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dated December 20, 1955: Nehru's praise for China

Prime Minister Nehru said in New Delhi on December 18 that non-admission of China to the UN was a big mistake as, instead of harming China in any way, it had greatly weakened the world body and lessened its authority. Efforts by certain powers to shut the doors of the UN to new China, where one-third of the world's population lived, actually affected India and other free countries of the world. The Prime Minister was speaking at a civic reception accorded in the Dewan-i-Khas at the Red Fort to Madame Soong Ching Ling, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China. He said, "I feel convinced that many of the difficult problems that have sprung up in Asia and have been aggravated would either have not arisen at all or would be solved if China was admitted to the world body." Addressing the Chinese leader, he said: "You have come here as a greater leader of a great nation. If I may venture to say so, you are something even more to us than that." For the last 30 years or so, the people have heard of Madame Soong. They have read about her and tried to follow what she had said and done. "Throughout this stormy period of China's revolution, many figures have risen and many have been prominent. But whatever storm raged in China, your figure stood out during these long years, serene, confident, firm of purpose and never wavering. So you become not only a rock of strength but a lighthouse who gave its light to others, not only to your own people but to our people and I am sure to many others. So you grew not outside but you grew into our minds and hearts and now that we have the privilege of seeing you and meeting you in person, these past few years pass before our eyes and we feel emotionally moved." Mr. Nehru said that in the last ten years the world had seen many ups and downs. So also had China and India. "This is a long story and these ten years may perhaps be considered to be more long and significant than centuries. Perhaps, we people living in the present may not feel these vast changes that have come within these ten years. But this high tide of history, this flood of events, has changed the face of the world."

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