Evening star., 1954-10-14
Moscow-peipinq Pact

Agreements between conSpiratorS are
seldom disclosed in full and are not always
what they seem. There is some danger,
therefore, in trying to evaluate with Ger
tainty the newly announced agreement be-
tween the Communist governments OF Mos
cow and Peiping.
On the surface, at least, Red China ap-
pears to have gained the most from what
was announced as series OF understand
ings containing the following: That Russian
military forces would evacuate Port Arthur
by May 81, 1855; that Russian aid will be
given on is heavy industrial projects in ad-
dition to 141 already provided; that Russia
will extend an extra $130 million in long
term credit; that Russia will transfer to
China its share in several jointly owned de-
velopment companies, and that the two
countries will join in the building of two
new rail lines. The most specific provisions
for compensation to Russia for all of these
favorS is one promising "items of usual ex-
port" from CHINA sufficiently broad term
to cover any number Of things and any
value.
If these are, in fact, substantial conces-
Sions from Soviet Russia to Red China, there
dIS tWO PIduO4U1C CAP404loUAV11os 4A4V A4Aoo AZ
that the Communist Peiping government,
which received its initial diplomatic recog-
milton from Moscow five years ago this
month, has moved more and more out of
i. the puppet Stage-at least to the point
where it can wrest from Moscow higher
prices for it's allegiance. There have, OF
course, been other evidences of this SEEM
ingly increased independence on the part
of the Chinese Communist leaders.
The second of the explanations for this
latest accord, and particularly for the ac-
companying statement of policy agree
mentS is simply that it is joint propa-
ganda assault upon the American position
in the Far East. Once again, the United
States is accused of aggression" against
Communist China and of occupation" OF
Chinese territory (FormoSa). Once again,
the United States is accused Of continued
occupation of Japan and of insulting the
national feelings of the Japanese while try
ing to use that country as an instrument
for threatening the peace of the Far East.
Soviet generosity" toward its friend, Com
muniSt China, and their mutual efforts
"aimed at strengthening peace" are cited by
contrast.
There are grounds, however, to look
with considerable skepticism at the terms
of this Communist family agreement and
to question whether it is anything more
than warmed-over version Of the pact Of
1850. In that agreement, Russia promised to
evacuate the Port Arthur naval base by the
end of 1852. In the fall of that year, it was
announced that Red China had requested"
continuance of Russian occupation OF the
port. Perhaps the Peiping regime is strong
enough today to request" evacuation and
to make it stick but it will take more time
perhaps until next May-to prove it. AS for
the financial terms of the new agreement,
Soviet credit and other aid have been mig
gardly in proportion to what China needs
for it's economic and industrial develop
ment. For such purposes the equivalent OF
S130 million in rubles-the purchasing
power of which is even less than this official
dollar value-is very little. The real signifi-
canoe of the agreement may be on COM
parable level