Conversation with a Correspondent of the Red China News Agency

(January 1936)

Question: What are the observations and propositions of the Chinese Soviet Government regarding the current North China issue?

Answer: Under the coercion of the Japanese bandits, the Nanjing government has established the so-called Hebei-Chahar Political Council, which in fact is the realization of so-called "North China Autonomy," and "North China Autonomy" is a variant of the so-called "North China State" in the Japanese bandits' predetermined plan. When Chiang Kai-shek delivered his foreign policy speech at the Fifth National Congress of the Kuomintang, he played a great set of crafty and wily diplomatic rhetoric, uttering many ambiguous words. Yet facts simply do not allow him to dodge. Doihara relentlessly demanded the immediate realization of "North China Autonomy," which forced Chiang Kai-shek to provide a faithful annotation to his own diplomatic rhetoric. The empty verbal condemnation of Yin Rugeng and the open recognition of the variant "North China Autonomy" both illustrate where Chiang Kai-shek's intentions truly lie. Therefore, at a time when the Japanese bandits' attacks continue unabated and Nanjing still lacks the resolve to resist, the survival of our nation truly hangs by a thread. It is imperative that all the people rise up of their own accord to carry out the movement to resist Japan and save the nation, and to achieve a great union for resisting Japan and saving the nation. To save the nation is to save oneself, and to save oneself one must save the nation. This holds true for workers or capitalists, peasants or landlords, for all circles—workers, peasants, merchants, students, soldiers, and government—and for every single Chinese. All political parties and all organizations should cast aside all sectarian prejudices and cooperate sincerely in order to seek to rescue the nation from peril and ruin. The Chinese Soviet Government has long advocated the united arming of the whole nation to resist Japan and has repeatedly declared its willingness to cooperate with all political parties that genuinely resist Japan to jointly save the nation. In August last year, our Party and government further issued a declaration proposing willingness to conduct negotiations with all political parties and all quarters throughout the country to jointly establish a National Defense Government and an Anti-Japanese Allied Army, and enumerated ten major demands as the program of the National Defense Government. The Chinese Soviet Government holds that only through unity can salvation be achieved; therefore, with any party that takes unity for salvation as its premise, regardless of its other propositions, the Chinese Soviet Government is willing to cooperate with full sincerity, so as to attain the goal of saving the nation and achieving salvation.

Question: What are the thoughts and propositions of the Chinese Soviet Government regarding the recent nationwide student national salvation movement?

Answer: The students of our country have long been illustrious in the history of the national salvation movement, and this great national salvation movement is especially commendable and valuable. These youths are the sons and daughters of the people of the whole nation and the hope of the Chinese nation. We express boundless respect and affection for their dauntless spirit, and extreme grief and indignation at their being subjected to persecution. The Chinese Soviet Government will do its utmost to aid the student national salvation movement. It has already encouraged students of all universities, middle schools, and primary schools within the Soviet areas to rise up together in support, and has called upon workers, peasants, city dwellers, and all circles nationwide to take concerted action to assist the students in achieving their goal of punishing the traitors and saving the nation. This student movement is truly a reflection of the national salvation movement of the people of the whole country. The slogans raised by the students, such as "Stop the Civil War" and "Unite for Salvation," are truly the unanimous demands of the people of the whole country. The civil war currently existing in our country is the "Communist-suppression" war waged by Chiang Kai-shek by concentrating all his military forces. The Red Army is the only loyal, brave, heroic, and determinedly anti-Japanese force of our nation; we certainly cannot allow Chiang Kai-shek to harm it. The people of the Soviet areas are all fighters resolutely carrying out the struggle to resist Japan and save the nation; they are all native fathers, elders, brothers, and sisters of our compatriots from all circles, and we absolutely cannot let Chiang Kai-shek devastate them. Therefore, we have no choice but to engage in a battle of self-defense. I formally declare on behalf of the Chinese Soviet Government: If Chiang Kai-shek or the troops of any other quarter can cease their attacks on the Red Army, the Chinese Soviet Government will immediately order the Red Army in the corresponding enemy-facing areas to halt military operations and will carry out mobilization to wage a joint war of resistance against Japan, thus responding to the demands of the students and the people.

Question: Recently, it has been widely rumored from all sides that Chiang Kai-shek has already concluded a ceasefire agreement with the Red Army. What exactly are the facts and the inside story?

Answer: Ever since the "September 18th" Incident, the Chinese Soviet Government has continuously called upon compatriots nationwide, regardless of party affiliation, regardless of belief, and disregarding all past relations, to unite as one to jointly achieve salvation. Under this firm and unswerving principle, the attitude of the Chinese Soviet Government toward Chiang Kai-shek is very frank and clear. If Chiang can truly resist Japan, the Chinese Soviet Government can naturally join hands with him on the anti-Japanese front. In the past, the 19th Route Army also used war to oppose the people and the Red Army, but when that army actually carried out resistance against Japan, the Red Army immediately cooperated with it—this is clear proof. In short, whether an agreement can be reached between the Red Army and Chiang Kai-shek is not decided by the Chinese Soviet Government, but by whether Chiang Kai-shek is determined to resist Japan. On this proposition of disregarding party affiliation, disregarding past relations, and seeking only united resistance against Japan, the Chinese Soviet Government will absolutely retain no exceptions and will absolutely not block anyone's path to self-renewal. However, if Chiang Kai-shek still refuses to make up his mind to resist Japan, then no matter what rumors he may put out, the Chinese Soviet Government will absolutely not be dazzled or swayed by them. The bitter battles fought by the Red Army against Chiang Kai-shek over these several years have not been private feuds, but unavoidable self-defense for the sake of resisting Japan and saving the nation. Precisely because Chiang Kai-shek can deceive the citizens of the nation, we know only to serve the citizens of the nation; Chiang Kai-shek can disregard the public will, we know only to respect the public will of the people. If Chiang Kai-shek continues to surrender to Japan and betray the country, we are determined to resist Japan to the very end. We believe that compatriots nationwide and the armed forces nationwide will ultimately join us in resisting Japan. We wholeheartedly welcome all political parties, all armed forces, compatriots from all circles, and youths from all circles to swiftly join the united front for resisting Japan and saving the nation.

Mao Zedong in 1936.