To the Secretariat of the National Political Council[1]

(February 3, 1940)

Dear Sirs of the Secretariat of the National Political Council in Chongqing:

Recently, we have received repeated reports from this locality that the secret service organs in the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan have issued general orders to their subordinates, stating in substance that the North China Inspection Mission of the National Political Council is about to arrive, and that its main task is to collect materials to prove that the blame for the occurrence of the friction incidents in these several provinces rests entirely with the Communist Party, the Eighth Route Army, and the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region. Thereafter, it is to carry these materials back to the rear area and recommend methods of handling the matter to the authorities. Furthermore, at the next session of the National Political Council, it is to raise a proposal to implement the abolition of the special status of the Border Region and the Eighth Route Army, and to seize the opportunity to strike at the Communist Party. It orders special service personnel in all localities to pay attention to collecting materials, and to coordinate with Party, government, and military organs in preparing to welcome the Inspection Mission, so as to achieve the above objectives by all means, and so forth. We, finding the matter bizarre, dared not give it credence. Only upon receiving your esteemed telegram notification did we learn that there is indeed an Inspection Mission being organized. Upon further investigation, we find that among the head and members of this Inspection Mission, not only has not a single Communist Political Council member been invited to participate, but even the original sponsors who proposed organizing such an inspection mission at the Fourth Political Council, such as Messrs. Shen Junru, Zou Taofen, and Tao Xingzhi, as well as Messrs. Zhang Yilin, Huang Renzhi, Jiang Hengyuan, and Zhang Biaofang, who have always been known for their mature experience, high prestige, impartiality, and selflessness, have not a single one been included. Among the entire head and members of the mission, apart from Mr. Liang Shiqiu, a member of the National Socialist Party, and Mr. Yu Jiaju, a member of the National Youth Party—both of whom, during the Second Political Council, clashed violently with the Communist Political Council members and those Political Council members firmly advocating armed resistance, because they had put forth the erroneous theory of supporting Wang Jingwei and advocating peace—the rest are all Political Council comrades belonging solely to the Kuomintang. The materials collected on the matters to be inspected, and the conclusions drawn, by an inspection mission composed of such personnel, will undoubtedly be biased and harmful to the public interest, beyond any doubt. That this mission will act in coordination with the secret service organs is even more a matter of inevitable consequence. We still recall that in December the year before last, Zhang Junmai published an article advocating the abolition of the so-called special status of the Border Region and the Eighth Route Army, and the abolition of Communism. Not long after, Wang Jingwei issued his "Yan" telegram, openly advocating anti-Communism. If the purpose of this Inspection Mission is no different from that of Wang and Zhang, it could simply use the documents of Wang and Zhang as a blueprint, compose a grand essay in Chongqing, and draft a proposal. Why must it brave this severe cold, when the north wind is piercing, and undertake the trouble of traveling back and forth? If it is thought that without the name of conducting an on-site inspection, it would be insufficient to achieve the effect of ensnaring public attention, then having such personages with special connections collect fabricated materials from the hands of secret service agents, write an inspection report of two to three hundred thousand words, and fiercely denounce the Communist Party, claiming that this suffices as a legal basis for opposing, restricting, and dissolving the Communist Party—this too remains a laughable matter. For domestic political issues can originally only be resolved through reasonable political principles; how can anyone truly solve problems by playing deceitful tricks? Some may say: What you Communists say is perhaps an improper estimation; this trip by the Inspection Mission is entirely open and aboveboard, without the slightest sordid or filthy mentality; its task lies in maintaining cooperation between the two parties, and on the basis of unity and progress, jointly seeking a reasonable resolution of matters such as the Border Region. If that is the case, then we would be fortunate that our words prove inaccurate, and the nation would truly benefit from progress. When the mission comes to Yan'an, we shall prepare the local specialties of northern Shaanxi—millet rice and sorghum wine—to receive our fellow Political Council members, raise our cups with them facing the snow, and freely discuss the great cause of unity and national salvation, and we shall by no means treat our esteemed guests with discourtesy. We respectfully request that your esteemed office convey this on our behalf.

With respectful greetings and best wishes for your meritorious service.

Mao Zedong, Chen Shaoyu
Lin Zuhan, Wu Yuzhang
Political Council Members of the National Political Council

---

[1] This is a telegram from Mao Zedong, together with Chen Shaoyu (Wang Ming), Lin Zuhan, and Wu Yuzhang, to the National Political Council concerning the matter of the "North China Inspection Mission."