(October 10, 1970)





Note by the transcriber: This document is incomplete.




…

Chairman Mao: … These remarks are offered in a spirit of consultation, put forward as questions, because we ourselves still regard them as issues. For example, is the main trend today imperialist war, or revolution? Although it is said that the danger of imperialism persists, the overarching trend remains revolutionary. I believe we should continue to observe. Since the Soviet Union was able to occupy Czechoslovakia, can we really be sure it will not invade other countries as well? This too should be treated as a question—something we ought to consider.

…

Chairman Mao: Some people constantly accuse us of being warmongers and adventurists. But our so-called adventurism only comes into play when you launch an attack: when your planes or ships arrive, then we respond. It is only when you take the risk that we are compelled to defend ourselves. Thus, as the saying goes, “If one wishes to find fault with another, one will never lack an excuse.” Take, for instance, the charge that we are adventurists; they will always have some pretext at hand. All you can point to is our having shot down a ship or an aircraft. As for what we have done, they remain silent. They simply claim we are all talk and boasting. I would counter: we have also taken concrete actions—for example, providing assistance to Palestine. That is about it. Am I right?

Premier Zhou: When Pakistan was resisting India, we did supply a small amount of military aid.

Chairman Mao: Take the current conflicts in Southeast Asia, for instance. You cannot afford not to help. If you fail to do so, I would say you are betraying the revolution!

…



Thanks to Ayana Sakura for collecting, transcribing, and proofreading.