“法国应该直接倾听中国的声音” ——被称为“外交核爆炸”的中法建交
1964年1月27日格林尼治时间11时，中法两国政府发表联合公报：“中华人民共和国政府和法兰西共和国政府一致决定建立外交关系。两国政府为此商定在三个月内任命大使。”这是新中国外交史上内容最简洁、措辞最独特的建交公报。短短两句话40余字，向世界宣告：中法这两个在两极世界中追求独立自主的国家终于走到了一起。
At 11 am GMT, 27 January 1964, the Chinese and French governments issued a joint communiqué stating that "The Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of France have unanimously decided upon the establishment of diplomatic relations. They thereby have agreed to exchange ambassadors within three months." This is the briefest communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations with the most unique wording in the diplomatic history of the People's Republic of China. With only 40-plus Chinese characters and two sentences, the communiqué declared to the world that China and France, the two countries that both pursued independence in a bipolar world, had finally come together.
中法建交这一重大历史事件，对国际舆论产生了强烈震撼，对世界局势产生了巨大影响，被西方媒体称为“一次突发的外交核爆炸”，被时任美国国务卿腊斯克称为“在密不透风的铁板上撕开一道裂缝”。在这一切的背后，隐藏着一段波澜起伏的外交博弈。
This significant historic event stirred public discourse around the world and had a tremendous impact on the international landscape. It was called a "diplomatic nuclear explosion" by Western media. The then US Secretary of State Dean Rusk said the event "ripped a slit in an iron plate". What led to the event was an extraordinary diplomatic process.
新中国成立后，受冷战时期的国际环境以及两国关于民族独立问题的分歧影响，中法两国迟迟未能建立外交关系。对此，周恩来总理曾对来华访问的法国议员代表团说：“美国是阻挡不住的，具有光荣革命历史的法国会走在美国前面，而且会走在英国的前面。中国是可以等待的，世界在变化，只要大家努力，中法建立外交关系就不会太晚。”
Due to the international environment during the Cold War and the divergence between China and France over the issue of national independence, the two countries still had not established diplomatic relations quite a few years after the founding of the People's Republic. Premier Zhou Enlai once said to a visiting French parliamentary delegation when speaking of the establishment of diplomatic ties that "the United States would not be able to stop it". He said, France, a country with a glorious revolutionary history, would be ahead of the United States and even the UK on this. "China could wait," said the premier, "The world is changing. With efforts from both sides, the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France would happen in a not too distant future."
1954年6月19日，周恩来总理兼外长和法国总理兼外长孟戴斯-弗朗斯在中国驻瑞士大使馆首次谈及两国建交问题
On 19 June 1954, Premier and Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai and French Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pierre Mendès France first discussed establishing diplomatic relations at the Chinese embassy in Switzerland.
1962年法国结束阿尔及利亚战争，消除了中法建交的最后一个障碍。立志重振“高卢金鸡”雄风的戴高乐不愿再以美国马首是瞻，开始谋求打开对华关系局面。中法关系正常化的条件日趋成熟，只差一个契机……
In 1962, France ended its war in Algeria, which cleared the final obstacle to the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations. Charles de Gaulle, with a strong desire to restore the pride and glory of France, was no longer willing to toe the line of the United States. He sought to fix the relationship with China. Things needed for the normalization of China-France relations had all gradually fallen into place. All that was needed next was a right opportunity to kick off the process.
1963年8月20日，法国前总理埃德加·富尔来到位于瑞士伯尔尼的中国大使馆。他在与中国驻瑞士大使李清泉的交谈中提出请求，希望以个人名义访问中国，并会见中国领导人。8月22日深夜，仍在中南海西花厅忙碌的周总理收到特急电报，内容正是驻瑞士使馆关于富尔请求的汇报。
On 20 August 1963, former French Prime Minister Edgar Faure visited the Chinese embassy in Bern, Switzerland. He asked Chinese ambassador Li Qingquan whether he could visit China in his personal capacity and meet with the Chinese leadership. Faure's request was immediately reported back to Premier Zhou Enlai, who was still busy working in his office at Xihuating, Zhongnanhai, deep into the night of 22 August when he received the urgent telegram.
