Brothers in Arms (126 page)

Read Brothers in Arms Online

Authors: Odd Arne Westad

Tags: #Political Science, #International Relations, #General, #test

How shall we proceed with the trade agreement?

 

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Page 328
Stalin: What is your opinion? Up until now we have only had a trade agreement with Manchuria. We would like to know what sort of a situation we should look forward to in the future: Will we be signing separate agreements with Xinjiang, Manchuria, and other provinces, or a single agreement with the central government?
Mao Zedong: We would like to have a single, central agreement. But in time Xinjiang may have a separate agreement.
Stalin: Just Xinjiang; what about Manchuria?
Zhou Enlai: A separate agreement with Manchuria can be ruled out, since in the agreement with the central government China's obligations would in essence be fulfilled by shipments made from Manchuria.
Stalin: We would like the central government to sanction and take the responsibility for the agreements with Xinjiang or Manchuria.
Mao Zedong: The agreement with Xinjiang must be signed in the name of the central government.
Stalin: Right, since [a] provincial government might not take many things into account, whereas things are always clearer to the central government.

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