On Feb 22, 1974 Chairman Mao Zedong set forth his strategic thinking of the division of the three worlds while he met with Zambia's President Kaunda.

He observed, "In my view, the United States and the Soviet Union belong to the first world. Japan, Europe and Canada belong to the second world. The third world is very populous. Except Japan, Asia belongs to the third world. So does the whole of Africa and Latin America". As a member of the third world, China firmly supported the third world countries in their struggles against hegemony and struggles waged by countries of the second world against interference and control by the super-powers. At the 6th Special Session of the UN General Assembly held in April 1974, Deng Xiaoping expounded the strategic thinking of Mao Zedong on the division of the three worlds. Deng Xiaoping also expressed that China was a socialist country, a developing nation, and it belonged to the third world. The Chinese Government and people firmly supported all the oppressed peoples and nations in their just struggles. He declared that China was not and would never be a super-power in the future.