提到富尔，周总理一点也不陌生。1957年，卸任法国总理的富尔受邀对中国进行了第一次访问，并将他所见所感写成《蛇与龟》一书，书名取自毛泽东主席词作《水调歌头·游泳》，意在表达尽管中法是隔岸相望的蛇山与龟山，但也能迎来“一桥飞架南北，天堑变通途”。
Faure was not a stranger to Premier Zhou. In 1957, Faure, who had just left office as prime minister, paid his first visit to China upon invitation. He recorded his experiences in China in his book Le serpent et la tortue (The Serpent and the Tortoise). The name of the book was inspired by a poem of Chairman Mao Zedong. Faure likened France and China to the Serpent Hill and the Tortoise Hill in Mao's poem, which had been separated by the Yangtze river but recently linked up by a modern bridge, to indicate his belief that the two countries would eventually be linked up as well.
富尔在那次访华期间受到了毛泽东、周恩来等中国领导人的接见，他的书中有过这样回忆：“毛主席在谈到中国时表情凝重而自信：您已看到我们国家的情况了，看到我们目前是多么落后，任务是艰巨的。”谈话中，毛主席用“鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利”的典故来形容国际形势，让富尔印象深刻。富尔在书中写到：“我思考着一个令人难以置信的矛盾：许多国家竟然不承认这样的一位国家元首，不承认眼前明显而重大的现实情况，对我们有什么好处？”
During his 1957 visit, Faure was received by Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou and other Chinese leaders. He recalled in his book that Chairman Mao looked heavyhearted yet still confident while commenting on China's situation. He said to Faure, "As you have seen with your own eyes, China is lagging far behind and faces daunting tasks." Mao compared the international situation to a famous Chinese fable, "When the snipe and the clam were locked in a fight, the fisherman would take advantage." This impressed Faure greatly. He wrote in his book that he had in his mind an unbelievable contradiction: many countries didn't recognize such a state leader, nor did they recognize the apparent and significant facts. He lamented on how little good that would do to France.
时隔6年，再次面对富尔的访华请求，周总理敏锐地察觉到，富尔此行很可能是要传递法国政府谋求改善对华关系的信号。他当即做出部署，以中国人民外交学会名义向富尔发出邀请。
So when Faure again asked to visit China six years later, Premier Zhou sensed at once the very possibility that Faure was coming to deliver a message from the French government of seeking to fix its relationship with China. Without any delay, Premier Zhou instructed that an invitation be sent in the name of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.
不出周总理所料，富尔此次访华的确带有“官方色彩”。戴高乐总统同富尔交往密切， 希望富尔作为自己的代表访问中国，他在给富尔的指示中写到：“请告诉中方 ，无论出于常理、传统还是未来的考虑，法国准备发展法中双边关系”用心良苦的戴高乐专门给富尔写了一封“亲笔信”，表示对他“完全信任”。这封信表面上是写给富尔的，实际上是写给中国领导人的。
Premier Zhou was right. Faure had an "official mission". Faure was close to President Charles de Gaulle, who asked Faure to go to China on his behalf. He instructed Faure to inform the Chinese side that France was ready to develop bilateral relations with China out of common sense, tradition and the future. President Charles de Gaulle also wrote Faure an autograph letter stating his complete trust of him. The letter, though addressed to Faure, was actually intended for the Chinese leadership.
10月22日，富尔乘坐的客机降落在北京首都机场。来京第二天，周恩来总理便在西花厅同富尔展开会谈。富尔谈起了周恩来四十多年前留法勤工俭学的岁月，并说：“现在总理是时候再去巴黎了。”在寒暄之间，富尔此次来华的目的不言自明，中法两国建交谈判正式拉开序幕。
On 22 October, Faure arrived at Beijing Capital Airport. On the next day, Premier Zhou had a talk with him in Xihuating. Faure noted Premier Zhou's student experience in France 40 years ago and said it was time for Premier Zhou to visit Paris again. Those small talks already made Faure's purpose of visit self-evident. With that, the negotiation on establishing diplomatic relations had officially begun.
1963年10月，周恩来会见戴高乐总统代表、法国前总理富尔(中)。
Premier Zhou Enlai meets with Edgar Faure (middle), former French Prime Minister and representative of French President Charles de Gaulle in October 1963.
