Report from the Premier's Office, 'Work Situation of the Preparations for China's Participation in the Asian-African Conference'

This document has been sent to the Central Committee.

(Secret)

Work Situation of the Preparations for China's Participation in the Asian-African Conference 

The State Council held its routine report meeting to discuss the preparation for our country's participation in the Asian-African Conference on March 19, 1955 at 10:00am. Vice-premier Chen Yun presided over the meeting and Vice-premier Chen Yi, Secretary-general Xi Zhongxun, Deputy Secretary-general Chang Lifu, Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Wentian, Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Hanfu and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Jiakang were present.

Vice-minister Zhang Hanfu first reported the general situation about the Asian-African Conference and the preparation work we have done for our country's participation.

The report meeting has made the decisions as follows:

(1) The delegation for our country's participation in the Asian-African Conference will consist of 24 persons and a press group of 15 persons. The above numbers of persons may be notified to the Joint Secretariat of the Asian-African Conference first. As for the specific persons constituting the delegation, they have not been determined for the time being; a report will be sent to the Central Committee for approval once they have been determined.

(2) The following four documents shall be prepared and sent to the Central Committee for examination and approval before the end of March:

(A) The policy on our country's participation in the Asian-African Conference (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of drafting it);

(B) The general speeches for the head of our delegation (The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of drafting it);

(C) The speech on economic issues (The Ministry of Foreign Trade is in charge of drafting it);

(D) The speech on social and cultural issues (The Second Office is in charge of drafting it).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for supervising them to finish all the above-mentioned documents in time.

(3) The route for our delegation to Indonesia has been temporarily decided: to fly to Jakarta from Canton via Rangoon; the delegation will take a special plane chartered from India. This matter needs a further study so that the Indian Embassy shall not be gotten in touch with for the time being with the matter concerning the chartered plane.

The Premier's Office

19 March 1955