In the wake of the "learn from Tachai" campaign in agriculture, 's news media have been exhorting the mainland people to "learn from Taching" in industrial production. Taching, an oil field in Heilungkiang, northeastern , has been held up by the Maoists as an example of how industrial production can be boosted by Mao thought.
According to a "New China News Agency"' report, the 1205th drilling team of Taching has drilled more than 390,000 meters in the last decade, which is more than five times the aggregate figure for all China before 1949. "Inspired by the great proletarian cultural revolution," the report continued, "the team set a world record in 1969 by drilling 100,000 meters in a single year, leaving both U.S. imperialism and Soviet revisionism far behind."
Nevertheless, the report disclosed that class enemies "tried to discredit Taching" during the "cultural revolution" and that "class struggle became very acute and complicated" in the spring of 1967.
The report then described the "new changes" since Taching's oil refinery, "a big and modern oil refinery which was built and put into operation by Chinese engineers and workers in one and a half years."
After the workers of the crude oil distillation workshop of the refinery's No. 2 department had put forward a proposal for renovating the workshop's equipment to increase output, some people objected, airing the view that "the equipment can't be changed," that "production is already at its maximum" and that "not even a single screw can be changed." Such views went against Mao's teachings and represented the "bourgeois metaphysical viewpoint," the report said.
After three months of "careful designing" by a group of workers, technicians and cadres and 40 days of construction, the "advanced equipment" in the workshop reportedly was renovated and capacity raised by 73 per cent. As usual in Communist practice, not a single production figure was given.
Another NCNA report claimed that production of crude oil at the Taching field in 1970 was 2.5 times that of 1965. During the same period, refining capacity was said to have been increased by 170 per cent and output of petroleum products by 75 per cent.
Wen Hui Pao, Chinese Communist newspaper in Hongkong, boasted that the "total output value" at Taching had increased at an annual rate of 36.6 per cent during the last decade.
According to People's Daily, geologists at the Karamai oil field of Sinkiang followed the example of Taching workers and "have discovered more and more petroleum resources." In addition to the discovery of new wells, more than 100 "dead wells" on which a "death sentence" had been passed by the "bourgeois technical authorities" were revived last year, the report claimed.
Another report of the same paper said a new oil field has been established in the western region of in by workers of the province's petroleum bureau. The field is located in a mountainous region at 3,000 to 4,000-foot elevation and near the old Tsaidam deposits.
The report recounted that prospecting was started as early as 1958. Owing to "interference and sabotage" of the Liu Shao-chi's line, however, the area was declared barren of oil in 1962. Exploration and development work were resumed in April of 1969 with the return of workers. They subsequently built a refinery. Deposits of petroleum in the area were estimated to be "several times" those of Tsaidam.
Farming or industry? Cadres face question of priority
Recent press reports indicate Communist cadres are confronted with the problem of working out a balance between labor for farming and local industry.
An article by Hsiang Hui in People's Daily made it clear from the beginning that "the distribution of labor should first meet the needs of agriculture" and that "local industry in its development should not vie with agriculture for labor."
Some people said, however, that "since local industry serves agriculture, it is within its rights to transfer whatever number of laborers from the villages it needs." "Is it permissible that because it serves agriculture, local industry should transfer labor from the agricultural front at will? No!" the article asserted.
"In order to run local industry well," the article continued, "it is permissible for it to make a reasonable transfer of some agricultural labor." The writer said the question involved was one of "persisting in the principle of not affecting agricultural production and acting in the interest of agricultural development."
Similar criticism was made of the view that "since local industry is poorly equipped and technically weak, it can't be run well without adequate labor; and so one is compelled to draw from the labor force on the agricultural front."
The same paper carried an article by the provincial revolutionary committee writing group criticizing "two absurdities" of Liu Shao-chi in "sabotaging" local industry.
