China Not Going To Congress

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31018, 25 March 1966, Page 13

China Not Going To Congress

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) TOKYO, March 24. China accused the

Soviet Union last night of forming a “holy alliance” with the United States to encircle it, United Press International reported.

The charges came in a formal letter from the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee to the Soviet Party’s Central Committee rejecting an invitation to attend the forthcoming world Communist Party Congress in Moscow, which was broadcast by Peking Radio, and appeared to signal an imminent formal split in the world Communist movement, United Press International said. In a bitter attack on the Soviet leadership, China accused Russia of pursuing world domination along with the United States and attempting to encircle China, A.A.P.-Reuter reported. The Chinese letter said the Russians distributed anti-Chi-nese propaganda at the same time as they issued the invitation, “whipping up hysteria against China.” “How can the Chinese Communist Party, which you look upon as an enemy, be expected to attend your congress?” the letter demanded.

The invitation was merely a gesture, sent with ulterior motives, the letter said. Among the propaganda spread by Moscow were rumours that Peking was obstructing aid to Vietnam and encroaching on Soviet territory. Since coming to power the new leaders of the Soviet Communist Party had gone farther and farther down the road of revisionism, splittism and great-power chauvinism ... in spite of Chinese appeals for them to return to the broad path of Marxism-Lenin-ism, the letter said. ‘•No Difference” There was no difference between the present Soviet leaders and the former Premier, Nikita Khrushchev. Accusing the Russians of “mouthing a few words” against United States imperialism the letter said ”‘in spite of the tricks you have been playing to deceive people, you are pursuing the U.S.-Soviet collaboration for the domination of the world with your whole heart and soul.” The best available consensus among Communist sources was that Mr Leonid Brezhnev, Russia’s party leader, would try to avoid an open break when he opened the Soviet Congress next Tuesday. Had the Chinese attended and launched an open attack, the Russians would have felt

compelled to answer and other parties might have joined in a public squalble in the Soviet capital. Diplomats said the Chinese boycott could mean the carry-

Ing out of a Peking thesis, voiced last year, that the time has come for a complete organisational split between the pro-Moscow and pro-Peking wings of the party.