486 Sha Qingqing on the Secret Cold War Contacts Between Taipei and Moscow
In the mid-Cold War, Taipei and Moscow, originally ideologically irreconcilable, established a secret line of communication through journalists and overseas personnel. In 1968, Victor Louis, holding a Soviet passport and visiting Taiwan as a reporter for the London Evening Standard, arrived in Taipei and initiated exploratory talks with Wei Jingmeng, Chiang Ching-kuo, and others. Subsequently, both sides continued their contacts in Vienna, Rome, and other locations. Facing a shift in US policy, why did Chiang Kai-shek repeatedly envision leveraging Moscow's power in his later years? Who was Louis, regarded as a KGB informant, actually conveying messages for, and did he truly represent the official Soviet stance? Why did this secret exchange, from which both sides sought to extract what they needed, never progress further? Please listen to this episode's guest, Sha Qingqing, for an insightful sharing.
Original Chinese title & description
486 沙青青谈台北与莫斯科的冷战秘密交往
冷战中叶，原本在意识形态上势不两立的台北与莫斯科，却通过记者和驻外人员建立起一条秘密联络线。1968年，持苏联护照、以《伦敦晚报》记者身份访台的维克多·路易斯抵达台北，与魏景蒙、蒋经国等人展开试探；此后，双方又在维也纳、罗马等地继续接触。面对美国政策转向，蒋介石为何在晚年屡屡设想借助莫斯科的力量？被视为克格勃线人的路易斯究竟替谁传话，他又是否真正代表了苏联官方态度？这场被双方各取所需的秘密交往，为何始终没能更进一步？请听本期嘉宾沙青青带来的精彩分享。
Participation credit “本期话题成员”：沙青青，新书《不可能的盟友》（微信公众号：13号埋立地）。
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