Keeping a Handy Ax

Next to Richard Nixon, the most popular American in Peking is probably former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger, whose frequently voiced misgivings about U.S. detente with the Soviet Union have been applauded by China's leaders. They made their fondness for Schlesinger and his convictions clear by inviting him on an elaborately planned tour of the Middle Kingdom, then by asking him to continue his visit after the death of Mao Tse-tung. Last week, at the close of his 23-day, 8,200-mile tour, the Chinese underlined their affection for Schlesinger by inviting him to meet three top men in China's post-Mao leadership.

"For Mao's successors," reported TIME Diplomatic Editor Jerrold Schecter, who accompanied Schlesinger on his tour, "the trip was an opportunity to demonstrate their ultimate weapon: the Chinese people. They did it at every turn, lining the roadsides with militia guards in Inner Mongolia and showing Schlesinger vast tunnel networks built on Chairman Mao's command to 'Dig tunnels deeply, store grain and never seek hegemony. At least for the time being, the Chairman's spirit is still in command."

That was certainly evident in the area of foreign policy. On the last leg of Schlesinger's trip, an interpreter made a possibly telling slip by announcing: "We welcome Dr. Kissinger." Startled for a moment, Schlesinger smiled and replied, "He isn't here." It soon became clear, however, that Schlesinger's high-level hosts knew their Washington Who's Who. In Peking, Defense Minister Yeh Chien-ying and Foreign Minister Ch'iao Kuan-hua expressed their scorn for the Secretary of State. They denounced Soviet-U.S. detente as "appeasement" caused by a "Munich mentality." Calling for greater U.S. vigilance in the face of the Soviet military buildup, Ch'iao cited a Russian proverb: "When you dance with a bear, keep your ax handy."

Tunnel Vision. The Chinese seemed to be hoping that Schlesinger would be appointed to an important post in a Democratic Administration after the November election. When Schlesinger was received by Premier Hua Kuo-feng, Hua treated the meeting almost as a summit conference. A solemn-faced, tall (6 ft.) and commanding-looking man, Hua denounced the "new czars" in the Kremlin, arguing that the Soviets are continuing Russia's imperialist traditions. Reaching deep into the 18th century, the Premier warned that in Peter the Great's purported "testament" Russia had already laid claim to South Asia. Hua declared that war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union is inevitable --a contention Schlesinger disputed. The Premier added that the U.S. must maintain its naval strength in the Pacific against a possible Soviet attack.

Earlier, Schlesinger had been taken to border points near the Sino-Soviet frontier--a rare privilege. The Chinese charge that the Russians have been lobbing artillery shells and sending secret agents into Chinese territory. Schlesinger was told of China's plans for defenses against an all-out attack that Peking expects: a "people's war" pitting millions of Chinese guerrillas against waves of Soviet armor, while civilians sought safety in deep mines and tunnels. To Schlesinger, Chinese vulnerability to the Soviets' military machine was apparent. But an official explained: "Soviet revisionism is a paper tiger against a people armed with Mao Tse-tung's thought."

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