People’s Republic of China Politburo Committee / Council of Ministers
sino-soviet split
Welcome, delegates, to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Politburo Committee on the Sino-Soviet Northern Border Conflict. This committee takes place in 1969, after the Sino-Soviet split in which both countries’ formally denounced one another’s political philosophy, amidst the Cold War. Its goal is to appease tensions between the Soviet Union and China in order to keep intact the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance signed in 1950 to safeguard one another’s interests. Had the Soviet Union and China been able to maintain their ties in spite of nuances in the actual practice of Marxism and enactment of Leninist theory, their combined power on the world stage would have been far more remarkable. Your goal, as members of the People’s Republic of China’s Politburo Committee dedicated to addressing the conflict, will be to find the perfect balance between asserting your ideology and maintaining advantageous relations with the Soviet Union. If the committee goes well, delegates can actually create a partnership that would lead to a legitimate global platform for communist ideology. If the delegates fail to mend these tensions and handle them worse than their “predecessors,” it could end in full-blown nuclear war.
Director's Letter
Dear Delegates,
It is my honor to serve as your director for the PRC Politburo Committee on the Sino-Soviet Northern border conflict. My name is Audrey Vanderslice, and I am a rising sophomore concentrating in Computer Science and pursuing a citation in Mandarin. I hope you are as excited as I am to embark on this journey to grapple the crucial international rifts of 1969 between the Soviet Union and China—the reparation of which could uphold communist ideology and the destruction of which could result in long-term violence.
My interest in this monumental historical event stems from my own passion for Chinese culture and language. Having lived and worked in China, learning Mandarin, I am always eager to learn more about the history that shaped the country—especially through Model UN. The Sino-Soviet split is particularly interesting because it not only affected international relations between China and Russia, but contributed to several global tensions around government ideology and the use of nuclear warfare.
I have participated in MUN conferences since high school, where I joined in on various GAs (including HMUN!) and crisis committees. I also had the opportunity to chair committees in high school, which was a really wonderful experience. When I got to Harvard, I just knew I had to join Harvard’s Intercollegiate Model UN team in the fall of 2020, and I cannot wait to travel with the team in upcoming years.
This committee is open and welcoming to all delegates from all backgrounds, regardless of identity. It will be my priority at all times to ensure that no discrimination or harassment is tolerated within this committee. I will have the honor of directing this committee alongside our brilliant Crisis Director, Melinda Meng, and will do my best to make this an unforgettable educational experience for any and all delegates who take part in this thrilling experience with us.
Sincerely,
Audrey Vanderslice
Committee Director, Sino-Soviet Split
Crisis Director's Letter
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to HNMUN 2022! My name is Melinda Meng and I am incredibly excited to serve as your Crisis Director for this committee. The Sino-Soviet split is such an interesting moment in history, and I look forward to seeing how you all tackle the complexities of navigating shifting allegiances between global powers.
For a little more background on myself, I am a junior studying History of Science with a secondary in Economics. I began participating in Model UN as a cegep student in Canada and spent two years as a delegate and as a staffer at various conferences in Montreal. I joined Harvard’s Intercollegiate Model UN team in Spring 2020, which was rather unfortunate timing, but I hope to travel to an in-person conference again before I graduate.
Almost the entirety of my Model UN experience has been in crisis committees, and I have served as an Assistant Director and Director for the Specialized Agencies in previous iterations of HNMUN. I am very much looking forward to seeing all of the elaborate plans you will devise, and I will strive to create a committee that is as dynamic and delegate-driven as possible alongside our amazing Director, Audrey Vanderslice. Looking forward to meeting you all!
Best,
Melinda Meng
Crisis Director, Sino Soviet Split