Insofar as the revolutionary forces in the liberation movements and the working class movement generally are concerned, the invitation certainly came as a colossal disappointment. Its very suddenness and particularly the secret character of the negotiations, cannot but be viewed with apprehension. To prepare such a sharp turn and in total secrecy is completely alien to the Leninist conception of conducting international relations with imperialist powers. Lenin made public all the secret treaties of the Czar and conducted diplomatic relations with the Germans, the French and the British openly. Never for a moment was the revolutionary vanguard in doubt as to the world revolutionary orientation of the Soviet Republic, that it put the interests of the world revolutionary movement ahead of the interests of the Soviet Republic.
Secret diplomacy keeps the imperialists informed and the masses in the dark.
There can be no getting away from the fact that this venture into secret diplomacy by the Chinese leaders has caused a serious setback to the revolutionary movement of the world, and the ruling class has, at least temporarily, gotten a psychological lift as well as a diplomatic one. Its morale and outlook have been improved, even if it is only temporary. In sum, as the Chinese leaders have so often said and done, the goal of the revolution is not only to raise the consciousness of the masses, to give them confidence in the struggle against the class enemy, but also to uphold the principles of proletarian internationalism. Judged by these criteria, the irresistible conclusion is that the Nixon invitation is a setback to the revolutionary movement. Scarcely anything could have been more important than to have mutual consultations on how to confront the imperialists during such a great crisis.