Key Points from Several Conversations on International Issues
(1974)
(1)


During several meetings with foreign guests, Chairman Mao said: “I believe the world is restless—much more so than in the past—no matter where you look, including China. Not long ago, the Lin Biao incident [2] occurred. Lin Biao was a tyrant within our Party.


Now everyone is talking about peace, but I see danger! After the Second World War, for the first few years, no one talked about peace; there was no question of easing tensions. Yet today, peace is being touted everywhere! If you’re not sick, you don’t need to see a doctor. It’s only when you are ill that you seek medical attention. The earth is now sick, which is why people talk so much about easing international tensions and promoting peace. They are trying to cure the planet. Personally, I remain skeptical. There are so many international conferences, and the U.S. Secretary of State [3] is traveling all over the place—quite strange! At dusk, swallows become busy, flying low, because rain is coming!


I do not support the notion of perpetual peace. To my European friends, I always advise them to prepare for war. If they fail to do so, they will suffer losses in the future. Some people tell me that the current talk of peace is really an attempt to buy time. Even Americans have said as much to me. I regard this as a serious issue—one that people all over the world should be considering.


When foreign visitors mentioned that war would be a global catastrophe, Chairman Mao replied: “A catastrophe will indeed come, but it may not be as terrifying as we imagine. Right now, we tend to exaggerate how dreadful it would be. In my view, if a real war were to break out, it would not be terribly frightening. The aim of war is to occupy other countries’ territory and people. But if all the people were killed, there would be no one left to rule. Most likely, only military targets or small cities would be attacked. For example, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan—Hiroshima and Nagasaki—but it never bombed major cities like Tokyo or Osaka.”


Chairman Mao went on to say: “The future is always bright, but it can only be achieved through struggle. If you do not struggle, others will simply ignore you!”


He added: “We belong to the Third World, and I support mutual assistance among Third World nations. The peoples of the Third World must unite. People fear mosquitoes, yet great powers often fear smaller nations.”


Printed according to documents issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.


Notes


[1] These are key points from several conversations held by Mao Zedong in 1974 with foreign guests on international issues. They were circulated as a central discussion document (No. 3, 1974) and distributed by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee on January 3, 1975.


[2] See note [1] on page 269 of this volume for information on Lin Biao.


[3] Refers to Henry Kissinger.