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International communist front conferences
It was ChQu En-lai who was the first member of the party center to admit, at the banquet on Jan. 14 in honor of the visiting Albanian military delegation to Peking, that all was not well in Eden; that “However, a handful of persons in authority within the Party . . . are not reconciled to their defeat and refuse to retire from the stage of history. They have launched new counterattacks against US.“” With more than 200 senior figures of the Party, government and army involved in the current power struggle, Chou En-lai, as head of the administration, has to fight hard to keep his govermnent machinery intact and as many ministers and colleagues as possible unmolested during the reign of terror created by the Red Guards. Chou
to the Red Guards:
‘Apologize’
According to a Kyodo dispatch of Feb. 24 from Peking, Chou said at a gathering of 10,000 Red Guards at the Great Hall of People in Peking that day: “Your methods of struggle against your leaders make it not only impossible for them to work but also for them to remain healthy. . . . You often try the leaders at kangaroo courts. Regarding the death of Chang Lin-chih, minister of the coal industry, my mind is not at ease. He suddenly died-after a trial that lasted more than ten days. I have given orders to stop the struggle against Kang Shih-en, the minister of the petroleum industry; Tuan Chun-yi, the minister of the first machinery industry; Wang Leia, vice-minister of commerce. “Also, the Party center does not at all approve of your parading discredited Party and government officials with their names hanging around their necks. What would you think if the generation after you were to treat you in that fashion in a struggle? “I understand you have issued a warrant for the arrest of Yao Yi-liq the minister of commerce. That is like issuing a warrant for every member of the Party’s Central Committee. I support your revolutionary spirit; but is it not true that organization and Party discipline are more important? Go and apologize to Yao Yi-lin and write a self-criticism. . . .” Events indicate that as the extremists lose ground in the power struggle, Chou’s voice of moderation gains weight. If it is true that Chou En-lai, the “sage of time” (a Chinese epithet for opportunist), has always come out on the winning side, no matter on which side he joined, then perhaps it is safe to say that no matter which side wins in the current power struggle, Chou will remain a Bu-Tou-Wong-a weighted figure which will never topple; despite pushes and pressures from different directions, it always comes back to its original position. -M.P.L. “?Peking V
1
Review,
Jan.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY
20, 1967.
International Communist Front Conferences MARCH 18-25
~~DAFXO-ASMN WRITERS’ CONFERENCE
AAWPB,Cairo*
Beirut, Lebanon
b'h.2j'APR. 5
9THcONGRESS
IUS (International union of Students)
Ulan Bator, Outer Mongolia
AAWPB,
1967
JRD AFRO-ASIAN
DATE
WRITERS
UNDECIDED
CONFERENCE
JULY 6-g
WORLD CONFERENCE IN SLPPORT OFTHEVIETNAM LIBERATION FIGHT
WPC (WorldPeace Council)
Stockholm, Sweden
JULY 12-14
IOTHWOREEFIS CONFERENCE OFTHEBALTICS
Baltic Week Committee (East Germany)
Restock, East Germany
JULY 20-27
WEEK
IOJ (International Organization Journalists)
OF
SOLIDARITY WITH JOURNUISTSAND PEOPLE OF VIETNAM
Peking*
Peking, China
of
Havana, OLAS (Organizing Cuba Committee of the Latin-American Solidarity Organizations) ‘AAWPB (Afro-Asian Writers’ Permanent Bureau) is now split into two organizations, the one controlled by Peking with headquarters in Peking, the other controlled by Moscow with headquarters in Cairo.
JULY
IST LATIN-~ICAN SOLIDARITY GJNFERENCE
Additional
Developments
The 3rd Conference of Solidarity with Aden was held in Damascus Jan. 15-18, attended by representatives of WFTTJ (World Federation of Trade Unions) and trade union representatives from 53 countries. The Syrian Federation of Labor staged a protest march calling for Britain’s withdrawal from Aden and the abolition of all military bases on Arab soil. WPC’s 1967 activities include: launching a worldwide campaign against Israel’s aggressive policies and for the rights of the Arab people of Palestine; calling a conference in Algeria to oppose the Islamic Pact; calling a conference of solidarity with the peoples of the Portuguese colonies, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Southwest Africa, in an African country. The International Preparatory Committee of the muchpostponed 9th World Youth Festival, meeting in Vienna Jan. 25-28, voted for Sofia as the new Festival site. The Festival will be held in 1968. AAPSO (Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization) appears to be heading for the same sort of pro-Peking, proMoscow split as has occurred in the AAWPB. The increasingly bitter quarrel in AAPSO between the Soviet and Chinese factions has brought nearly all activities to a standstill; this was reflected in the meeting of the AAPSO Council (the policy-making body), which opened Feb. 13 in Nicosia, Cyprus. Almost immediately five pro-Peking African delegations walked out, protesting “Moscow’s domination.” The AAPSO Permanent Secretariat has been divided almost equally between supporters of Moscow and Peking, but in the past year Moscow has gained a majority. With rival pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese organizations from several countries claiming membership, the problem of which delegation to admit has developed all the earmarks of a schism-making showdown.
