aggressive works on the Chinese side of the Sino-Sikkim boundary and straddling the Sino-Sikkim boundary line, immediately cease all intrusions on the Sino-Indian and Sino-Sikkim borders, return the abducted Chinese border inhabitants, return the looted livestock, and guarantee that it will refrain from further trespass and harassment across the border in the future. Otherwise, the Indian Government must bear full responsibility for all the serious consequences arising therefrom.” This reply was published on 20 September 1965 in Renmin Ribao (People’s Daily).
[2]
Premier, referring to Zhou Enlai.
[3]
The original draft reply of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on 19 September 1965 to the Indian Embassy in China demanded that the Indian Government must dismantle, before midnight on 19 September, all its aggressive works on the Chinese side of the Sino-Sikkim boundary and straddling the Sino-Sikkim boundary line. Later, following Mao Zedong’s opinion, the deadline for dismantlement was changed to “midnight on the 22nd.”