Cable from the Chinese Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ‘Chinese Students Intending to Participate in the Demonstrations Organized by the Vietnamese Students’

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cable

Level: Extra Urgent Advance / From the Moscow Desk

Chinese Students Intending to Participate in the Demonstrations Organized by the Vietnamese Students

To the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

The Vietnamese students from each of the colleges in Moscow University have notified our students that they plan to hold another demonstration in protest of the American imperialists bombing Vietnam. The Vietnamese students said that they have already reported this to the Soviet central authorities this morning. The Soviets asked the students to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs still has not replied. The Vietnamese students will protest tomorrow whether the Soviets agree or not and have asked our students, as well as those from other countries, to participate. They plan to gather at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow and after the Vietnamese students have explained the situation of the most recent bombing, they will write a message to telegraph to various embassies, and send people to deliver the message in person to the Soviet Foreign Ministry and the British Embassy. Once the resolution has been reached, they will march to the American Embassy and hold a protest. Afterward, the protesters will march to the gates of the Vietnamese Embassy to meet and listen to a speech from the Vietnamese ambassador, as well as student representatives from China, the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Africa.

Our students in every college of Moscow University have expressed resolution to support the Vietnamese in their struggle, to protest, and to give speeches. The organization of the protesters will be conducted in secret in order to preserve regulation.

If you have instructions, please send them as quickly as possible.

[Chinese] Embassy in the Soviet Union

3 March 1965

[Handwritten note] We agree with the actions you spoke with us about taking today.

[Handwritten note] In regards to the request for the opinions of Vice Ministers Yu, Lin, and Liu Shao, the embassy agrees, and also approves of taking the actions today that you planned on March 3rd and spoke with us about during the phone call at 12:40 on March 4th.