I warmly welcome all journalists to Yan’an. Our goal is a common one: to defeat the Japanese militarists and all forms of fascism. On this shared foundation, the entire nation of China—and indeed the whole world—must unite.

As you arrive in Yan’an, the Second Front has just opened in Europe, an event we celebrate with great enthusiasm. The opening of the Second Front will not only affect Europe but also have significant repercussions in the Pacific and in China. For China to move forward, we must achieve final victory.

The establishment of the Second Front is the culmination of a long process, shaped by the Moscow and Tehran conferences, which decided to strike the enemy from the east, west, and south. That plan has now been realized; the encirclement of Hitler from three directions is complete. We extend our best wishes for the health of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Marshal Stalin!

All those engaged in the War of Resistance throughout China should focus their efforts and work in concert with the decisive battles in Europe to overthrow the Japanese militarists. The current moment is particularly opportune.

Regarding the situation within China, which you are all deeply concerned about, I feel it necessary to offer a few remarks here. As for relations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, the Chinese Communist Party’s position on this matter has long been set forth in successive statements issued by the CPC Central Committee and in its publications. Now that you are visiting Yan’an, I would like to reiterate as follows: We remain committed to cooperation between the KMT and the CPC, and with all the people of China, in order to defeat Japanese imperialism and build an independent, democratic China. This policy has remained unchanged—through the early stages of the war, through its middle phase, and even today—because it reflects the aspirations of the Chinese people as a whole.

However, China does suffer from a serious shortcoming: a lack of democracy. The Chinese people urgently need democracy, for only through democracy can the War of Resistance gain strength; only then can domestic and foreign relations be brought onto the right track; only then can we secure victory in the war and build a prosperous nation. Moreover, it is only under a democratic system that China can maintain unity after the war. As you are well aware, without democracy, China cannot progress. Only by embracing democracy can China take the next step forward.

Questions and Answers

Question:

Mr. Stein asks: Could Chairman Mao comment on Mr. Lin Boqu’s recent negotiations in Chongqing?

Father Shan Nangan asks: Since this question is of great interest to everyone, might it be answered first?

Mr. Stein further inquires: To clarify matters, could Chairman Mao compare the 1936 talks between the KMT and the CPC with the current negotiations?

Mr. Epstein asks: Does the opening of the Second Front mark the beginning of a new phase? Has the CPC Central Committee prepared a statement outlining its policy in light of this development?

Mr. Xie Shuangqiu asks: In order to strengthen unity, what does the Chinese Communist Party expect from all relevant parties?

Mr. Zhao Bingliang asks: To make the question clearer, may I add: What does the CPC hope the Nationalist government, the Kuomintang, and other political parties will do? And what steps is the CPC itself prepared to take?

Chairman Mao’s Reply:

Your questions can be grouped into three main categories:

First, regarding the ongoing negotiations between the KMT and the CPC: Talks have been underway for quite some time, yet they continue to this day. We hope for tangible progress and a successful outcome. Beyond that, there is nothing more to report at present.

Second, concerning the Second Front: A recent editorial in the Liberation Daily declared it to be a new stage, and we do not intend to issue any further statements. The opening of the Second Front represents a further development in Allied wartime cooperation. In essence, its character remains unchanged from before. Nevertheless, the launch of the Second Front holds significance comparable to the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad. Prior to November 1942, fascist forces were on the offensive, and the anti-fascist powers were being pushed back. It was the Soviet attack that brought that phase to a close and ushered in a new era. Subsequently, offensives in North Africa and the Pacific followed, marking a major shift from defense to offense for the Allies. The opening of the Second Front represents another significant advance in the offensive campaign. Without it, Hitler could not have been defeated. Europe has now entered the decisive phase of the war. From this perspective, it does indeed constitute a new stage—particularly on the military front. As I have already noted, the impact of the Second Front will be far-reaching, directly affecting Europe and also having consequences in the Pacific and in China. However, at present, the effect on China appears relatively limited. As you can see, although conditions abroad are favorable, resolving China’s internal challenges still depends largely on the efforts of the Chinese people themselves. Improved external circumstances alone cannot solve these problems.

Third, concerning the Central Committee’s expectations and its own work: To defeat our common enemy and to establish sound, peaceful domestic and international relations, what we expect from the Nationalist government, the Kuomintang, and all other political parties is the implementation of democracy across the board. The entire world is engaged in the war, and Europe has entered its final, decisive phase. Only through democracy can the resistance gain strength—this has been demonstrated by the experiences of the Soviet Union, the United States, and Great Britain, as well as by China’s own decades-long history and seven years of war. Democracy must be comprehensive: political, military, economic, cultural, organizational, and diplomatic. All these areas require democratic principles. There is no doubt that unity is essential in every sphere; unity is indispensable. Yet such unity must be founded on democracy. Political unity is necessary, but it can only be truly effective when built upon freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association, together with democratic elections. Military unity is especially crucial, but even military cohesion must rest on democratic foundations: between officers and soldiers, between the armed forces and the civilian population, and among different branches of the military. Without a democratic ethos and democratic relationships, no army can fight as a unified force. Economic democracy means ensuring that the economic system does not impede the development of production, trade, and consumption by the broad masses. Organizational democracy requires that both internal party relations and inter-party relations be conducted in a democratic spirit. In the realm of international relations, all nations should be democratic states, fostering democratic ties with one another. We hope that our foreign friends in China will treat us with a democratic attitude, and that we, in turn, will approach foreign countries and our foreign counterparts in a similarly democratic manner. Let me reiterate: we greatly need unity, but only unity based on democracy can be genuine. This applies domestically, and it will also apply to the new international order. Only democratic unity can defeat fascism and enable the construction of a new China and a new world. It is precisely from this standpoint that we endorse the Atlantic Charter and the resolutions adopted at the Moscow, Cairo, and Tehran conferences. These are precisely the expectations we hold for the Nationalist government, the Kuomintang, various political parties, and all mass organizations. Indeed, these are the very measures the Chinese Communist Party has already taken and intends to continue pursuing. You have been in the Border Region for over ten days now and will remain here for some time longer. During this period, you will have ample opportunity to observe how all our efforts to defeat Japanese imperialism are guided by a spirit of democratic unity or democratic centralism. Where shortcomings exist, we must persist in addressing them. Any defects must be overcome. We believe that only a democratic system and a democratic culture can enable China to prevail over the enemy today and to establish sound, peaceful domestic and international relations in the future. The same principle applies to fascist regimes such as Germany, Italy, and Japan: once fascism has been vanquished, we look forward to seeing these countries embrace democratic governance as well. By adopting this perspective, virtually every issue becomes manageable and solvable. Time is growing late, but we can certainly continue exchanging views in the days ahead. That concludes my remarks.