"Digest News" (June 16, 2012, Edition 05)
In early March 1969, Ji Pengfei, the executive deputy minister in charge of the daily work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted a welcome dinner for the newly appointed Albanian Ambassador to China, Robo. The Albanian Embassy's counselor, Zechi Agoli, and other embassy diplomats were invited to the banquet.
During the banquet, toasts were exchanged between the hosts and guests. The host, Qiao Guanhua, had the nickname "wine connoisseur" since the 1930s, and today he rarely enjoyed drinking. Ambassador Robo, who was cautious, did not dare to overindulge and stopped after a few sips. On the other hand, the tall and robust Agoli appeared very lively, seemingly underestimating the drinking capacity of Ji and Qiao, the two "heroes" of the drinking scene. After a few rounds, Agoli was defeated.
After the banquet, a tipsy Agoli got into a small sedan and headed towards the diplomatic apartment. As the car reached the street outside Jianguomen, an innocent Chinese worker fell under Agoli's car. Upon learning of this incident, the top leadership of Albania immediately ordered Agoli to be recalled.
Upon hearing about the incident, Premier Zhou Enlai was furious. He harshly criticized Ji, Qiao, and other responsible persons, and sternly warned the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying, "You, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not only did not discourage Agoli from excessive drinking but also repeatedly encouraged him to drink. Agoli is in China, and he is our guest. If something happens, the responsibility lies mainly with us. As diplomats, especially you leaders, drinking must be done in moderation, as excessive drinking can lead to mistakes..."
Premier Zhou Enlai's tone softened as he reiterated the regulations for diplomatic personnel established in the 1960s: in various diplomatic occasions, diplomats should not drink more than one-third of their own capacity.
On March 28, Zhou Enlai met with Robo and Agoli to discuss the matter. Premier Zhou said, "I have learned lessons from drinking on four occasions: in 1925 at the Whampoa Military Academy, when I was promoting the united front, Chiang Kai-shek's officers made me drink because I got married; in 1938 in Wuhan, also promoting (anti-Japanese) united front, senior officers of the Kuomintang - former students of mine from Whampoa Military Academy - made me drink; there was another occasion in Chongqing; on the eve of the 1954 Geneva Conference, Khrushchev made me drink in Moscow. These times, they had ulterior motives for making me drink, so in 1965, I made up my mind to quit drinking after 30 years. Drinking too much not only harms the body but also leads to political mistakes."
Agoli was deeply moved by Zhou Enlai's heartfelt words. In the end, Premier Zhou repeatedly assured Ambassador Robo that the responsibility for this matter lies with the relevant officials in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The aftermath of the unfortunate death of the worker in the accident will be handled by the Chinese side, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is requested not to take any action against Agoli, who is about to be recalled, but the Albanian side firmly refused to revoke the order.
On the evening of May 1 of the same year, Zhou Enlai learned that Agoli and his wife had left Beijing for Shanghai that day. He immediately sent Qiao Guanhua and interpreter Fan Chengzuo to Shanghai to accompany the Agoli couple on a week-long tour of Shanghai and Hangzhou. Upon learning of this gesture, the Agoli couple in Shanghai expressed their gratitude to Premier Zhou Enlai.
(From "World News" on June 12, by Luo Yinsheng)