The article claimed that a "fine situation" existed in the mass movement of running local industry in the province. However, it went on to say, the "biggest difference in principle" that existed between the local people and "Liu Shao-chi and his like" in this endeavor concerned the question of "whether or not to give play to the activism of the localities in running industry under unified central plalming, or in other words, whether to carry out thoroughly the policy of 'walking on two legs' and whip up a mass movement of running local industry."
The writing group refuted Liu Shao-chi's "reactionary theory" of "negative balancing" as one which "does not attempt to transform the backward into progressive" but which "drags the progressive back to keep in line with the backward."
Two attitudes existed in the development of local industry at a time when production of coal was unable to catch up with demand and so affected the completion of local industrial plans, the article said. One was the "negative attitude" of "disregarding the demands of the state plan and not doing the utmost to increase coal output, but instead letting the backwardness of coal production drag back output in other industrial departments." The other was the "positive attitude" of "grasping the weak links, organizing socialist cooperation and concentrating forces to fight a battle of annihilation." The latter was adopted by the authorities. Departments concerned and localities were mobilized to repudiate Liu Shao-chi's theory that "there is no coal south of the " and to run small coal mines.
While apathy and lack of cooperation have held back local industry in some areas, an "overenthusiastic" approach and careless disregard for practical conditions has led to official complaint in others.
An article entitled "Combine Revolutionary Drive With A Scientific Approach" in Southern Daily stressed the need to maintain a "revolutionary will" and a "revolutionary drive" to fulfill production plans. The article said:
"Naturally, in making revolution, we cannot just rely on enthusiasm. A scientific approach is also essential. In all things we must proceed from reality ... Our plans and targets must be realistic and practical, conforming to the actual situation of this time and place. Party members must be models of practicality and realism. Only by being practical and realistic can we fulfill the tasks laid down and avoid the disease of subjective idealism.
"In economic construction, some comrades had erroneously held: 'The higher the targets are set, the better. Production will double whether the targets are met or not.' Their subjective desires are good. However, they do not look at objective conditions ... They want to do in a big way things which clearly cannot be done. We must not plan our actions in such a way as to go beyond the bounds of what is permitted by objective conditions. We must not force ourselves to do things which are really impracticable."
Mao finds there is still need for youth league
Unwilling to spend the rest of their lives as peasants or factory workers, an increasing number of young people have been leaving the mainland. According to reliable estimates, the number of those reaching Hongkong was February, March and April of this year. Figures for the corresponding months of 1970 were 48, 46 and 28.
The attitude of mainland youth toward the Communist authorities is reflected in a joint editorial of Hupeh Daily and Yangtze Daily. After stressing that integration with workers, peasants and soldiers was the "revolutionary orientation which one must persist in for one's whole life," the editorial regretted that "not all young comrades have gained the same results from going to factories and rural areas."
The editorial continued: "There is a problem of attitude here: the question of whether to receive re-education (in factories or rural areas) wholeheartedly or half-heartedly; whether to regard it as a 'gust of wind' or to persist in it all one's life; and whether to accept it unconditionally or conditionally. Only by solving these problems correctly can one advance in great strides along the road of integrating with the workers, peasants and soldiers."
To exercise tighter control over youth, the party authorities have been emphasizing rebuilding of the Young Communist League since last autumn. The joint editorial of the Hupeh and Yangtze dailies said:
"The cultivation of successors to the cause of proletarian revolution is a major strategic task for the party. The party organizations at all levels must further strengthen leadership over youth work . . . and boycott and smash the corruption of youths by bourgeois ideas. They must attach high importance to the work of rectifying and building the YCL, regarding it as a component part of party building."
A symposium held by the Wuhan municipal party committee on YCL rebuilding stipulated that "more progressive youths should be taken into the YCL" and that "the YCL organizations, apart from continuing to work together on the party's central tasks, must also carry out their independent work of responsibility for the young people."
Despite official calls for a speeding up of YCL rebuilding, there are indications that party organs in charge of this work have felt disinclined to reactivate the youth organs or have been discriminatory in the selection of members for fear of admitting recalcitrants.
