Unite the Many

China's Foreign Policy Analysed

Unite the Many to Defeat the Few:

by Jack A. Smith. Reviewed by Rona Bailey. Available at 75c from The Paper Market, Box 2359. Wellington.

It's been a long time since such a concise summary of China's foreign policy from 1949 to 1973 has appeared from a Western source.

In 1972 Jack Smith, Managing Editor of the American weekly paper, 'The Guardian' spent six weeks in the People's Republic of China. The result is a 38 page pamphlet which presents a logical and straightforward picture of her international position from a revolutionary viewpoint.

In dealing with such questions as the Pakistan and Ceylon crises and the Nixon visit which have caused controversy among some sections of 'the left'. Smith shows in factual terms how China approached each situation.

The pamphlet is important reading for three reasons. Firstly it traces the consistent strategy of Chinese foreign policy since 1949, while explaining the reasons for the new tactics adopted in the present period. It analyses the reasons for China's encouragement of medium and small countries such as New Zealand, to take an independent position in national and international affairs, and the method used to try and achieve this. And thirdly it shows the theory and practice of developing a broad united front in the world today.

Smith explains that in order to appreciate the present foreign policy of China it is necessary to understand the history of Sino-Soviet relations over a long period Simply and logically, without jargon, he traces events, dealing in turn with CPC and CPSU relations, Hungary, Korea and what is termed the 'third great debate in the world'communist movement in this century, that of modern revisionism versus Marxism-Leninism.'

Step by step, the reader gains a clear picture of why China firmly believes that the situation has now been reached, where "the world is dominated by two superpowers — the US and the USSR which collude and contend with each other in dividing the world into spheres of influence which each would control and exploit." and why China urges the formation of a broad united front consisting largely of third world countries but also including any country not under complete domination of the US and the USSR.

For those people who berated China for her role in the Pakistan and Ceylon crises, "Unite the Many, to Defeat the Few" will be illuminating reading. Smith quotes his frank discussions with Chinese officials from the Foreign Ministry. He sheds new light on the strength of the true revolutionary forces as opposed to the Awami League in East Pakistan and why they had to be defeated. He analyses in considerable detail the background to the Ceylon question, particularly pointing out the adventurist role of the Trotskyisi movement in that country.

From his discussions and observations, Smith concludes that "People's China was in a distinctly disadvantageous position in 1969 — diplomatically, politically and militarily." How China extricated herself from this position, without giving away principle or making any 'deals' is expounded in the chapters on "Building a united front" and "Relations with the United States". Smith argues cogently against a number of the criticisms from both right and 'left' quarters of China's policy at this time. The relationship between a policy of peaceful co-existence of states and continued support for the people's revolution are struggles is clearly spelled out, not abstractly, but always in relation to events as they have occurred.

"Unite the Many to Defeat the Few" is a 'must' for any serious student of both China and New Zealand affairs. At 75 cents it's a bargain.