Speech at a Meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China[1]

(June 7, 1939)

Chiang Kai-shek has the intention of occupying the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region under the pretext of dealing with the Japanese army. The river defences must be firmly held. Regarding our attitude toward the Kuomintang, we must prepare our response in the event of a sudden turn for the worse in their attitude; on certain fronts, a more moderate attitude may be adopted. The Qingyang area must be defended; it is our lifeline. A cadres’ meeting should be convened in Yan’an, and the organs and schools in Yan’an should carry out the necessary military dispositions.

[1] This is part of Mao Zedong’s speech during the discussion on the issue of river defences at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.