Commentary on the Summary Report [l]
(October 1965)
Reviewed by Jiang Qing.
It provides a clear understanding of the current situation in Asian and African countries.
[l]

--- Notes



This commentary was written on Document No. 930 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued on September 30, 1965, which contained a summary report on Premier Chen Yi’s visit to five countries. The report stated that Vice Premier Chen Yi, at the invitation of the Malian government, visited Mali on September 4, 1965, and also made stopovers in Pakistan, Syria, Algeria, and Guinea before returning home on September 18. While transiting through Kabul, he was further invited to hold talks with the Afghan Prime Minister. Throughout his itinerary, he received warm hospitality and friendly treatment from all host governments. During the visits, apart from an in-depth discussion with Malian leaders on that country’s economic situation, the primary focus was to elucidate China’s position and principles regarding the contemporary international landscape to the leaders of these nations, while also exchanging views with them. The following points are now presented:  First, economic difficulties and political instability are widespread among these countries. Second, they express sympathy for the Vietnamese people’s anti-American struggle but lack confidence in Vietnam’s ability to defeat the United States, generally favoring a peaceful resolution. Third, with regard to convening a second Afro-Asian Conference, most countries are not particularly enthusiastic, and their stances vary concerning the conference’s tone, format, and venue. Fourth, there is a普遍 view that the Sino-Soviet dispute has weakened the global anti-imperialist forces, leading many to call indiscriminately for reconciliation between China and the Soviet Union. Fifth, on the India–Pakistan conflict, Pakistan has requested robust military assistance from China, yet it also fears that such support might be “too strong.” Other countries generally support Kashmir’s right to self-determination under some form of autonomy, while advocating a ceasefire and a peaceful settlement between India and Pakistan. Sixth, preliminary impressions from political talks suggest that these leaders admire and value China’s stance of opposing both imperialism and revisionism, as well as its principled, truly internationalist approach to supporting and economically assisting newly independent nations and national liberation movements. At the same time, however, they perceive China as overly revolutionary and lacking in tactical flexibility, worrying that this could provoke a major war between China and the United States, thereby jeopardizing their own interests. Seventh, concerning Mali’s economic challenges, the delegation proposed both short-term measures such as increasing production and practicing economy, as well as emphasizing that political factors constitute the root cause of the country’s economic problems. Eighth, several suggestions for future work were put forward: (1) It would be preferable to postpone the convening of an Afro-Asian Conference; (2) Greater efforts are urgently needed in Afro-Asian affairs, especially in Africa, with particular emphasis on close coordination among economic, diplomatic, and propaganda channels and on the flexible application of various strategies; (3) Active outreach to African intellectuals should be intensified; and (4) Economic assistance to Afro-Asian countries will continue to be necessary for quite some time, though priority should be given to a select number of eligible nations where model projects in economic development can be established.


On October 6, 1965, Mao Zedong warmly shook hands with former Thai Prime Minister Pridi Banomyong.