AHC: Chiang Kai-shek takes up Chen Yi's offer

From a 1965 press conference by Vice-Premier Chen Yi:

"ON KUOMINTANG-COMMUNIST CO-OPERATION The Japanese correspondents asked about the possibility of co-operation between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party. Vice-Premier Chen Yi said: At present there are Revolutionary Committees of the Kuomintang in the provinces and municipalities as well as in Peking, which are co-operating very well with the Communist Party. New China is a country in which eight democratic parties co-operate with the Communist Party and are led by it. We welcome Mr. Li Tsung- jen's [see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Zongren on his return to China--quite a propaganda coup for the CCP--DT] participation in this co-operation. Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo are also welcome to join in this co-operation as Mr. Li Tsung-jen has done. Taiwan Province and any individual or group in Taiwan are welcome to come back to the embrace of the motherland and join in this co-operation. Only one condition is required: To break away from U.S. imperialist control and be loyal to the motherland. There are no other conditions. In my view, the possibility of Kuomintang-Communist co-operation is great and is moreover increasing..." https://dokumen.tips/…/eig-la-guages-press-peki-g-marxists-…

AHC: Chiang Kai-shek takes up this offer. (Every now and then after 1949 he did say that if the US did or didn't do this or that, he would be forced to make a deal with Mao. Bluffing, no doubt, but maybe something can make it real, though the only thing I can think of is the very unlikely prospect during his life that the US will support Taiwanese independence...)
 
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It would not be enough for the puppet kmt of the mainland, Beijing would have to return substantial power. A permanent coalition.
 
Of course it was easy enough for Li Zongren to "return to the embrace of the Motherland"--he had been in exile for many years, and was bitterly hostile to Chiang. Chiang OTOH was still governing a country, even if de facto only a small island. And what can the PRC offer him? "You can still rule an autonomous Taiwan province--we won't try to impose our system there?" That hadn't worked out so well for Tibet... So his situation would have to be fairly desperate.for him to go along with the idea.
 
Zhou despite being a committed Marxist, was far less radical than mao,or Lin biao. Fear of the Soviet revisionist might lead to substantiall participation and deng style reforms earlier.
 
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