170 Mao Zedong Yafeng Xia 171 Opening relations with the United States-to form an were to unite,attacking us from the north,south,east,and west, anti-Soviet alliance what do you think we should do?...Think again.Beyond Japan is the Since 1965,China and the Soviet Union had continually expanded United States.Didn't our ancestors counsel negotiating with faraway their military forces along their shared border.Tensions between the countries while fighting with those that are near? two countries increased further during the Cultural Revolution (start- ing in 1966),and by 1968-69 each side had amassed several hundred Although Li's recollections may not be completely reliable,this episode thousand troops along the border.In early 1968,Sino-Soviet conflict adds context and nuance to Mao's decision for rapprochement with the erupted around Qilixin Island,on the Chinese side of the main chan- United States. nel of the Ussuri River,the prelude to large-scale armed conflicts the The perception of a grave threat from the Soviet Union pushed Mao following year."The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968 to lift existing theoretical restrictlons in order to improve relations with heightened Chinese leaders'concern about Soviet intentions. the Umited States in the early 1970s.US President Richard Nixon's high- When intense armed conflicts between Chinese and Soviet border profle summit meetings in February 1972 with the Chinese leaders, forces broke out in March 1969 on Zhenbao Island (called Damansky in effect,replicated Nixon's national security adviser Henry Kissinger's Island in Russian)near the bank of the Ussuri River,China's security earlier visits to Beijing in July and October 1971.Determined to move situation dramatically worsened.Soon,border conflicts spread to other ahead but firm on the principal issues,the leaders of both sides proved areas as tension increased along the entire length of the border.These worthy negotiating opponents.At the core of the US-China sum- incidents brought China and the Soviet Union to the brink of a major mit diplomacy was the common concern over the Soviet threat.Each military confrontation. side aspired to utilize the other to balance that threat.This was the In mid-May,premier Zhou Enlai,at Mao's behest,asked four veteran beginning of the US-China-Soviet triangular diplomacy during the Cold War. marshals-Chen Yi,Ye Jianying,Xu Xiangqian and Nie Rongzhen-to pay special attention to international affairs.Although the Four Mar- But Mao was not a consistent strategic planner.He was constantly shals'Study Group belleved that the Soviet Union would probably not vacillating between promoting world revolution and seeking a detente wage an all-out war against China,they emphasized the need for Beljing with US'imperialists.Mao was psychologically uncomfortable and hes to be prepared for a worst-case scenario.Chen Yl and Ye Jlanying argued itant when he switched from his hard-line anti-American policy to a that in order for China to be ready for a major confrontation with the more concillatory approach in the early 1970s.This switch was due to Soviet Union,'the card of the United States'should be played.In a Mao's perceived threat from the USSR and the lack of momentum in written report,'Our Views about the Current Situation',completed on the hoped-for world revolution.It seems that China recelved Instant- 17 September,they pointed out that although Moscow was intending to gratification In Its foreign relations from its reconciliation policy with 'wage war against China'and had actually deployed forces for this pur- the United States.Mao,who was accustomed to the strategy of 'defeat- pose,the Soviet Politburo was unable'to reach a final decision'because ing the enemies one by one'[gege jiepol in military and the united of political consideratlons.The marshals proposed that,in addition to front work,was obviously excited.He thus put forth a new concept. waging 'a tit-for-tat struggle against both the United States and the He was thinking of utilizing Sino-American common concern over Soviet Union',China should use 'negotiation as a means of struggle Soviet expansionism to establish a geopolitical complex of countries against them'Perhaps the Sino-American ambassadorial talks should he termed a 'strategic line,which extended from Europe,Turkey,Iran be resumed 'when the timing is proper. and Pakistan,to China,Japan and the United States.This geopolitical According to Mao's physician,Li Zhisui,in the middle of the war scare complex also included many countrles outside the line as well.Mao in August 1969,Mao told Doctor Li, thought that this plan might be able to defeat the Soviet Union as its first objective. During his meeting with Henry Kissinger on 17 February 1973,for the Think about this.We have the Soviet Union to the north and the west,India to the south,and Japan to the east.If all our enemies first time,Mao proposed the plan.Mao said,We were enemies in the past,but now we are frlends.'Not only did the Soviet threat to Europe