Essay:On Mao's "Foreign Policy"

A Cultural Revolution Poster Saying, "Hold high the great red banner of Mao Zedong Thought to wage the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution to the end--Revolution is no crime, to rebel is justified"

As for the imperialist countries, we should unite with their people and strive to coexist peacefully with those countries, do business with them and prevent a possible war, but under no circumstances should we harbour any unrealistic notions about them. -Chairman Mao

Introduction

Brief History

On the 1st of October, 1949. The People's Republic of China was proclaimed, in the words of Chairman Mao Zedong, the people stood up. And shortly after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was set up in 1954. Meanwhile just a feet away from China Khrushchev took power in the Soviet Union. Relations would continue to deteriorate eventually culminating into the Sino-Soviet Split, and border clashes where people would die, a nuclear threat would happen however during the Sino-Soviet negotiations the conflict was avoided, however this left China internationally isolated (Besides Albania), an imperialist base in Taiwan was also close leading to several crises. The struggle for recognition against the Kuomintang and Material Conditions led to the foreign policy decisions we will discuss today.

What Even is Foreign Policy?

Foreign Policy as defined by Britannica is quote,

general objectives that guide the activities and relationships of one state in its interactions with other states. The development of foreign policy is influenced by domestic considerations, the policies or behaviour of other states, or plans to advance specific geopolitical designs.

However this definition is pretty useless since it ignores the fact that States are instruments of class oppression, in the case of today, Bourgeois oppression over the proletariat, therefore its just the relations between Bourgeois and Bourgeois, this definition is not only useless but Metaphysical since it ignores that a state's interest is really the representation of capital's interest and act's as if this interest is independent from a state's interest. The United States didn’t invade Iraq because it had bad foreign policy. It invaded Iraq because the demands of capital necessitated the resolution of a contradiction and that was the historically overdetermined one presented to them.

Refuting Common claims

"Mao Supported Pinochet/Franco/Etc!"

First of all this claim is metaphysical in nature since it's basically saying that Mao had a complete static control over foreign policy which is wrong, Mao was not a dictator who could order anything without anybody stopping him, not only is it metaphysical but wrong in saying that China supported Pinochet, China maintained relations with Chile following the military coup unlike the Soviet Union and it's satellite states but this in no way entails an endorsement of the Pinochet government, same way China didn't support Franco, maintaining relations isn't support. Another reason why China did this is because they wanted to prevent nations from building relations with the Kuomintang, this would've allowed them to do more on the world stage diplomatically. The Soviet Union during the Stalin Era did similar actions.

"Mao Allied With the United States!"

No he didn't, Mao simply met with Nixon which he very obviously didn't want to participate in:

(There were then some closing pleasantries. The Chairman said he was not well. President Nixon responded that he looked good. The Chairman said that appearance were deceiving. After handshakes and more pictures, Prime Minister Chou then escorted the President out of the residence.)

"Oh But He Said He Loves Rightists!"
Mao was known for his dry sense of humor (like offering 10 million women for Kissinger to take back to the US). Also when you look at where Mao said that it's clear he was joking:

Snow: When I met Prince Sihanouk[8] a few days ago, he said that Nixon was a good deputy for Mao Zedong.

Mao: I like such kind of persons. I like the most reactionary people in the world. I do not like the Social Democratic Party; I do not like Revisionism. Revisionism has its fraudulent side, so does the current West German government. Snow: The more Nixon intervenes in South Asia, the more he instigates South Asian people to fight against him

Mao: Good! Nixon is good! I think we could have a wonderful discussion. I will not have a quarrel with him.

So this is a null argument.

"Mao Supported the Mujaheddin!"

Mao died in 1976, the Soviet-Afghan War began in 1979.

The Positives of China's Foreign Policy

Vietnam

During the National Liberation War of Vietnam, China and Mao supported the decision to support the Vietnamese people's struggles, the CPC offered Vietnam 270,000 guns, 10,000 pieces of artillery, 5,000 radio transmitters, and 1,00 trucks, during the 1960's China sent 320,000 troops to operate anti-aircraft artillery and perform logistical work that freed many regiments of the PAVN to engage U.S. forces in the South. After the United States started bombing North Vietnam China issued a powerful statement that it will defend North Vietnam if the United States dared cross into it's territory.

Middle East

In the 1960's China provided many support to National-Liberation movements in the Middle East, supplying light arms, mortars, medical supplies, these supplies went to those fighting for liberation such as the PLO, PFLP (Which also visited China), PFLOAG, and sent aid to Eritrean and Algerian forces to allow them to triumph over French colonialists. China also continued supplying Palestine well up into Mao's last days as well as other National-Liberation movements.

The Negatives of China's Foreign Policy

Revisionist Elements in the Foreign Policy Ministry

Zhou Enlai, was a revisionist, he allowed Deng to come back in and he was just as bad as Khrushchev. Although there were positives in China's "Foreign Policy" it's also important to recognize the negatives of China's "Foreign policy", he also supported Pakistani fascists during the Bangladesh genocide, and Zhou Failed to Oppose the Pinochet Dictatorship after the 1973 Coup in China as well as supporting other reactionary movements. However during the Cultural Revolution, Mao ordered the Red Guards to attack embassies however capitalist roaders ordered the PLA to defend them.

Conclusion

While China's Foreign Policy did have its negatives, myths made around it are made to villianize the Maoist Era of China, however mistakes did certainly happen but to act as if Mao was responsible for these is ridiculous, Zhou Enlai was responsible for these and responsible for a lot of revisionism in China itself. Although for all its faults, China's foreign policy did have positive elements as China provided supplies to National Liberation movements alike.