Telegram to Cheng Qian[1]

(February 19, 1940)

Kuomintang-Communist cooperation has already lasted three years, yet the administration of the Border Region has still not been determined, with one county having two county magistrates—such an absurdity is unheard of in all of history, ancient or modern, Chinese or foreign! Moreover, the county magistrates appointed by Shaanxi Province and the Suide Commissioner have made it their specialty to create friction and disrupt the rear areas. The Border Region has exercised forbearance for three years, yet these people have only become more reckless and unrestrained.

The masses in the Border Region have unanimously demanded their arrest and punishment. Out of consideration for Your Excellency’s intention to settle matters peaceably and in the interest of preserving unity between the Border Region and Shaanxi Province, Jinguang has requested that Your Excellency instruct the Shaanxi provincial government to withdraw them voluntarily. Otherwise, they will be escorted out of the territory. This is indeed the utmost benevolence and the fullest extent of justice.[2]

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[1] This is the main content of a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong on behalf of Xiao Jinguang to Cheng Qian, Director of the Tianshui Field Headquarters of the National Government’s Military Affairs Commission. The telegram demanded that the Shaanxi provincial government be notified to promptly withdraw the county magistrates appointed by the National Government within the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region.

[2] Later, Cheng Qian replied by telegram, agreeing that the county magistrates of all counties in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region should be appointed by the Border Region government. Consequently, those county magistrates appointed by the National Government left the Border Region one after another.