Two Intermediate Zones

In 1946, Mao Zedong put forward the theory of "intermediate zone" for the first time.

In August 1946, he pointed out: "The United States and the Soviet Union are separated by a vast zone which includes many capitalist, colonial and semi-colonial countries in Europe, Asia and Africa.” The "vast zone between the United States and the Soviet Union" is what he later called "the intermediate zone". "The socialist camp is one side, the United States is another side, and beyond that, it is the intermediate zone.” “The countries in the intermediate zone are different and varied, but the United States wants to swallow them all up.” The direct aim of American hegemonism is "to dominate the intermediate zone”.

In his three conversations in 1963 and 1964, Mao Zedong focused on the idea that there are two intermediate zones in the world.

On September 28, 1963, in his speech at the working meeting of the CPC Central Committee, he pointed out that there exist two intermediate zones in the world. Asia, Africa, and Latin America constitute the first intermediate zone, and Europe, Northern America, and Oceania constitute the second. Japan and Canada are dissatisfied with the United States. With de Gaulle as the representative, there are six common markets, all of which are powerful capitalist countries, and they are dissatisfied with both the United States and the Soviet Union. “Are the Eastern European countries are satisfied with Khrushchev? I don't believe it. The situation is still developing, the contradictions are still being exposed. In the past few years, the French have been fighting for independence, but not to the extent that they are today. Contradictions between the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries have also developed significantly, and relations are very tense.”

On January 5, 1964, when Mao Zedong spoke with members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee of Japan, he said that there are two parts in the intermediate zone: one was the vast economically backward countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and the other was the imperialist countries represented by Europe and the developed capitalist countries. Both parts were opposed to American control. In Eastern European countries, the problem of opposition to Soviet control occurred. This situation seems to be more obvious.

On July 10, 1964, Mao Zedong pointed out in his talk with the Socialist Party of Japan, Sasaki Sakuda, Shou-man Kuroda, Shimizu Kawabata and so on, that we now put forward the view that there are two intermediate zones: Asia, Africa, and Latin America constitute the first intermediate zone, and Europe, Northern America, and Oceania constitute the second. Japan also belongs to the second intermediate zone.