The Chung Kuo Shih Pao (China Times) warned January 18 against appeasement of Peiping in the Warsaw talks.
The paper said: "The Nixon doctrine has aroused suspicions and criticisms. Washington explanations give the impression that the United States is separating its China policy from the attempt to seek better relations with Mao Tse-tung. The Americans think this will not affect Sino-American friendship and the defense partnership in the Western Pacific.
"The Republic of China does not approve of this policy. Neither, we think, would the people of the Chinese mainland if they could express themselves on 'two Chinas'.
"After more than 20 years of experience with the ruthless Maoist regime, all of the Chinese people are confident that the Communists will be overthrown and that China's future will be one of freedom and democracy. The Chinese do not believe that the United States, their long-time ally, should change its policy and seek improved relations with the Maoists at the moment of their collapse.
"Compromise with or appeasement of the Chinese Communists can only arouse the indignation of the Chinese people and damage the relationship between the United States and the Republic of China.
"Resumption of the Warsaw talks should not mark the beginning of an appeasement policy toward the Chinese Communists. The Republic of China seeks to uphold the security and welfare of the Pacific region and the world and treasures friendship with the United States. The Chinese Communists want to destroy the peace of the Pacific and then to bury the Americans."
Commenting on the same subject, the English-language China News of January 20 said:
"Those offers that the United States will extend to Peiping at Warsaw today are not to include recognition. Washington apparently regards this as the supreme reassurance to the Republic of China.
"It is scarcely a secret that the ROC disapproves of the Warsaw resumption. The government of this country believes there is nothing to be gained and much to be lost by talking to the Chinese Communists. Present negotiations with the Vietnam Communists at Paris provide a classic case of the futility of trying to reason with Hanoi, Peiping or Pyongyang across the conference table.
"Even if agreements were reached, they would be kept only so far as they are self-enforcing. The Korean Armistice is an example. Communist aggression is prevented not by the written document but by the military forces entrenched on the south side of the 38th parallel.
"The view of this country has not been accepted by the United States, however, and the Warsaw conversations are again a fact of life. This being the case, the U.S. reassurance may be regarded as better than nothing, because the Chinese Communists are obviously going to renew their demand for the surrender of Taiwan as the price for accommodation with the United States.
"Peiping has never wavered in this position. These new talks were sought by the United States, and the Chinese Reds consider that a sign of weakness. They are not going to retreat from their basic position at a time when they think the United States is backing up.
"The Republic of China doesn't doubt the sincerity or the good intentions of the United States. What we wonder is whether the Americans have thought through all the aspects of their new face-to-face confrontation with the Chinese Communists.
"American policymakers are surely not so naive as to think that the Peiping regime is going to show any deep and abiding interest in trade, scholarly exchange and other such minor matters. The Chinese Reds want nothing less from the United States than withdrawal from Asia and the Western Pacific together with an end of Washington opposition to Peiping's membership in the United Nations.
"The United States is not prepared to pay such a price now or in the foreseeable future. But if it is not prepared to pay at least a part of this price some day, then why are the Warsaw negotiation being resumed?
"There are several parts to the answer. First, the United States has a long-standing predilection to talk instead of fight. Second, many Americans believe that the Chinese Communists are going to change after the passing of Mao Tse-tung. Third, the schism between Peiping and Moscow seems to provide an opportunity to play one off against the other. Warsaw is the alter ego of Helsinki.
"In other words, Warsaw can be regarded as an American exercise in opportunism. The Americans really don't expect that anything will come from the talks at the moment but would like to have the channel open 'just in case' and for possible future developments.
"The Republic of China doesn't agree and thinks that the talks could be dangerous. Peiping, after all, is entering into them with the hope of eventually wringing concessions of appeasement from the Americans. If the United States is realistically cautious, it will wait for some indication of Communist reasonableness after having extended its own olive branches.
"The wait will be a long one. The Chinese Reds have no more intention of giving anything to the 'American imperialists' at Warsaw than they do to the 'revisionist imperialists' at Peiping."
The Shin Sheng Pao (New Life Daily) said January 13 that U.S. efforts to appease Peiping will get nowhere.
The paper said: "The Chinese Communist regime thrives on anti-Americanism. Its weapons is adventurism.
"Some American politicians do not understand this basic Chinese Communist policy. They think they can appease Peiping because of the latter's conflict with Moscow. They do not understand the difference between internal and external conflict and between relative and absolute conflict. The Chinese Communists know this.
"The Peiping-Moscow conflict is relative and internal. The Peiping-U.S. conflict is absolute and external. The United States remains the arch enemy of the Chinese Communists. Peiping will never become the friend of the Americans."
China Daily News—Warning to Japan
The Chung Hua Jih Pao (China Daily News) said January 15 that ambassadorial talks between Peiping and Tokyo would augment Japanese domestic unrest.
The paper said: "Japan may think that negotiations with Peiping would ease Asian tensions. However, Peiping intends to increase tensions and communize all Asia. Japan is no exception. Ambassadorial talks between Tokyo and Peiping would encourage pro-Peiping elements to use stronger measures in an attempt to weaken the Japanese government."
The paper also said U.S. appeasement of Peiping will deepen U.S. involvement in Asia contrary to Nixon's new Asian policy.
The paper said: "The United States may want to use the Moscow-Peiping conflict to its own advantage. But Peiping and Moscow both want to 'bury the capitalist countries'. This common goal is strong enough to tie Moscow and Peiping together against the United States and all other democratic countries. Peiping will use U.S. appeasement efforts to sabotage Asian peace after the weakening of America's anti-Communist influence in Asia."