当时的法国戴高乐政府虽想同新中国建交，却又在台湾问题上放不下包袱，拒绝主动宣布同台断交。富尔的解释是：蒋介石政府曾在二战时帮助过戴高乐领导的“自由法国”。对此，周总理坚定地表明中方原则，绝对不可能存在“两个中国”。他对富尔说：“我们都知道，皮杜尔是反对戴高乐的。如果他在外国势力的扶植之下，成立了流亡政府，那么中国能否因为一度与他有过接触，不承认现政府，而承认流亡政府，或者两个都承认呢？”
At that time, though the French government would like to establish diplomatic relations with China, it was unwilling to let go of the historical baggage over the Taiwan question and refused to take the initiative to declare the cessation of relations with Taiwan. The reason, as Faure explained, was that the government of Chiang Kai-shek had helped the "Free France" led by Charles de Gaulle during WWII. In response, Premier Zhou unequivocally stated China's principle that there can never be "two Chinas". He said to Faure, people all knew that Georges Bidault was against Charles de Gaulle. If Bidault had formed a government-in-exile supported by foreign forces, would it be acceptable to France if China recognized the government-in-exile instead of the incumbent French government or if China recognized both just because China had previously had contact with Bidault?
接下来的谈判一度陷入僵局。为缓和气氛，给富尔更多思考时间，同时也为进一步研究对策，中方决定在接下来的几天安排富尔到内蒙古等地访问。在富尔离京的时间里，周恩来一直在思索如何在两国建交程序问题上打破僵局。最终，中方先后向法方提出了“有步骤的建交方案”和“三点默契”方式，得到富尔大力赞赏。双方共同签署了《周恩来总理谈话要点》。收到富尔此行报告和《要点》后，戴高乐随即决定加快法中建交步伐，并指派法国外交部欧洲司司长博马歇公使前往瑞士，同李清泉大使就建交具体事宜展开谈判。经过新一轮折冲，双方最终同意先行宣布建交，由中方发表关于“一个中国”的照会声明，而法方予以默认，解决困扰两国建交的台湾问题。
The negotiation came to a deadlock. To lighten the atmosphere and give Faure more time to think things over, as well as to give itself time to assess potential options, the Chinese side arranged a visit to Inner Mongolia for Faure. While Faure was out of town, Premier Zhou thought hard on how to break the stalemate by focusing on the possible procedures of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. The Chinese side then put forward the "step-by-step proposal" and the "three tacit understandings" which were highly praised by Faure. The two sides then signed the Talking Points of Premier Zhou Enlai. Having read Faure's report and the Talking Points, Charles de Gaulle decided to accelerate the process. He sent Jaco de Beaumarchais, Director of European Department of the Ministry for European and Foreign Affairs, to Switzerland to negotiate with Ambassador Li Qingquan on the specifics. The new round of negotiation concluded with an agreement that both sides would declare the establishment of diplomatic relations first. As for the Taiwan question standing between the two countries, the solution is for China to issue a diplomatic note reaffirming the one China principle which France would tacitly agree with.
1964年1月27日，两国正式发表建交公报。次日中国政府单独发表声明，表明在台湾以及联合国等国际组织问题上的立场，反对“两个中国”企图。至此，中法建交大局已定。1月31日，戴高乐在爱丽舍宫召开千人记者会，正式宣布承认新中国。他说：“法国应该直接倾听中国的声音, 也让中国听到法国的声音。目前还在观望的某些政府，迟早会觉得应该仿效法国。”
On 27 January 1964, China and France issued the communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations. On the next day, the Chinese government made a separate statement about its position concerning Taiwan, the United Nations and other international organizations, stating its rejection of any attempt of creating "two Chinas". Things were settled for the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations. On 31 January, Charles de Gaulle declared France's official recognition of new China in a press conference attended by over a thousand reporters in the Elysee Palace. He noted that France needed to listen to the voice of China directly and vice versa, and that those governments still holding a wait-and-see attitude would sooner or later follow the step of France.
从“北京回合”到“上海回合”再到“伯尔尼回合”，在这一曲折过程中，毛泽东、周恩来等新中国领导人既坚持原则，又灵活变通，充分照顾对方难处，入情入理推动两国实现建交，成为谈判艺术的杰作和外交史上的创举。在两国人民的殷切期盼下，在两国领导人外交智慧的指引下，中国和法国最终走到了一起，两国友好关系的历史从此翻开了新的一页。
From Beijing to Shanghai and then to Bern, Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai and other Chinese leaders, while standing firm by principles, had shown flexibility in the negotiations to accommodate as much as they can the concerns of the other side. They secured the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations with a reasonable and friendly approach, setting a fine example of the art of negotiation and in the history of diplomacy. As ardently hoped by the two peoples and thanks to the diplomatic wisdom of leaders of both countries, China and France finally came together to open up a new page of China-France friendly relations.