December 29, 1972
Discussion between Mao Zedong and Nguyen Thi Binh
MAO ZEDONG AND NGUYEN THI BINH[1]
Beijing, 29 December 1972
Mao Zedong: We belong to the same family. The North (Vietnam), the South (Vietnam), Indochina, and Korea, we belong to the same family and support each other.
If you succeed in the [Paris] negotiations, not only South Vietnam but also North Vietnam may reach normalization to a certain extent with the Americans. Now, some so-called “Communists” say that you should not negotiate, and that you should fight, fight for another 100 years. This is revolution; otherwise, it is opportunism.
...
During the Cultural Revolution, all under heaven was in disorder. A faction controlled power, and set fire and burned the British consulate. These bad guys belonged to the Lin Biao faction. Behind them was Lin Biao.
[1] This meeting was held during the heavy US “Christmas bombing” of Hanoi and Haiphong. On the Chinese side, Zhou Enlai and Ji Pengfei were present.
Mao Zedong advises Nguyen Thi Binh to continue with negotiations.
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