Principles for the Agreement in the Negotiations with Nanjing

(November 12, 1936)

Comrade Hannian:

(a) Your telegram of the 11th[1] has been received. Zhang Zihua has also arrived.

(b) To what limit Nanjing will ultimately tolerate the Red Army, please inquire and report by telegram. If the conditions are such that the Red Army cannot accept them, it would be useless for Enlai to go. Recently, Mr. Jiang has been attacking fiercely, which cannot but arouse suspicion among the Red Army commanders.

(c) According to Zhang Zihua, Zeng Yangfu said:

(1) The Party may operate openly;
(2) The government may continue to exist;
(3) Participation in the National Assembly;
(4) The Red Army will change its name and accept Jiang’s command, following the organization and treatment of the National Revolutionary Army, but without altering the original organization and leadership of the Red Army. For the sake of unity against Japan, we do not insist on excessive demands and can agree on principles as discussed by Zeng.
(5) You are to await orders at the negotiation site in Nanjing.

Ziren[2]

The 12th, 21:00–23:00[3]

[1] Refers to the 11th.
[2] Mao Zedong’s pen name.
[3] Refers to 21:00–23:00 on the 12th.