First Published: The Call, Vol. 8, No. 6, February 12, 1979.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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A delegation of U.S. Marxist-Leninists recently returned to the U.S. from a trip to the People’s Republic of China.
The delegation was comprised of activists from six U.S. Marxist-Leninist organizations: Bay Area Communist Union, Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist), League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Workers Headquarters, Portland Red Star Unity Collective, and the Proletarian Unity League.
“The trip was quite successful,” said a CPML participant. “Before we left, we set two goals for the delegation. First, to strengthen the unity between the U.S. Marxist-Leninists and the Communist Party of China. Second, to promote the prospects for unity among the U.S. Marxist-Leninists.
“By the time of the trip’s conclusion,” he added, “I felt that progress had been made on each of these goals. Of course, important differences still exist among the U.S. organizations. But in our discussions, we employed a good method of seeking common ground, isolating areas of difference and conducting discussion and debate in a principled fashion.”
The delegation toured several cities across China, visiting factories, communes, schools and workers’ homes. Everyone learned a great deal about China’s new emphasis on socialist modernization and deepened their understanding of the reactionary nature of the “gang of four.”
The delegation also held a series of meetings and discussions with leaders and representatives of the Chinese Communist Party, including Vice-Premier Geng Biao (Keng Piao), head of the Party’s Liaison Department. They exchanged views on the international situation, the domestic situation in the U.S. and China, and other topics of mutual interest.
While in China, the delegation learned of the Soviet-Vietnamese invasion of Democratic Kampuchea. When they arrived in Peking, the group sent a joint message of solidarity to the Communist Party of Kampuchea, declaring their determination to work, on their return to the United States, to mobilize the American people to oppose the invasion and to defend Kampuchea’s national sovereignty and right of self-determination.