Chapter 50 One on one, face to face - Deng Xiaoping and Wallace (2)

Deng Xiaoping skillfully kicked back the "ball" that Gorbachev had kicked to normalize relations between the two countries. September 2, 1986 was a fine day.It can be said that autumn is refreshing. At 10 o'clock in the morning, Deng Xiaoping specially changed into a new black Zhongshan suit, which fit well, and a pair of shiny black leather shoes. He walked steadily to Ziguang Pavilion on the coast of Zhongnanhai. Deng Xiaoping had just returned from a vacation at the seaside in Beidaihe. His dark face was shining brightly, his eyes were piercing, and he was in a particularly good state of mind.

Wallace, who had been waiting here early, went forward to meet him.Deng Xiaoping shook hands with him, and the two walked to their seats together.While walking, Wallace happily said to Deng Xiaoping: "I regard the conversation with you today as a very rare opportunity. Because of a person like you, it is not easy for us reporters to get an exclusive interview opportunity." Deng Xiaoping replied with a hearty smile: "I am just an ordinary person." Saying that, the two smiled and sat down facing each other. Deng Xiaoping calmly took out a pack of "Panda" brand cigarettes on the table, and said kindly to Wallace, "Is it okay for me to smoke?"

"Yes. Can I have one?" Wallace said while leaning forward and extending a hand to Deng Xiaoping. Deng Xiaoping handed him one, and said with a smile, "Mine was specially made by them to deal with me. The filter tip is so long." "Oh, the filter tip is longer than a cigarette." Wallace took the cigarette and looked at it carefully, and said in surprise. "I hope our one hour together is interesting to you." Wallace, 68, still speaks in a typical Western style. "I speak more casually. Because what I say is what I want to say, and it is also true. I advocate less empty words in our country." Deng Xiaoping's answer was very frank, simple, and approachable.

"Have you ever had a one-on-one TV interview?" Wallace asked again. Deng Xiaoping said: "There are no TV reporters yet. It is Italian Farage who has had relatively long talks with foreign reporters." Wallace immediately said: "I read that conversation and found it very interesting. Farage asked you a lot of difficult questions." Deng Xiaoping paused for a moment and said: "She tested me. I don't know how many points she gave me. She is a very difficult person to deal with. Kissinger told me that he was beaten by her." "Yes. I interviewed Farage, but I also asked her some difficult questions." In addition to Wallace's words, there was a trace of self-confidence in peers, whether he was also implying Deng Xiaoping, and his interview was not So what's easy to deal with?

The interview started in such a cordial conversation. Wallace's first question was about Sino-Soviet relations. On July 28, 1986, Gorbachev delivered an important speech on the Soviet Union's Asia policy and Sino-Soviet relations in Vladivostok (Vladivostok), a large city in the Far East of the Soviet Union.In this speech, Gorbachev expressed his willingness to improve relations with Asian countries, especially China and Japan.In terms of Sino-Soviet relations, the Soviet Union is ready to discuss with China at any time and at any level the most serious question of supplementary measures to create a good-neighborly atmosphere, and hopes that the Sino-Soviet border will become a peaceful and friendly area in the near future.The Soviet Union is willing to negotiate the official direction of the Sino-Soviet border with the Heilongjiang main waterway as the boundary in accordance with China's opinion; the Soviet Union is working with Mongolian leaders to study the withdrawal of a considerable part of the Soviet army from Mongolia; the Soviet Union will withdraw from Afghanistan for 6 months before the end of 1989 A regiment of 8,000 troops; understand and respect China's modernization goals and so on.At that time, Gorbachev's speech caused some shock in the world. Everyone focused their attention on China to see how the Chinese leader responded.In fact, Gorbachev's goal was to kick the "ball" of Sino-Soviet relations to China, so as to get rid of its passiveness in international and diplomatic affairs.After Deng Xiaoping observed calmly, the Chinese side made a simple and clear evaluative response to this matter—"There is something new, and we will study it carefully."

Obviously, this time Wallace raised this question straight to the point, hoping that Deng Xiaoping would make a formal answer on behalf of China.He asked Deng Xiaoping: "What do you think of Gorbachev's recent speech in Vladivostok?" It seems that Wallace's question was indeed observed, thought and researched. Deng Xiaoping, who was not surprised, said while smoking a cigarette: "Gorbachev's speech in Vladivostok is something new, so we cautiously welcome his new and positive things. But Gorbachev's speech also shows that, His strides were not big. Shortly after Gorbachev’s speech, officials of the Soviet Foreign Ministry also made a speech, the tone of which was different from Gorbachev’s. This shows that the Soviet Union’s policy towards China What happens, we still have to observe.”