A report on YCL rebuilding in No. 5 of , broadcast by provincial radio, provided an example of the attitude of party cadres toward the admission of former "rebels" into the YCL.
The report said that in recent years YCL organs in the No.5 middle school had not been developed and that the number of Red Guards in the school had been only 16 per cent of all students. "Such a situation was far from the needs of the development of the revolutionary situation and the urgent demands of the young people who have fervent political desires," the report said.
In view of this, the school's party branch had "actively developed" the number of YCL members to 110 and that of Red Guards to 1,200, "thus greatly spurring the political fervor of the young people and accelerating the progress of the struggle-criticism-transformation campaign in the school."
During the development, some cadres held that "we have enough YCL members. If we develop too fast, quality will be affected." The report continued:
"Some comrades could not view the young people by applying the viewpoint of 'one divides into two.' They failed to understand that young people are full of vigor, eager to study and dare to think and act. These comrades always regarded those students who had shortcomings or made occasional mistakes as 'good for nothings' and people with 'no hope of improvement.' Such an attitude greatly hindered the development of the YCL and the Red Guard organs."
It was stressed that even youths with "bad backgrounds"-those with undesirable class origins - were not to be barred from entering the YCL, an attitude which differed greatly from that prior to the "cultural revolution." The report said: "As for those whose background is not good, including sons and daughters of dubious elements who can be educated, it is all the more necessary to help them to view correctly the issue of background and future. A bad background should not be treated as a burden."
Some party and YCL cadres have questioned the necessity of re-establishing the YCL. Their argument is that under the principle of "unified leadership," party organs are, in fact, overseeing all aspects of work in the localities.
According to a Radio Canton broadcast on YCL work in 's Puning county, some cadres held at the outset of YCL rebuilding: "Now there is unified leadership in the party. The cadres of the YCL can be dispensed with at will." Due to his belief that "since the YCL does not hold power, it does not matter whether the work of the YCL is grasped or not," a deputy secretary of the YCL committee of a commune in the county had relaxed his leadership over the work of the YCL, the broadcast said.
A similar attitude "appears to have prevailed among YCL cadres in the chemical fiber factory. According to People's Daily, some cadres held the view that "as the party now exercises unified leadership, YCL work is dispensable."
The attitude taken by some youths toward the YCL could scarcely be encouraging to authorities eager to revive this organ as a means of control and re-education. A broadcast accused YCL members and other young people of entertaining "stupid ideas." The radio did not specify what these ideas were. However, the statement that the youths had been organized by the party at all levels to criticize Liu Shao-chi's line in regard to the YCL indicated that YCL rebuilding on the island was facing difficulties.
Voices raised against appeasement of Peiping
Voices were raised in the U.S. Congress against the further appeasement of Red China in the wake of President Nixon's virtual termination of the trade embargo which had been in effect against the Chinese Communists since the Korean War. Those protesting included some who favored relaxation of tensions with the regime but not at the expense of the Republic of China.
The trade relaxation did not include such products as jet aircraft and diesel locomotives, but the White House indicated that permission might be given for such sales. Most barriers to dollar transactions for goods of mainland origin also were lifted.
Reporters returning from the mainland in the wake of ping pong diplomacy visits agreed that they had not found out a great deal, especially about politics, and said that important news of the mainland would still have to be covered from such vantage points as Hongkong and .
Americans said they were received with seeming friendliness but had the feeling that everything had been carefully rehearsed. There was no freedom to roam about. The communes visited seemed to be a far cry from those which rusticated young people are fleeing in .
Some statistics about wages and living costs were made known but none about production. Edgar Snow, a apologist, was given a few production figures by Chou En-lai, but correspondents for American newspapers and wire services had to be content with generalities.
The count of Chinese Communist Party committees in provinces and special districts rose to 25 with the announcement of those in Tientsin and . This left Hcilungkiang, Ninghsia, Szechwan and to go.
