Directive on the Principled Stand Concerning Negotiations with the Kuomintang[1]

(December 12, 1944)

Comrade Ruofei:

(1) We have absolutely no intention of breaking with the American side. Since Hurley is unwilling to publish the five-point draft agreement, we can refrain from publishing it. The mention in Zhou (Enlai)’s letter to Hurley of preparing to publish the five points was precisely to solicit his consent. As for Hurley’s signing of the five points and the exchange of letters between Hurley and Mao (Zedong), we had no intention of publishing them from the very beginning. What we wished to publish were only the five points we proposed to Chiang. Because Chiang’s attitude is intransigent and he unreasonably refuses to realize the coalition government which the Chinese people unanimously demand, we therefore wish to make it public to the people, to let the people rise up and demand its realization from Chiang. This point will be further discussed and deliberated with Barrett upon his return.

(2) Sacrificing the coalition government, sacrificing democratic principles, and sending a few individuals to Chongqing to take up official posts—such a cheap sellout of the people’s interests we absolutely will not do. This principled stand our Party has consistently maintained. We hope our American friends will not insist on dragging us into doing so. What we refuse is solely this one point; everything else is open to good discussion.

(3) The Central Committee will concentrate its efforts on convening the Seventh Congress within three months. The Joint Committee of the Liberated Areas can only be discussed after the Seventh Congress. Please convey the above ideas to Barrett or Davies.

Mao, Zhou

Haiwen

[1] This is a directive from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai to Wang Ruofei concerning the principled stand in negotiations with the Kuomintang.