Conditions for Negotiations on the Longdong Issue

Letter to Xie Juezai[1]

(January 8, 1940)

Comrade Juezai:

(A) The six counties of Longdong (Huanxian, Qingyang, Heshui, Ningxian, Zhengning, Zhenyuan) fall within the scope of the twenty-three counties of the Border Region. Local administration should be entirely transferred to the jurisdiction of the Border Region, so as to eliminate the source of all disputes; (B) The Border Region and the Eighth Route Army guarantee not to take a single step beyond the six counties; (C) On the basis of the above two fundamental principles, concretely resolve such matters as the withdrawal of the other side’s troops, security forces, and administrative organs from the six counties, as well as the exchange of captives from both sides in this dispute; (D) If the other side is unwilling to resolve the matter accordingly, then we can only agree that both sides cease the conflict, temporarily maintain the status quo, and exchange captives, while other issues shall be resolved by the central authorities of both sides.

Mao, Wang, Xiao

The 8th

[1] This is a letter from Mao Zedong, Wang Jiaxiang, and Xiao Jinguang to Xie Juezai, the Central Committee representative at the Eighth Route Army Office in Lanzhou, regarding the issue of the six counties of Longdong.