Presumably all 29 committees would have to be set up before the summoning of the "national people's congress," which Edgar Snow had incorrectly predicted for Mayor June. One obstacle after another seemed to standing in the way of the congress. The target date could now be October 1, which will be the 22nd anniversary of the Communist usurpation of mainland power.
Probably the Maoists had hoped to complete the committees by the 50th anniversary of the CCP on July 1 but couldn't move that fast. Where committees exist, they - like the ruling revolutionary groups - are creatures of the "people's liberation army."
Following is the record of Chinese mainland and connected events during the period from May 25 through June 25:
May 25
Returning from two weeks in Red China, two professors - Arthur W. Galston of Yale and Ethan R. Signer of Massachusetts Institute of Technology - said diplomatic relations between the and ping were unlikely within the foreseeable future. The relationship with the Republic of China and role of the 7th Fleet in the defense of the Taiwan Straits are insurmountable obstacles at this time, they said.
May 26
Five newsmen newly returned from the Chinese mainland said most reporting on Red China will still have to be carried on from the vantage points of Hongkong and . John Roderick of the Associated Press said "You simply do not know what is going on in the government when you are in ." Agreeing were Gregory Clark of the Australian in Sydney, Max Suich of the Sydney Morning Herald and John Rich and Jack Reynolds of NBC.
's Literary Gazette, which launched the storm of polemics against the Chinese Communists in the early 1960s, expressed concern about 's ping pong diplomacy by reprinting articles from Czech and Polish publications. The articles said rapprochement between and Peiping would be hurtful to the .
Admiral John McCain, commander of U.S. Forces Pacific, told the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that the Chinese Communists were building an all-weather road from in the north and Dien Bien Phu in the west across to the . He said he believed Peiping would use the road to apply pressure against both and . The network could be connected to the highway network to provide a further threat to the Thai government, he added.
Peiping comments on the Common Market suggested that admission of would be a reverse for the .
May 27
Secretary-General U Thant said the Chinese Communists would not be admitted to the United Nations this year. In , the National Republican Heritage Groups Council urged the Nixon administration to oppose 's U.N. admission and maintain strong ties with the Republic of China.
Australian Prime Minister William McMahon said there had been two responses to the move to open talks with the regime.
The U.S. State Department said it had warned that recognition of the Chinese Communists would be injurious to the international position of the Republic of China. A spokesman said this view was shared by a number of other countries. In , the Foreign Ministry expressed "deep regret" at 's decision.
Minister of Economic Affairs Sun Yun-suan of the Republic of China told the Far East-American Council of Commerce and Industry that Peiping would be interested in buying only aircraft, heavy trucks, computers and precision instruments from the . "All of these have obvious military value," he said.
Chinese Communist security forces were beefed up on land and sea as the refugee exodus from the mainland continued. The minimum penalty for those caught is 10 years of labor reform.
May 28
No decision has yet been made on policy toward the representation question at the United Nations, a State Department spokesman said.
Prime Minister Keith Holyoake said would continue to vote against any proposition to seat the Chinese Communists and expel the Republic of China at the United Nations. He expressed support of "two Chinas."
The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimated mainland 's 1970 rice crop at 100 million tons, an increase of 5 million tons. FAO said Peiping kept its place as third largest rice exporter behind the and but increased its share of the market to 13 per cent compared with 11 per cent in 1969 and an average of 12 per cent for the 1960s. Mainland exports were placed at 885,000 metric tons in 1970, up 175,000 tons from 1969. Biggest customers were , , , , and in that order.
May 29
Amando DoronHa, a Filipino correspondent returning from the Chinese mainland, said that as far as the eye can see, almost all work on farms is done by human beings. "There are few machines."
Tillman Durdin of the New York Times, a recent returnee from the mainland, said that a splurge of Peiping propaganda reaffirming commitment to world revolution, especially in , seemed to be an attempt to reassure revolutionary allies that smiling diplomacy does not represent any change in Chinese Communist hearts.
