To Chen Yi[1]

(October 14, 1940)

Building the base area in northern Jiangsu is a very large task. Agree to Chen Yi unifying military command in northern Jiangsu, agree to Hufu going to northern Jiangsu to join Chen and make all arrangements. Pay attention to linking northern Jiangsu and eastern Anhui into one contiguous area, do not allow any breaks in between. Respect the neutral stance and interests of Li Mingyang, Han Guojun, and others. Pay attention to collecting evidence (human testimony and material evidence) of Jiang, Gu, and Han’s anti-communist activities. Pay attention to recruiting intellectuals. Pay attention to balancing the interests of all social strata. Implement the “three-thirds system” in political power. Guard against the danger of “left” deviations. Pay attention to organizing financial and economic work, proceeding from the perspective of a protracted war, and do not allow the waste of human and material resources.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram from Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Wang Jiaxiang to Chen Yi, with a copy to Liu Shaoqi and others, concerning the building of the base area in northern Jiangsu and other issues.