Telegram to Zheng Weisan, Li Xiannian, and Others[1]

(July 17, 1946)

At present, the focus of the national side is on annihilating our army, and it has no intention of peace. You should concentrate your attention on dealing with the enemy and not be taken in. Only when the enemy is unable to annihilate our army and our army instead poses a serious threat to the enemy's rear areas will it be possible to force the enemy to change its plans, halt its pursuit, and restore peace. Therefore, for the time being, you should not send out representatives, but you may write letters to the two sub-groups (to be delivered to the diehard troops through local channels) requesting the national side to halt its pursuit so that representatives can be dispatched for negotiations.

[1] This is the main content of a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China addressed to Zheng Weisan and Li Xiannian, with copies to Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying, concerning the matter of the three-man sub-group airdropping a notice to the breakout Central Plains forces demanding negotiations.