The Quarrelling Brothers: New Chinese Archives and a ... - CiteSeerX

news to me.” Even the usually reserved Zhou erupted angrily: “What data do you trustmore—Indian or ours?” When Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Yi accused Khrushchev of“time-serving” (opportunism-prisposoblenchestvo), 69 the Soviet leader burst out, “ChenYi is Minister of Foreign Affairs and he can weigh his words. He did not say it atrandom.” The exchange between Khrushchev and Chen Yi quickly became heated. “Ifyou consider us time-servers, comrade Chen Yi, then do not offer your hand. I will notaccept it,” Khrushchev declared. Chen Yi replied firmly, “Neither will I. I must tell you Iam not afraid of your fury.” Khrushchev threw back, “You should not spit from the heightof your Marshal title. You do not have enough spit.” 70Immediately after seeing Khrushchev off on 4 October, Mao convened a specialPolitburo meeting to discuss their talks. The meeting concluded that Khrushchev heldillusions about Eisenhower and did not see the essence of American imperialism.Believing that Khrushchev had demonstrated his tendency toward revisionism, theChinese leadership nevertheless held that China should still adopt a guideline of attachingthe greatest importance to unity, carrying no debates and observing events withcalmness. 71Khrushchev, on his return to Moscow, stopped in Vladivostok and delivered aspeech on 6 October. He spoke about his recent visits to the United States and China, andclaimed that Sino-Soviet friendship was developing and consolidating day by day.Chinese leaders, however, were particularly attentive to possible hidden messages inKhrushchev’s speech. The Chinese embassy in Moscow sent back a detailed report about69 Zubok notes that it is not clear what the word exactly meant in Chinese. In both Wu Lengxi and Li Yueran’s accounts,the term Chen Yi used was “qianjiu zhuyi” (accommodationism). Zubok, “The Mao-Khrushchev Conversations,” p.248; Wu Lengxi, Shinian lunzhan, p. 226; Li Yueran, Zhongsu waijiao qinliji, p. 193.70 Zubok, “The Mao-Khrushchev Conversations,” p. 269.71 Wu Lengxi, Shinian lunzhan, pp. 228-229.25