Letter to Liu Ren Concerning Inviting Zhang Dongsun and Other Democratic Personages to the Liberated Areas to Attend a Representative Conference[1]

(April 27, 1948)

Comrade Liu Ren:

Last year, Mr. Zhang Dongsun and Mr. Fu Dingyi sent me letters. I originally intended to reply to them, but I feared the letters might fall into enemy hands and jeopardize their safety. This year, Mr. Zhang Dongsun again wishes to establish contact with us. I now request that you, through appropriate means, inform Mr. Zhang and Mr. Fu that I am very grateful for their letters, and that we warmly sympathize with all the patriotic and democratic activities carried out by them and by all the democratic fighters in cultural circles in Beiping and Tianjin. In addition, please, through a reliable person, inform Mr. Zhang and Mr. Fu that our Party is preparing to invite the two of them, as well as Xu Deheng, Wu Han, Zeng Zhaolun, and other democratic personages, to come to the Liberated Areas to convene a representative conference of all democratic parties and people’s organizations to discuss:

(A) The question of convening a People’s Congress and establishing a democratic coalition government;

(B) The question of strengthening cooperation among all democratic parties and people’s organizations, as well as questions of program and policy. The Central Committee of our Party holds that the time is already ripe for representatives of all democratic parties and important people’s organizations (such as the Student Federation) to consult on these questions, but it is necessary to seek their opinions, namely, whether they also believe the time is ripe and whether they are willing to come themselves or send representatives to the Liberated Areas for a conference. The conference is proposed to be named the Political Consultative Conference. All democratic parties and important people’s organizations may send representatives to participate in the conference. The resolutions of the conference must be

[1] This is a letter from Mao Zedong to Comrade Liu Ren, the responsible person of the underground Party organization in Beiping.

voluntarily agreed upon by each participating unit; no coercion is permitted. The conference venue shall be Harbin. The conference time shall be in the autumn of this year.

Regarding the above points, please first inform Mr. Zhang Dongsun and consult with him on who should be informed and who should be invited.

Mao Zedong
Mao Gan