..() The Communist Party’s policy is to establish peace and democracy in China, which is why I have come to Chongqing. In accordance with the agreement between the two parties, Chairman Mao stated that he could not comment on the details of the negotiations with the Nationalist leaders. He said, “The most important thing for China is peace.” Chairman Mao went on to say that the Communist Party hopes to achieve a positive outcome “so that China can transition from the stage of the War of Resistance against Japan to one of peaceful nation-building. I believe this is not only the aspiration of all the Chinese people, but also of the entire world.” He emphasized that the Communist Party will do everything in its power to realize this goal. o•() The entire nation is longing for peace, and I have come to Chongqing to make every possible effort to bring it about. We Communists hope that these talks will yield a favorable result, enabling China to move from war to a period of peaceful reconstruction. Chairman Mao noted that both sides have agreed not to disclose the contents of the talks to the outside, yet he expressed his hope for their success. He further stated that he hopes no clashes will occur between Communist forces and Nationalist troops while the negotiations are underway. The Communists would rather withdraw than engage in conflict with Nationalist forces, but they will continue to fight the Japanese occupation forces and their puppet regimes. o.