Record of Conversation from Premier Zhou Enlai's Reception of Ambassador U Hla Maung

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Record of Conversation from Premier Zhou Enlai's Reception of Ambassador U Hla Maung

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Time: 3 April 1955, 3:30-4:20 PM

Location: Zhongnanhai Area, West Hall

Accompanying personnel from our side:

Vice Minister Zhang [Hanfu]

Minister’s Assistant Chen Jiakang

Pu Shouchang ([responsible] for translation and documentation)

U Hla Maung said U Nu hopes that Premier Zhou can come to Yangon two or three days before April 15.

Premier said there might be some difficulty with reaching Yangon two or three days before April 15. This is because according to the advice of the doctor, [he] can only travel in cars four weeks after the operation. From Kunming it takes five days to reach the border between China and Burma, therefore [we] will enter Burmese territory on April 14 at the soonest. Premier also said after entering Burmese territory he hopes the Burmese government will offer assistance so as to make it convenient to fly to Yangon the same day. According to Prime Minister U Nu’s wish, [we] can also stay somewhere along the travel route for a while. If [we] can reach Yangon the same day, then it will be in accord with the meeting of Prime Minister U Nu. Premier said according to this kind of agenda, the Chinese delegation must leave Beijing on the 7th, it cannot be later than that.

Premier asked how long will it take to travel from the border between China and Burma to Muse, is it possible to fly to Yangon from Muse, and how long will it take.

U Hla Maung said it takes one hour to one hour and a half to reach Muse from the border between China and Burma by automobiles. Muse has a runway, but it is not used often. If we notify the local [authorities] now, then it is possible to make arrangements on time. It takes five hours to fly from Muse to Yangon. U Hla Maung also said U Nu hopes to receive Premier Zhou at the border.

Premier said Prime Minister U Nu once said that he hoped to meet at the border, we welcome this, but it will be troublesome for Prime Minister U Nu.

U Hla Maung said he hopes to travel with the Premier. Premier said he welcomes this.

Premier said the Indian plane chartered by the Chinese delegation is flying directly from Yangon to Jakarta, therefore this time there are a total of twenty one people who are going to Burma together. As for the plane flying from the border between China and Burma to Yangon, one plane might not be enough; we can only trouble the Burmese government to help provide transportation.

Premier also said this time [they are] mainly passing through Burma, and visiting the border region of Burma along the way while passing through the Northern region of Burma. We will not be staying for too long therefore we hope that the Burmese government makes simpler arrangements in terms of protocols. Not to mention, from today onwards the interaction between China and Burma will be even more frequent. The Premier also said the news that the Chinese delegation has left Beijing will only be released after they crossed the Burmese border, therefore [we] ask for confidentiality before that. Lastly the Premier thanked U Hla Maung for forwarding him a copy of the March 6 letter from Prime Minister U Nu; [the Premier] also wants to thank Prime Minister U Nu for providing a lot of information through the letter. The Premier said after he reaches Burma, he will personally discuss some issues with Prime Minister U Nu, [which will] include some issues mentioned by the joint statement issued by the prime ministers of China and Burma while in Beijing.

U Hla Maung said he will immediately telegraph his government about the various points discussed today by Premier Zhou; and then [U Hla Maung] gave Premier Zhou the original copy of U Nu’s March 6 letter in addition to gifts from U Nu; [the gifts are] a Kachin sword and a bag. He said that according to the traditions of the Kachin people, the meaning of presenting a sword is for protection and the meaning of presenting a bag is to help the quest for prosperity.

After the Premier expressed his gratitude he said the sword symbolizes protecting peace and the bag symbolizes friendship between the two countries.

U Hla Maung then handed over an anti-communist propaganda picture, he said he and U Nu found [the picture] while touring the border regions of Burma; after investigation they found out that [the picture] was not printed in Burma, it was said to have been printed in the Philippines. He said this proves that someone tries to alienate relations between China and Burma. U Nu has already told local leaders in the Kachin state to stop anti-China propaganda; violators will be severely punished, [U Nu also] said that if someone informed on the people who are conducting this kind of propaganda then the informant will receive rewards.

The Premier said this propaganda picture proves that someone is conducting planned activities to sabotage the relationship between China and Burma. Regardless of where this kind of picture was printed, we can be sure that the United States produced it.

Lastly U Hla Maung gave [us] a copy of “the Communist Party of Burma secretly went to China”, he said when U Nu visited China he once promised to give committee head Liu Shaoqi a copy of this material.

Forward to: Chairman, [Liu] Shaoqi, [Zhou] Enlai (Two), Zhu De, Chen Yun, [Peng] Dehuai, [Deng] Xiaoping, Chen Yi, [Xi] Zhongxun, [Yang] Shangkun, Su Yu, [Wang] Jiaxiang, [Li] Kenong, [Ye] Jizhuang, Vice Minister, Minister’s assistant, Office, Secrets Center (Two)