29
to the Red Guards:
‘Apologize’
According to a Kyodo dispatch of Feb. 24 from Peking, Chou said at a gathering of 10,000 Red Guards at the Great Hall of People in Peking that day: “Your methods of struggle against your leaders make it not only impossible for them to work but also for them to remain healthy. . . . You often try the leaders at kangaroo courts. Regarding the death of Chang Lin-chih, minister of the coal industry, my mind is not at ease. He suddenly died-after a trial that lasted more than ten days. I have given orders to stop the struggle against Kang Shih-en, the minister of the petroleum industry; Tuan Chun-yi, the minister of the first machinery industry; Wang Leia, vice-minister of commerce. “Also, the Party center does not at all approve of your parading discredited Party and government officials with their names hanging around their necks. What would you think if the generation after you were to treat you in that fashion in a struggle? “I understand you have issued a warrant for the arrest of Yao Yi-liq the minister of commerce. That is like issuing a warrant for every member of the Party’s Central Committee. I support your revolutionary spirit; but is it not true that organization and Party discipline are more important? Go and apologize to Yao Yi-lin and write a self-criticism. . . .” Events indicate that as the extremists lose ground in the power struggle, Chou’s voice of moderation gains weight. If it is true that Chou En-lai, the “sage of time” (a Chinese epithet for opportunist), has always come out on the winning side, no matter on which side he joined, then perhaps it is safe to say that no matter which side wins in the current power struggle, Chou will remain a Bu-Tou-Wong-a weighted figure which will never topple; despite pushes and pressures from different directions, it always comes back to its original position. -M.P.L. “?Peking V
1
Review,
Jan.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY
20, 1967.
International Communist Front Conferences MARCH 18-25
~~DAFXO-ASMN WRITERS’ CONFERENCE
AAWPB,Cairo*
Beirut, Lebanon
b'h.2j'APR. 5
9THcONGRESS
IUS (International union of Students)
Ulan Bator, Outer Mongolia
AAWPB,
1967
JRD AFRO-ASIAN
DATE
WRITERS
UNDECIDED
CONFERENCE
JULY 6-g
WORLD CONFERENCE IN SLPPORT OFTHEVIETNAM LIBERATION FIGHT
WPC (WorldPeace Council)
Stockholm, Sweden
JULY 12-14
IOTHWOREEFIS CONFERENCE OFTHEBALTICS
Baltic Week Committee (East Germany)
Restock, East Germany
JULY 20-27
WEEK
IOJ (International Organization Journalists)
OF
SOLIDARITY WITH JOURNUISTSAND PEOPLE OF VIETNAM
Peking*
Peking, China
of
Havana, OLAS (Organizing Cuba Committee of the Latin-American Solidarity Organizations) ‘AAWPB (Afro-Asian Writers’ Permanent Bureau) is now split into two organizations, the one controlled by Peking with headquarters in Peking, the other controlled by Moscow with headquarters in Cairo.
JULY
IST LATIN-~ICAN SOLIDARITY GJNFERENCE
Additional
Developments
The 3rd Conference of Solidarity with Aden was held in Damascus Jan. 15-18, attended by representatives of WFTTJ (World Federation of Trade Unions) and trade union representatives from 53 countries. The Syrian Federation of Labor staged a protest march calling for Britain’s withdrawal from Aden and the abolition of all military bases on Arab soil. WPC’s 1967 activities include: launching a worldwide campaign against Israel’s aggressive policies and for the rights of the Arab people of Palestine; calling a conference in Algeria to oppose the Islamic Pact; calling a conference of solidarity with the peoples of the Portuguese colonies, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Southwest Africa, in an African country. The International Preparatory Committee of the muchpostponed 9th World Youth Festival, meeting in Vienna Jan. 25-28, voted for Sofia as the new Festival site. The Festival will be held in 1968. AAPSO (Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization) appears to be heading for the same sort of pro-Peking, proMoscow split as has occurred in the AAWPB. The increasingly bitter quarrel in AAPSO between the Soviet and Chinese factions has brought nearly all activities to a standstill; this was reflected in the meeting of the AAPSO Council (the policy-making body), which opened Feb. 13 in Nicosia, Cyprus. Almost immediately five pro-Peking African delegations walked out, protesting “Moscow’s domination.” The AAPSO Permanent Secretariat has been divided almost equally between supporters of Moscow and Peking, but in the past year Moscow has gained a majority. With rival pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese organizations from several countries claiming membership, the problem of which delegation to admit has developed all the earmarks of a schism-making showdown.
29