Reply to Bai Chongxi[1]

(April 5, 1949)

(1) Your telegram of the 4th has been respectfully received. (2) Mr. Liu Zhongrong is flying from Beiping to Nanjing today and will then proceed to Hankou to convey our various opinions to Mr. Li and Mr. Bai. (3) I am a staff member of the Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Commission (Director of the Operations Department). Since your representatives are not currently here and many matters need to be promptly communicated to you to facilitate cooperation, I have been instructed by Chairman Mao to correspond directly with you. If you agree, I would consider it a great honor. (4) The position stated in your telegram of the 4th is based on your interests. However, from the standpoint of the people's interests, it is unreasonable and therefore impossible to demand that the People's Liberation Army halt its advance during the period when you fully accept the eight peace terms and both sides work together to fully implement these terms nationwide. We cannot agree with any of Mr. Bai's previous public statements. (5) However, for the purpose of establishing a cooperative relationship with Mr. Li and Mr. Bai, we are willing to immediately implement the following measures: (a) Your forces in Anqing and westward up to Huanggang (exclusive) are requested to withdraw promptly, with the withdrawal to be completed by April 10. (b) The line from Huanggang, Tuanfeng, Cangzibu, Huangpi, Huayuan, Xiaogan, Hanchuan, Caidian, and Huanglingji, and the areas south of this line, including Hankou, shall temporarily be garrisoned by your forces to maintain order. Your forces north and east of this line are requested to withdraw to this line. No destruction shall be carried out in any evacuated areas. Areas west of this line shall temporarily maintain the status quo. (c) The handling of the entire Central China issue shall await resolution through negotiations between the delegations of both sides. (d) Please notify your responsible personnel in Anqing, Huayuan, and other locations that if our front-line commanders send personnel to establish contact, they should be received to avoid misunderstandings. It is also hoped that your forces in these areas will send personnel to our front-line headquarters to establish contact. (e) We have already notified our military commanders in these areas to comply with the above points. We hope that you, Mr. Bai, will also notify your forces to act accordingly and look forward to your reply.