INTERNATIONAL ISSUES SHOULD BE SETTLED THROUGH JOINT CONSULTATION* (July l3, 1970)
This world is not very peaceful and tranquil at present. Your ardent love for independence is one thing; frequent interference from others is another. I mentioned last time that a handful of countries in the world are fond of interfering in other countries independence.
You said Hitler was no more, Japanese imperialism has been defeated, France has won independence and China is liberated. However, the present world is still not peaceful. Of course, nobody is invading France now or invading China, except its Taiwan. Nevertheless, I should like to tell you that we are prepared for war, not that we shall invade others, but if other countries invade us, we shall wipe them out. This is not decades ago when anybody could bully China at will.
I advise you to prepare civil air defense besides the Maginot Line and the atomic bomb. Do you have any idea how the world will change? We are not the chief of staff of the big powers. You have been likewise bullied by other countries.
Under the present situation in Europe it seems difficult not only for you but even for the U.K. to launch a war. The so-called allies are hardly reliable. They may be congenial on some questions, while not on others. It will be relatively easy for us to come to agreement, but rather difficult when we negotiate with the United States or the Soviet Union. France hasn't occupied any place in China, nor has China occupied your Corsica.
Consultation is necessary when dealing with international affairs. Domestic questions should be solved by the people of each country themselves, while international issues, instead of being decided by the two big powers, ought to be settled by joint consultation of all countries.
*These are excerpts from Mao Zedong's talk with a government delegation from France.
(From the verbatim record)
