[Remarks on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Draft Circular on the Sino-US Joint Communiqué
(March 6, 1972)

This document is very good and seems applicable domestically as well, but it should be slightly revised and supplemented.

[1] This remark was written on the draft circular prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the Sino-US Joint Communiqué, which was submitted by Zhou Enlai for review on March 5, 1972. The draft circular stated that US President Nixon’s visit to China and the issuance of the Sino-US Joint Communiqué had elicited strong reactions in the United States and caused significant international repercussions. Overall, responses to the communiqué were positive, with most considering it a sign of a new beginning in Sino-US relations and anticipating major changes in the international situation. It was also seen as a turning point in international relations, with far-reaching implications. However, it must also be recognized that these agreements remain on paper, and their implementation will depend on future US actions. The course of events may still be fraught with twists and reversals, and we must be prepared. When making public statements, we must proceed with caution, avoid excessive rhetoric, and, in particular, refrain from overtly portraying the joint communiqué as our victory and a US defeat. In interactions with US diplomatic personnel abroad, we should neither take the initiative nor evade contact, maintaining an attitude that is neither cold nor warm, neither servile nor arrogant, while being mindful of propriety and conducting ourselves with ease and confidence.