China\'s Quest. The History of the Foreign Relations of the People\'s Republic of China - John Garver

138 { China’s Quest

Vietnam to join the “joint fleet” in the event of war. Wartime was “another

matter,” Mao retorted. Mao returned to this point later in the discussion. In

the event of war, Mao said, China would certainly establish a “joint company”

with the Soviet Union. Mao made it clear that in the event of war with the

United States, China expected the USSR and the PRC to stand together.

The 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis and Revolutionary Mobilization

Twenty days after Khrushchev departed Beijing, Mao demonstrated what he

felt was the correct way to deal with US imperialism. On August 23, PLA

artillery began intense bombardment of the Nationalist islands of Jinmen

and Mazu. By launching the bombardment so soon after Khrushchev’s visit,

Mao created the impression that the Soviet leader had agreed to the move.^54

President Eisenhower went so far as to accuse Khrushchev of instigating

the move against Jinmen and Mazu. It soon became apparent to the United

Shanghai

Taipei

Fuzhou

Xiamen

Hong Kong

Kaohsiung

Quemoy

Pescadores

(Penghu)

Matsu

KWANGTUNG

FUKIEN

CHEKIANG

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC

OF CHINA

TAIWAN

East

China

Sea

South China

Sea

Taiwan

Strait

Yan

gtz

e^ R.

FIGU R E 5-2 The Offshore Islands