Establishing an Air Force Has Become an Urgent Task for the Party[1]

(December 5, 1947)

Establishing an air force has already become an urgent task for our Party. What plans do you have in this regard?

[1] This is a sentence added by Mao Zedong to a telegram drafted by Zhou Enlai on December 5, 1947, for the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, addressed to the Northeast Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Zhou Enlai’s telegram stated: “Regarding the preparatory work for establishing an air force in your area, such as the quantity and types of aircraft collected and stored, the capacity for repair and assembly, the reserves of parts and gasoline, the training and number of air force personnel, the preparations for air force bases, aviation stations, and factories, as well as the conditions for possible development, etc., we request that you report all by telegram.”