Commenting on Peiping's threat to Asia, the Chung Yang Jih Pao (Central Daily News) said January 15 that in resuming the Warsaw talks Peiping hopes to conduct political war on two fronts.
The paper said: "Peiping is using its border talks with Russia to undermine America's anti-Communist influence in Asia. On the other hand, Peiping is resuming the Warsaw talks in the hope of compelling the Russians to reduce military pressure along the Soviet-mainland border. Peiping is trying to make the free world believe it has mitigated its aggressiveness. The free world's ignorance of Peiping's intentions will facilitate Chinese Communist conquest of Asia."
New Life Daily—More adventurism
Commenting on the Southeast Asian situation, the Shin Sheng Pao (New Life Daily) said December 3 that now is the time to establish an Asian collective security system.
The paper said: "Recent Chinese Communist efforts to store grain and renewed propaganda attacks against Russia indicate the revival of adventurism.
"Vietnamization of the war against the Viet Cong is still incomplete and not yet strong enough to offset attack by a joint force of North Vietnamese and Chinese Communists.
"Small-scale wars could be instigated by the Communists in other parts of Southeast Asia at small military and economic cost.
"Washington's changing policy toward Asia allows little time for Southeast Asian nations to adjust themselves to new responsibilities.
"The return of the Ryukyus to Japan in 1972 will further stimulate Peiping's appetite for aggression.
"In view of Washington's changing policy, the free Asian nations face new danger from Peiping. A collective security system for free Asia must be established in the very near future."
Commenting on Communist infiltration of Thailand and Malaysia, the Min Tsu Evening News said January 6 that Asian and Pacific anti Communist defenses may break down if the United States does not firm up its Asian policy.
The paper said: "Peiping has propagated 'new war measures'. The Chinese Communists are training Thai and Malaysian guerrillas and terrorists in Yunnan, Kwangtung and Kwangsi.
"U.S. unwillingness to intervene in future cases of aggression against Asian countries opens the way for intensified Communist subversion. Washington promises without constructive action will destroy the free Asian and Pacific defense system."
Commenting on the same subject, the Chung Yang Jih Pao said January 7:
"There are two anti-Communist systems in Asia. One is the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization. The other includes the Asian Commonwealth nations. Thailand and the Philippines are the frontline anti-Communist members of SEATO. Malaysia and Singapore are anti-Communist Commonwealth nations.
"However, American troops are withdrawing from Vietnam and the British will leave Southeast Asia in 1971. The Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore will have to shoulder new anti-Communist defense responsibilities. They can do so only if free Asian countries quickly develop their natural resources, enlarge cooperation and overcome racial differences. Otherwise, channels of Communist infiltration will be enlarged and Asian anti-Communist defenses will be nullified."
China Times—Action after Agnew
The China Times said January 6 that U.S. promises to uphold treaty obligations in Asia must be confirmed in constructive action.
The paper said: "U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew has promised that the United States will live up to its commitments in Southeast Asia. This promise is meaningful only if Washington follows the advice of experienced Asian anti-Communist leaders.
"Confrontations are slowly replacing armed clashes in Vietnam, the Middle East and along the mainland border with Russia. However, these changes merely provide opportunity for the Communists to hypnotize the victim while preparing to attack.
"Western Europeans are tired of war. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization serves only to make them feel psychologically secure.
"Differences within the Communist bloc will not be resolved. Talks between Moscow and Peiping can only delay further military clashes.
"There is need to consolidate the anti-Communism of Asia and expand U.S. commitments so as to face up to intensified Russian and Chinese Communist economic and diplomatic infiltration.
"Washington's plan to withdraw all U.S. ground troops from Vietnam by 1971 is an invitation to Communist aggression. The plan to have Asians defend Asia must be accompanied by other measures.
"If appeasement of Peiping is a part of Nixon's policy, this is a green light to Italy, Canada and Japan to establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese Communists.
"The Nixon administration should start the 1970s with a stronger, less confusing anti-Communist policy."
China News—War preparations
Commenting on Chinese mainland war preparations, the English-language China News said December 3 that destruction of Chinese Communism is in the hands of the Chinese people.
The paper said: "One line of speculation about mainland war preparations holds that the Chinese Communists still expect a Soviet attack on the Sinkiang nuclear installations.
"That is possible. The Chinese Reds entered the Peiping talks with no intention of compromising. They could scarcely have hoped that the Russians would make all the compromises necessary to a border settlement and relaxation of tensions.
"But Peiping has other reasons for trying to persuade the 700 million people of the mainland that invasion can be expected momentarily.
"Thus far the Maoists have been unable to check the accelerating tendency toward anarchism.
"People give protective lip service to the thought of Mao and then turn to the urgent business of saving themselves and their families. Factionalism is more prevalent than at any time since the Communists seized power. Cadres of the regime are either helpless or dare not move against the revisionists, the anti-Maoists and the anti-Communists.
"Peiping hopes that some semblance of unity can be re-established through fear of an external enemy or enemies.
"War preparations are more economic than military. Rationing has been tightened. Exactions of taxes in kind have been increased. The Maoists demand that industrial workers put in additional time without compensation.
"These measures reflect declining industrial production and the determination of the peasants to hang on to a larger share of their crops.
"Establishment of local industries to serve the needs of agriculture may be based on Mao's efforts to revive the 'great leap forward' rather than on military necessity. Peiping apparently is finding it difficult, if not impossible, to move large factories to the hinterland.
"Maoists give the appearance of being more afraid of the Chinese people than of the Russians and have good reason to be. The U.S.S.R. might destroy Chinese Communism nuclear installations but the destructions of Chinese Communism is in the hands of the Chinese people."