Some 2,000 Japanese ended a hunger strike of up to seven days to oppose appeasement of Red China. The fast was sp6nsored by the International Federation for Victory Over Communism.
Peiping donated 1,500,000 yuan (more than US$650,000) to for earthquake relief. recognizes the Republic of China.
May 30
Establishment of the Tientsin Municipal Party Committee brought the CCP total to 24 out of 29 set up since December.
sources said President Nicolai Ceausescu of would be carrying proposals for settlement of the Vietnam war and adjustment of relations with the Maoist regime to on his forthcoming trip.
A seven-man group of Chinese Communist electronics specialists arrived in for a month's visit. The British expected orders for equipment in the fields of microwave telecommunications, radar, television and wave-form tubes.
May 31
sources said Peiping soon will test-fire a liquid fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, presumably into the . The sources said the regime has built a solid fuel production plant and is developing a solid fuel ICBM.
American banks in Hongkong disclosed they were negotiating U.S. dollar letters of credit for Chinese Communist products. One banking source said, "There is no trade embargo now as far as we are concerned." banks may do business with all or most of 650 Hongkong companies which have trade links with the regime.
The executive director of the Australian Confederation of Apparel Manufacturers charged that the Chinese Communists were dumping cheap children's wear and other garments in . He said 25,000 Australian jobs are threatened.
June 1
President Nixon said the was conferring with the Republic of China and other governments with regard to its position on representation at the United . Nations General Assembly session next fall. A Louis Harris poll in the showed 48 per cent in favor of 's admission to the U.N., 27 per cent opposed and 25 per cent undecided.
Romanian Communist Party chief Nicolae Ceausescu arrived in and was met by Chou En-lai.
June 2
is a state opposing "big-power chauvinism," Chou En-lai told Nicolae Ceausescu. In the Chinese Communist lexicon, big-power chauvinists are the Russians. Chiang Ching, the wife of Mao Tse-tung, was among those greeting the Romanian Communist leader.
Writing from , Seymour Topping of the New York Times said incentive bonuses and overtime had been identified as Liu Shao-chi revisionism and eliminated from the Chinese mainland pay system. Wages are determined by ideological reliability, seniority and skills. The range in eight categories is from 34 to 108 yuan (US$14 to $45) a month.
June 3
Mao Tse-tung and Lin Piao met with 's Nicolae Ceausescu. Also present were Chou En-lai and Kang Sheng, whose absence from the May Day celebration had led to rumors of a purge.
Writing for President Nixon in a letter to Dr. Paul Sib, director of Asian Studies at , Acting Assistant Secretary of State William D. Blair said the would continue to oppose all efforts to expel the Republic of China from the United Nations.
Mainland intelligence sources said anti-Mao and anti-Communist riots were continuing in . The reports told of the assassination of Tan Fu-jen, chair man of the Yunnan Revolutionary Committee, and the revolt of a Red army unit.
June 4
Finance Minister K. T. Li of the Republic of China, in to address a symposium discussing the 60th anniversary of the Republic of China, said trade with Communism will not work out because the Communist and free enterprise systems cannot be meshed. He said the Chinese Reds are seeking American know-how.
June 5
Accompanied by Chou En-lai, Romanians headed by Nicolae Ceausescu left for a tour of the Chinese mainland. The first stop was .
, which recognizes the Republic of China, said it was sending fisheries and trade delegations to the Chinese mainland.
June 6
American sources said the Chinese Communists had wooed so as to set up a spy apparatus in . The reports said Peiping had been unable to establish large-scale espionage operations in or .
said the Chinese Reds were sending more diplomats and technicians to but that they didn't seem as bent on subversion as before. However, intelligence reports from admitted to ignorance about the number of Chinese Communists in African countries or precisely what they were doing.
June 7
The Pentagon said may be undertaking construction of its first nuclear submarine. Reconnaissance indicated it would not be a missile carrier.
