The Chinese autocratic faction is very cunning; they are adept at political maneuvering and at organizing sudden attacks against the people.
What their next move will be is something the Chinese people, especially the various democratic parties, must pay close attention to.


A Xinhua News Agency reporter stated: “Article 2 of the Decision of the Consultative Assembly is also extremely vague, and the reactionaries could easily exploit it.”
This article reads: “With regard to the issue of National Assembly delegates, the government is requested to refer to the proposals submitted by the assembly’s members, weigh legal provisions against factual circumstances, and formulate an appropriate plan so as to ensure that the National Assembly possesses the most complete possible representation.”
Here, the “government” refers to the autocratic regime, and the “laws” are those enacted by the autocrats. Now that this has been written into the resolution, their future “weighing” will inevitably result in compelling the people to recognize the validity of the same group of National Assembly delegates elected a decade ago.
The autocrats will also “weigh” the “facts,” but the outcome will simply involve adding a few more individuals or appointing another batch of representatives. In this way, they will claim that the assembly already enjoys “the most complete possible representation.”


However, the Chinese people and the democratic parties should view the matter differently. The so-called “government” must be a nationwide, unified, democratic coalition government composed of representatives from all parties and non-affiliates. We oppose any “National” Assembly convened by the current Kuomintang dictatorship.
As for “laws,” they must be redrafted by a coalition government. We reject any reactionary electoral laws for delegates, organizational statutes for the National Assembly, and other such legislation promulgated by the Kuomintang dictatorship.
The “facts” are that the so-called National Assembly delegates of ten years ago were entirely fabricated by the Kuomintang and must be completely invalidated. Throughout the entire period when the enemy has not yet been utterly defeated, the country remains partially occupied, and the people lack full freedom, no elections for National Assembly delegates should be permitted.
Only by completely invalidating the old delegates and holding new elections under all necessary conditions can we say that the assembly has achieved “the most complete possible representation.” We fully endorse the phrase “the most complete possible representation.”
From now on, anyone who attempts to convene a “National” Assembly that is wholly unrepresentative or only partially representative will face resolute opposition.


Article 3 states: “Upon the enactment of the constitution, it should be immediately implemented, so that the principle of returning power to the people may be realized at an early date.” This provision reflects the reactionary agenda of the Kuomintang dictatorship, which they continue to uphold. Traditionally, they have always emphasized “enacting” the constitution while opposing its “implementation.” Now, however, they have begun to sing the pleasant tune of “immediate implementation.” What does this really mean? It means holding an election for president and emulating Yuan Shikai’s self-proclamation as emperor. Today’s autocratic, imperialist forces in China are particularly eager for this provision, as they are keen to use imperial rule—under the guise of a presidency—to suppress the people, ignite civil war, and maintain their own reactionary regime.


Article 4 lists several demands. The first, “to take all possible political steps,” will undoubtedly lead the autocrats to resort to new tricks. They will continue to rigidly reject the democratic factions’ call for a conference of political parties, the abolition of one-party dictatorship, and the establishment of a coalition government.


The second item, guaranteeing the people’s freedom, adds the qualifier “legally”; the third, recognizing all political parties, includes the phrase “in accordance with the law.” In the eyes of the autocrats, everything is thus rendered manageable.


The fourth item, “establishment of elected bodies at all levels in each province,” also serves the autocrats’ interests, since what passes for “elections” is in fact merely party nominations. With these “bodies” in place, their hold on power becomes even more secure.


Taken together, the provisions of Article 4 entail no real loss for the autocrats. The only slightly significant aspect is the stipulation that these measures be implemented “prior to the convening of the National Assembly,” suggesting that the assembly may not meet this year.


In closing, the Xinhua News Agency reporter remarked: “The autocratic system remains unchanged, and the danger of civil war is more severe than ever before. Numerous irrefutable facts, including military activities around the Shaanxi–Gansu–Ningxia Border Region, demonstrate that the Kuomintang reactionaries are now preparing with greater intensity than ever to launch a large-scale civil war, thereby aiding the Japanese aggressors. The decision of the National Consultative Assembly regarding the National Assembly issue will not alter this perilous situation.”


The reporter further noted that only three conditions could change China’s political landscape: first, the united and steadfast efforts of the military and civilian populations in the liberated areas to expand those territories, shrink the occupied zones, and resolutely prevent civil war; second, the unified resistance of the democratic forces within KMT-controlled regions against civil war; and third, the concerted action of Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union on East Asian issues to oppose civil war in China.


The Chinese people should strive to achieve these three conditions and combat the threat of civil war.


Published in the July 23, 1945 issue of the Liberation Daily.


Note [1]: These remarks were added by Mao Zedong while reviewing the draft commentary titled “Xinhua News Agency Reporter on the Current Situation: The Danger of Civil War Is More Severe Than Ever Before.”
The National Consultative Assembly is discussed in Note [3] on page 217 of this volume.