In a 1973 conversation so bizarre that I admit to being a bit skeptical, Mao reportedly asked Henry Kissinger, “Do you want our Chinese women? We can give you ten million.”
Mao first suggested sending “thousands” of women but as an afterthought proposed “10 million,” drawing laughter at the meeting, also attended by Chinese premier Zhou Enlai.
Kissinger, who was President Richard Nixon’s national security advisor at that time, told Mao that the United States had no “quotas” or “tariffs” for Chinese women, drawing more laughter.
Kissinger then tried to highlight to Mao the threat posed by the Soviet Union and other global concerns as he moved to lay the groundwork for restoring diplomatic ties a year after Nixon’s historic visit to China.
But Mao dragged the talks back to the topic of Chinese women.
“Let them go to your place. They will create disasters. That way you can lessen our burdens,” Mao said.
“Do you want our Chinese women? We can give you ten million,” he said.
Kissinger noted that Mao was “improving his offer.”
Mao continued, “By doing so we can let them flood your country with disaster and therefore impair your interests. In our country we have too many women, and they have a way of doing things.
“They give birth to children and our children are too many.”
Kissinger said he would study the offer and suggested politely that they table the matter pending further review.
If true, I offer several possible interpretations, pick your favorite:
1) Mao was kidding around.
2) Mao was on drugs. (He was taking some pretty heavy duty medication for his various ailments at this time)
3) He was totally batshit insane.
4) He was dead serious.
5) He had a bet going with the boys that he could get Zhou Enlai to break down and weep in public
6) He simply forgot to mention, “Starting with Jiang Qing…”
7) All of the above.
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Source: AFP