Vatican spokesman Federico Alessandrini said the had no intention of opening recognition talks with . He said the proposal involved only one man, Chinese priest Louis Wei, and that there was no connection with the Holy See.
People's Daily said: "It is an important principle to put revolution in first place, but revolution cannot take the place of production." This represented a change from the "cultural revolution" period. Other sources told of increasing stress on improved management and cost and quality controls.
June 8
FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover told Congress the Chinese Communists had carried out intelligence activities and stirred up trouble in the . He said Peiping was using agents in and among the Chinese-American communities of the . He said Chinese immigrants and visitors included spies.
Senator James L. Buckley of said the admission of Red China to the United Nations would "enable her to turn the screws a little more effectively on her subjects" in . He said diplomatic recognition and U.N. membership would boost Peiping's prestige and aid its economy while giving the nothing. The Chinese Communists would "wreck the machinery" of the Security Council if they got into the U.N., he added. Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp, former commander of U.S. Forces Pacific, appearing with Buckley on a television program, said termination of military support to the Republic of China would result in a Chinese Communist invasion of .
Austrian Foreign Minister Rudolf Kirschslager said that the Chinese Communists agreed to drop mention of their claim to before entering into diplmatic relations with .
Andrei P. Kirilenko, second-ranking member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union after Leonid I. Brezhnev, told the Mongolian Communist Party Congress that was following a "constructive and patient" approach to bring about better relations with .
June 9
The 25th CCP provincial level committee was established in , which borders and . The first secretary is Chou Hsing, vice chairman of the provincial revolutionary committee and a former army political commissar. He headed the CCP in before the "cultural revolution." The four administrative units still without party committees are Heilungkiang, Ninghsia, Szechwan and .
Congressmen of both parties criticized President Nixon's efforts to improve relations with the Chinese Communists. Speaking out on the House floor were John G. Schmitz of California (R), Robert L. F. Sikes of Florida (D), Phillip M. Crane of Illinois (R), Durward G. Hall of Missouri (R) and H. R. Gross of Iowa (R). Schmitz asked if the was "going to abandon a staunch ally for a despotic totalitarian regime."
In a farewell dinner for Nicolae Ceausescu and his party of Romanians, Chou En-lai warned of Soviet exploitation and against "nice words" from the .
's Literary Gazette attacked the cult of Maoism and blamed it for Red China's severance "not only from the history and culture of the world, but even from its own history and culture."
June 10
President Nixon announced a long list of goods which the was prepared to sell to Red China, including wheat and roadbuilding equipment. The White House said requests for jet transports and diesel locomotives would be considered. The Republic of China described the move as "unwise and unfortunate."
Senator Peter Dominick of urged the to oppose 's admission to the United Nations. He said "hundreds of bodies found floating in the waters of Hongkong tell us far more than ping pong does of the real nature of the Chinese Communist government."
Radio reported the arrival of Yi Ching-tang for talks on trade between the U.S.S.R. and Red China.
Arriving in was a Yugoslav delegation headed by Mirko Tepavac, secretary of state for foreign affairs. Relations between the Chinese and Yugoslav Communists had been strained since 1958, when accused Tito of trying to split the international Communist movement.
June 11
's strongman, Colonel Mohammed Kaddafi, announced recognition of the Chinese Communists on the first anniversary of the evacuation of Wheelus Air Force Base.
ROC Ambassador to the United States James C. H. Shen protested to the State Department against President Nixon's lifting of the trade embargo against the Chinese Communists.
Peiping had no comment on the termination of the trade embargo, which was imposed in 1950 when the Chinese Communists entered the Korean war.
June 12
said it continues to oppose the admission of to the United Nations. This was a clarification of remarks by the Brazilian ambassador to the United Nations, Sergio Armando Frazao, which had led to speculation that was changing its policy.
The U.S. Commerce Department warned American businessmen not to expect easy profits from Chinese mainland trade. The department said the Chinese Reds "have never agreed to a sale on anything but their own terms."
