First Published: Unity, Vol. 2, No. 4, February 23-March 8, 1979.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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China’s armed counter-attack against Viet Nam is a just action taken against repeated provocations by the Vietnamese authorities. It is also a major blow to the Soviet social-imperialists and their plans for world domination. By standing up firmly to the Soviet and Vietnamese aggressors, China is not only defending her own borders, but is also making a great sacrifice in the interests of the people of Southeast Asia and the whole world.
As a socialist, peace-loving nation, China did not want to have to take up arms against Viet Nam. China did not do so for a long time, even though the Vietnamese staged hundreds of border raids and killed and wounded over 300 Chinese. However, all of China’s restraint and warnings did not turn back the Vietnamese authorities. They and their Soviet backers are arrogant bullies who think they have free rein to run amuck, trample over other countries, make provocations and take advantage of China and other countries’ desire for peace. In fact Viet Nam is so arrogant only because it has the backing of the Soviets. Viet Nam assumed China would be intimidated by this and back down from its opposition to Viet Nam’s occupation of Kampuchea.
Of course the Vietnamese and Soviets are now yelling “aggression” and “invasion” at China. But who are the Soviets and Vietnamese to shout about China’s measures? The Soviets and Vietnamese think it’s fine that they invade and occupy Czechoslovakia and Kampuchea, but they yell bloody murder when people like the Kampucheans and Chinese stand up and fight back against aggression.
People’s China has never occupied another country and has made it clear that it wants no part of Vietnamese territory.
China’s measures also help the other countries and peoples of Southeast Asia and Asia who are also the victims of Soviet and Vietnamese intimidation and armed attacks. As agents of Soviet imperialism, the Vietnamese have taken over Laos, staged a blitzkrieg invasion and occupation of Kampuchea, and threaten Thailand and Malaysia. The Soviet Union staged bloody coups and assassinations in the countries of North and South Yemen and Afghanistan last year. The Soviets occupy four of Japan’s northern islands.
These are all part of the Soviet Union’s strategy in Asia, to control sea lanes and establish an arc of influence from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and thus outflank Europe. All of this is key to its bid for world domination. With each advance the Soviets make, they become bolder and closer to launching a world war with its rival superpower, the U.S., for total global domination.
The United States criticized China’s counter-attack and equated it with Viet Nam’s invasion of Kampuchea. This is ridiculous. It is the Vietnamese who are the war-mongers in Asia and responsible for the tense atmosphere.
The U.S. government also warned that the Chinese were “inviting” the Soviet Union to attack China and start a major war. Certainly China’s act is a courageous one, for the Soviets have massed one million troops with superior arms along the entire Sino-Soviet border. Following China’s counter-attack, the Soviets put their border units on “readiness alert” and threatened to “punish” China. But bullies are not dealt with by capitulation. In fact, it is the Soviets’ hope that others will be intimidated into lying down so that the Soviets can walk all over them. China’s action is a blow to Soviet imperialism. It actually helps combat the outbreak of world war as it upsets the Soviets’ war strategy.
China has set an example for others to rise up and stand firm against the Soviets and their agents. Their action is in the interests of the world’s peoples and should be firmly supported.
The Soviet imperialists and their Vietnamese agents must be stopped!