First Published: The Call, Vol. 7, No. 33, August 28, 1978.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Close to 1,000 members from across the country will meet to consolidate the organization’s expansion and to outline its immediate tasks in promoting friendship between the American and Chinese peoples. They will come to San Francisco to learn about each other’s work, draft resolutions and plans, elect new leadership and learn more about China itself. Many activists are especially committed to making sure that this will be the year for the establishment of full diplomatic, cultural and trade relations between the U.S. and China.
During the past year, the USCPFA has concentrated much of its activity on educating Americans about the situation in China since the downfall of the “gang of four” in October 1976. Through internal educational and public programs, the association has informed many people about the efforts to mechanize agriculture and modernize industry, about the blossoming of new cultural works, about the new emphasis on promoting scientific experiment and improving education. Thousands have learned that all these advances are part of China’s tremendous battle to become a powerful, modern socialist country in the next quarter century.
The USCPFA has also helped to show that these efforts are fully supported by China’s 900 million people of over 50 nationalities, who are united under the leadership of Chairman Hua Kuo-feng.
Matching the rapid developments in China, the USCPFA has expanded its own scope of activities. By the end of this year, nearly 2,000 Americans will have visited China under the association’s China Study Tours. The tour program has provided the funds necessary to establish or develop such programs as the Center for U.S.-China Relations, Center for Teaching about China, six standing national committees and regional field organizers.
In building broader ties with the American people, the USCPFA has also stepped up work on its national campaign to promote normalization of relations between the U.S. and China.
The establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries is seen as more crucial than ever in light of the escalating threat of a new world war. The past year, marked by new Soviet threats against China, open Soviet-Cuban aggression in Africa, and outbreaks of verbal warfare between Washington and Moscow, has helped to expose “detente” as a myth. In this context, more people are demanding U.S. friendship with China, a country which is firmly committed to the worldwide movement against the two superpowers and their war plans.
The National Normalization Committee has mapped out a concrete plan “to make the USCPFA a national influential force for the establishment of normal diplomatic relations.” This plan includes further outreach to the labor movement and trade unions, churches, and the media; developing educational resources such as pamphlets, video tapes, slideshows and newsletters; and strengthening the national and regional normalization committees to coordinate and organize this work. Regional normalization conferences will help, focus the work and mass actions, like those held in recent years, are being discussed.
In addition, the plan calls for an all-out effort to have China admitted to the 1980 Olympics. In spite of China’s admittance to almost every other world sports association, the International Olympic Committee has refused to withdraw recognition from Taiwan and recognize the government of the Peoples Republic as the representative of the Chinese people.
Key to a successful campaign on normalized U.S.-China relations and to broader outreach is further education on the advances taking place in China all levels and in all fields. An informed public will force an end to the U.S. government’s “non recognition” policy and continued foot-dragging on this crucial issue of normalized relations.
At the convention, delegates will have a wide range of educational to choose from in order to learn more about the developments in Chinese science, industry, education, culture, and agriculture; China’s foreign policy; the Taiwan question; and many other topics. In the workshops and convention plenary, concrete plans and resolutions will be introduced to further develop the normalization campaign, outreach work–especially among workers and oppressed nationalities–and USCPFA organizational structure and functions.
In the midst of all this activity and preparation, the USCPFA is overwhelmingly rejecting the desperate attempt of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) to turn the association into a platform for its anti-China campaign.
During the last weeks, while the association has been holding its regional pre-convention meetings, the RCP has finally put its cards on the table. Discarding all pretense of “neutrality” and innocent “questioning” with which they have tried to cover up their attacks on China, the RCP has now come out openly against the Chinese leadership and in support of the “gang of four.”
In a nationwide publicity campaign for its so-called “Mao Tsetung Memorial Meetings,” these phony supporters of Chairman Mao label Chinese leaders Hua Kuo-feng and Teng Hsiao-ping “traitors who have grabbed power” and the “gang” as “the four who fought to uphold... proletarian rule in China.”
These charges are in fact an attack on the masses of Chinese people themselves, who have vigorously united behind their new leadership and loudly condemned the sabotage of the “gang.” Thousands of recent visitors to China, including many members and supporters of the USCPFA, have testified to this, as well as to the rapid advances being made in China’s socialist revolution.
Many people have pointed out that RCP’s attacks and distortions have no place in an organization whose purpose is to build friendship with China.
Calling the RCP’s bluff, the National Steering Committee has called for genuine “free and open questions and discussion” about China as well as resignation or expulsion of those “who persist in actively pushing criticisms of China.” This resolution has been endorsed by regional conferences.
At its July meeting, the Western regional conference removed accreditation of the previously RCP-controlled Seattle chapter and forced supervised election of a new steering committee. This new steering committee can now redirect the friendship work in Seattle consistent with the Statement of Principles of the association and not as a forum for criticism and attacks on China.
On the eve of the convention, the USCPFA has shown its determination to “remove all barriers” to friendship between the two peoples–whether they come from the U.S. State Department or the RCP. It will redouble its efforts to indeed make 1979 the “Year for Normalization and a Leap Forward in Friendship Work.”
Anyone interested in attending the convention or receiving further information can contact the USCPFA Convention Office, 50 Oak St., Rm 502. San Francisco, Calif.. 94102, or call (415) 863-0537.