June 13
Foreign Minister Kiichi Aichi, returning to Japan from talks with U.S. Secretary of State William Rogers, Foreign Secretary Sir Douglas-Home and other Western leaders at , said there had been no decision on a free world policy toward the representation issue at the United Nations. He said had no concrete proposals and that a decision might be futher delayed.
Some 20 American college students demonstrated in front of the State Department to protest what they described as the Nixon administration's appeasement of Red China.
June 14
Chou En-lai met with leaders and pledged additional aid to and to Communist rebels in and .
Entertaining visiting Peruvians, the Chinese Communists backed 's claim to a maritime territorial jurisdiction of 200 miles. The spokesman was Pai Hsiang-kuo, the "foreign trade minister," at a dinner given by "vice premier" Li Hsien-nien.
June 15
"Marshal" , 86, who had not been heard of sinee criticism by the Red Guards in 1967, returned to notice in Red China as he joined Chou En-lai and "vice president" Tung Pi-wu in signing a congratulatory message to re-elected leaders in North Vietnam.
Peiping agreed to provide US$70 million in commodity loans to .
June 16
Mainland fishermen reported students sent to work on farms in the south had been returned north because of the exodus of freedom swimmers. Fishing ports close to Hongkong were barricaded. Sentries turned away anyone without authorization in 500-yard-wide coastal zone.
An newspaper said the Greek military regime had entered into contacts with the Chinese Communists at a European capital.
June 17
Greek Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Christian Xanthopoulos-Palamas denied that either official or unofficial contacts had taken place with .
Peiping claimed a steel production increase of 17.2 per cent at in the first five months of 1971. The gain at in the northeast was put at between 2.9 and 14 per cent.
June 18
Arriving in Hongkong from the mainland, a Peruvian mission said trade offices would be opened in and . The matter of diplomatic relations was not discussed.
Arriving in Peiping was an mission to discuss technical cooperation in the exploitation of mainland petroleum deposits.
June 19
reports said the Chinese Communists had attempted to bring about improved relations with the four times in the last 15 years.
June 20
Peiping said it was discussing air service between and the Chinese mainland with the Italian government.
President Ceausescu of stopped in Peiping for a second time after a four-day visit to . There had been reports that he would try to bring peace to .
June 21
Peiping attacked the U.S.-Japan agreement on the reversion of , charging fraud. The Chinese Communists also accused the Japanese of trying to annex the Taioyutai islets (Senkakus) under cover of the return.
Red China claimed to have given anti-cholera vaccine for 200,000 people and a monetary gift of more than US$400,000 to , which recognizes the Republic of China.
A former Red Chinese "foreign ministry" official, Teng-shan, was arrested on charges of inspiring a Red Guard attack on the British diplomatic mission at in 1967.
June 22
Chinese Communists demanded an apology from for the alleged roughing up of a newsman by police. The reporter from Peiping was covering a Japanese leftist demonstration opposing terms of return of Okinawa to .
Chou En-lai met with Seymour Topping, assistant managing editor of the New York Times, and his wife; William Attwood, president and publisher of Newsday of Long Island; and Robert Keatley, Wall Street Journal correspondent, and Mrs. Keatley.
June 23
Thirteen students from crossed the Hongkong border into Red China for a stay expected to last a month. They were members of a group opposing the Vietnam war and advocating recognition of the Chinese Communists.
Red China's first trade shipment to the in the wake of trade embargo termination reached . It consisted of 11,350 pounds of canned goods.
June 24
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee opened hearings on policy. Only Chinese Communist supporters appeared for the first day of testimony before Chairman J. William Fulbright, an ardent advocate of American rapprochement with .
June 25
Ambassador James C. H. Shen, addressing the National Press club in Washington, said admission of Red China to the U.N. would nullify the world organization's dedication to peace. He told questioners that there can be no political detente between Peiping and . (The text of Ambassador Shen's address will be found in the Documents section of this issue.)