Deng Xiaoping was indeed a political master.He never had the diplomatic rhetoric of a politician grandstanding.He is always calm and sober, able to "get inside" and "get outside". Wallace then asked, "Have you met Gorbachev before?" "No." "Do you want to meet him? Because he said he is willing to talk to you about any issue, anytime, at any level. Would you like to have a summit meeting with him?" "If Gorbachev takes a solid step in removing the three major obstacles between China and the Soviet Union, especially in urging Vietnam to stop its aggression against Cambodia and withdraw its troops from Cambodia, I am personally willing to meet with him."

Speaking of this, Wallace suddenly changed the subject and asked: "The Vietnamese made a speech today, expressing their willingness to negotiate with China in order to end the difficult situation between China and Vietnam." As soon as Wallace changed the topic, he suddenly panicked the program producer who was "supervising the battle" in front of the TV monitor.He stood up and frowned, thinking that Wallace should take Deng Xiaoping's words and ask him how and where he planned to meet Gorbachev.But it's not easy to interrupt the interview, so we can only watch Wallace's performance.

Deng Xiaoping said: "Vietnam has made this statement at least 100 times. We have also clearly told them that the premise is that Vietnam withdraws all its troops from Cambodia. The Cambodian issue should be resolved through consultation among the four parties in Cambodia." "So, as far as you and Gorbachev have a summit meeting, the ball is on Gorbachev's side," Wallace said. Deng Xiaoping further said: "Vietnam is required to withdraw all its troops from Cambodia. The Soviet Union can do something about this issue. Because if the Soviet Union does not help Vietnam, Vietnam will not be able to fight a day. Gorbachev has always avoided this in his speech in Vladivostok. problem. That’s why I say that the Soviet Union has not made much progress in eliminating the three major obstacles in Sino-Soviet relations.”

Wallace asked again: "It seems that China has a better relationship with the capitalist United States than with the Communists in the Soviet Union. Why?" "China does not look at the social system when observing state relations. Sino-US relations are determined by the specific conditions of China-US relations. Sino-Soviet relations are determined by the specific conditions of China-Soviet relations." Deng Xiaoping's answer was very straightforward and profound . At this moment, the video tape in the camera just ran out.During the short break during the shutdown to change the tapes, the program producer hastened to Wallace's attitude of continuing to pay attention to the meeting between Deng Xiaoping and Gorbachev.

After changing the tape, the interview continued. Wallace immediately asked: "Director Deng, just now my program producer asked me to ask again, is Director Deng willing to meet Gorbachev?" There are always some accidental factors playing unexpected roles in the inevitability of history.Perhaps it was the exchange of videotapes and the reminder from the program producer that produced the most exciting passage of this interview. Deng Xiaoping said calmly: "As I said just now, if the Soviet Union can help Vietnam withdraw its troops from Cambodia, this will remove the main obstacle in Sino-Soviet relations. Vietnam's military presence in Cambodia is also a hot issue in Sino-Soviet relations. As long as this issue is eliminated Yes, I am willing to meet with Gorbachev. I can tell you that I am not young now, I am over eighty-two, and I have already completed the historical task of visiting abroad. I am determined not to go abroad. , but if this obstacle is eliminated, I am willing to make an exception to meet with Gorbachev anywhere in the Soviet Union. I believe that such a meeting is very meaningful for the improvement of Sino-Soviet relations and the normalization of Sino-Soviet relations." Deng Xiaoping also said: "The three major obstacles are mainly Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia, because China and the Soviet Union are actually at a confrontation, but the method is to confront China through the Vietnamese army." Deng Xiaoping's remarks keenly grasped the key points, showing the farsightedness and strategic courage of a statesman.This wonderful speech became the most commented passage by the press later.Because Chinese leaders are willing to go to the Soviet Union to hold the summit meeting between the two countries, this is the first time that Sino-Soviet relations have broken down in more than 20 years.Deng Xiaoping's speech gave Gorbachev a resounding answer. It did not change China's consistent position and emphasized the prerequisites for the Sino-Soviet summit meeting. Ask the Soviet side to come up with new and substantive things to improve the relationship between the two countries. According to Agence France-Presse's commentary at the time, it said: "Gorbachev achieved some important points through his speech in Vladivostok (Vladivostok), but Deng Xiaoping, who is in his 80s, has Blocked the ball back." The American "Christian Science Monitor" also commented: "Deng Xiaoping skillfully took the center of the stage from Gorbachev without making any concessions."