(May 13, 1959)
Generally speaking, India is a friendly country toward China and
has been so for over 1,000 years. We believe it will still be like
this for the next 1,000 or 10,000years.
The enemy of the Chinese people is in the east, where the US
imperialists have lots of military bases in Taiwan, South Korea,
Japan and the Philippines, all directed against China. China's
attention and policy of struggle are focused on the East, on the
western Pacific areas, and on the ferocious and aggressive US
imperialists, not on India, not on the countries of Southeast Asia.
Although the Philippines, Thailand, and Pakistan joined the
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, aimed against China, we do not
regard these three countries as our principal enemies.
Our principal enemy is US imperialism. India did not join the
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. India is not our enemy, but our
friend. China will not be so stupid as to make an enemy of the U.S.
in the east and an enemy of India on the west. The suppression of
the rebellion in Tibet and the democratic reform there will not
pose the slightest threat to India. There is a Chinese saying, "As
distance tests a horse's strength, so time reveals a person's
heart." You will be able to judge whether the relationship between
China's Tibet and India is friendly or hostile for the next three,
five, ten, and even 100 years. We cannot have two focal points.
We cannot take a friend as our enemy. This is our basic policy.
The quarrels between our two countries in recent years, especially
for the last three months, are merely an episode in the course of
the thousands of years of friendship and should not be of concern
to the peoples and government authorities of our two countries. The
remarks we made in previous paragraphs of this speech-the
principled stands and boundary lines between right and wrong-should
be discussed. Otherwise, the present differences between our two
countries cannot be solved.
But the scope our remarks refer to is only temporary and
specific; namely, it is a momentary difference between our two
countries, concerning Tibet alone. What do you think, Indian
friends? Do you agree with our opinion? Regarding the view that
China can focus its attention only to the east and cannot, nor is
it necessary to, focus its attention to the southwest, China's
leader, Chairman Mao Zedong, on several occasions spoke with
India's former ambassador to China, Mr. Nehru, and Ambassador Nehru
could well understand and appreciate China's view on this matter. I
have no idea if the former Indian ambassador has conveyed these
words to the Indian authorities. Friends, China does not assume
that you can have two battlefronts either; isn't that so? If so,
that is our meeting point. Please think about it. Please allow me
to take this opportunity to extend my regards to the Indian leader,
Mr. Nehru.
(PLA Daily)