On October 1, 1949, a brand-new China representing the will of the people was proclaimed.
The Soviet Union was the first country to recognize New China and completely cut off ties with Chiang Kai-shek's forces, and under the influence of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria and many other socialist countries also established formal diplomatic relations with New China.
It can be said that the first recognition of the Soviet Union to a certain extent smashed the conspiracy of the Western world led by the United States to try to isolate China diplomatically, and also broke some of Chiang Kai-shek's unrealistic illusions.
Chairman Mao once said: "The great victory of the Chinese revolution cannot be achieved without the support of the Soviet Union." ”
In fact, after the founding of New China, the Soviet Union was able to announce the establishment of diplomatic relations with the mainland as soon as possible, and all this had a lot to do with Liu Shaoqi's secret visit to the Soviet Union a few months ago.
1. Mikoyan's trip to Xibaipo
At the beginning of 1949, the people's armed forces under the leadership of our Party basically won a great victory over the Kuomintang reactionaries.
Mao Zedong and other central leaders have realized that it is only a matter of time before all of China is liberated. Mao Zedong, who possessed a vast pattern of political wisdom, understood that the Western forces led by the United States were not willing to allow our party to seize power, and they would certainly attack our party from all aspects. For this reason, Mao Zedong and other leaders believed that it was very necessary to obtain the support of the Soviet Union in this special international situation.
On the other hand, the Party Central Committee also wanted to communicate with the Soviet side on many matters concerning the founding of New China.
In January 1949, Mikoyan, a special representative of the Soviet leadership and member of the Politburo of the Soviet Union, went to Xibaipo for talks with our party.
Mao Zedong personally greeted Mikoyan at the door of the drawing room. On February 1, 1949, the two sides officially began talks.
Mikoyan made it clear that Stalin was very concerned about the future situation in China and that he would report in detail to Stalin and the Politburo of the Soviet Union on all matters of this meeting.
During this meeting, Mao Zedong and others talked in detail with Mikoyan about the current revolutionary situation in China, and Mao Zedong pointed out that the Kuomintang reactionaries had lost all the hearts of the people and that Beiping had been peacefully liberated.
Ren Bishi, who participated in the talks, said that the victory of the Chinese revolution could not be achieved without the full support of the workers and peasants.
Mao Zedong also talked about some ideas for the founding of the People's Republic of China, and talked about China's economic construction, which is in ruins after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and will inevitably face some difficulties.
Because Mikoyan did not have a specific right to decide on this meeting, he rarely spoke in this meeting, but through Mikoyan, the current revolutionary situation of our party, political, economic, and diplomatic ideas, the Soviet Union already had a general understanding. This trip to Mikoyan further convinced the Soviet Union that our party would definitely win the final victory, and laid a solid foundation for Liu Shaoqi's subsequent visit to the Soviet Union.
It is worth mentioning that Mao Zedong also mentioned to Mikoyan that after the founding of New China, all privileges of imperialism in China must be abolished, which is the bottom line of China's foreign policy.
2. Liu Shaoqi paid a secret visit to the Soviet Union
On June 26, 1949, Liu Shaoqi began his visit to the Soviet Union.
During this visit to the Soviet Union, on the one hand, Liu Shaoqi focused on briefing Stalin on the current revolutionary situation in China; on the other hand, Liu Shaoqi formally expressed the hope that the Soviet Union would give understanding and strong support to China's economy, politics, and diplomacy. On the other hand, Liu Shaoqi held in-depth talks with the Soviet side on the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
During this visit to the Soviet Union, Liu Shaoqi held a total of six talks with Stalin, which lasted nearly two months.
Regarding the situation of the Chinese revolution, Liu Shaoqi and Stalin mentioned that our Party today has not only won decisive victories at the military level, but also won the full support of all strata at the political level.
After listening to Liu Shaoqi's report on the revolutionary situation, Stalin further strengthened his support for the CCP. Stalin also said with a look of emotion that China's actual experience in revolutionary struggle is worth learning from the Soviet Union.
One of the most important purposes of Liu Shaoqi's current visit to the Soviet Union is to implement all Soviet aid to our party.
Liu Shaoqi clearly mentioned in an aid report that he hoped that the Soviet Union could provide support in various aspects such as economic construction, education, and state organization.
Of course, military assistance was an important element of the talks. In the navy, Stalin made it clear that he would do his best to help China build a naval fleet. In the Air Force, the Soviet side will assist China in establishing aircraft assembly plants and help China train more pilots.
Economically, Stalin said that he would borrow $300 million at an annual interest rate of 1 percent for the national defense construction of New China.
Stalin told Liu Shaoqi that the Soviet side would send experts in various fields to support China as much as possible, and the Soviet Union would introduce relevant policies to let experts put away arrogance and contempt and sincerely help China. Stalin also pointed out that the salaries of Soviet experts should be the same as those of Chinese experts, and Soviet experts should not be specialized.
During this visit to the Soviet Union, Liu Shaoqi also had an important mission, that is, to obtain diplomatic support from the Soviet Union for China.
Before Liu Shaoqi's visit to the Soviet Union, the Party Central Committee held a special meeting on this issue, and the leadership of the Party Central Committee unanimously held that in view of the fact that the United States is deeply hostile to our Party and focuses on supporting the Kuomintang, obtaining the support of the Soviet Union is an important foreign policy against the United States.
Stalin made it clear that after the establishment of the Chinese government, the Soviet Union would be the first to recognize China.
At the same time, Stalin also suggested that the CCP should establish a new government as soon as possible, sooner rather than later, so as to avoid Western forces interfering in China. It was Stalin's suggestion that the Party Central Committee later decided to establish New China on October 1.
Third, Jiang Qing did not say a word
On July 27, 1949, Stalin held a grand banquet, inviting not only the Chinese delegation, but also Jiang Qing.
Strangely, Jiang Qing, who has always loved to be in the limelight, hardly spoke much at this banquet. In fact, the reason why Jiang Qing is like this is because Liu Shaoqi specially talked with Jiang Qing before the banquet, and Liu Shaoqi told Jiang Qing that this is a very important diplomatic banquet, and we must speak as little as possible, and once we say the wrong thing, it will adversely affect our party.
When Stalin walked in the direction of Jiang Qing, Jiang Qing, under the reminder of the staff around him, got up and toasted with a smile on his face and said: "I propose, toast to the health of Comrade Stalin!" ”
Stalin smiled and said: "I also hope that China and the Soviet Union can always be united, and unity is victory!" ”
Liu Shaoqi's visit to China in 1949 had an extremely great impact on the new China that was about to be founded; he used his political wisdom and diplomatic negotiation skills to implement many issues between China and the Soviet Union, laying the foundation for obtaining the comprehensive support of the Soviet Union, and also making Chairman Mao's visit to the Soviet Union at the end of 1949 smoother.