To Mr. Li Delin in Nanjing:

Your telegram of Mao-yang has been received and understood. The Chinese Communist Party’s position on the current situation is fully set forth in its statement of January 14 of this year. Since your side has agreed to take the Eight Conditions as the basis for negotiation, it should not be difficult to arrive at a correct settlement by working out concrete measures in accordance with these eight principles. The same applies to the question of war criminals. The guiding criterion must be whether a particular course of action will advance the cause of the Chinese people’s liberation and facilitate the peaceful resolution of domestic issues. In light of this standard, we are prepared to adopt a policy of leniency. I shall convey this very point to Mr. Zhang Wenbai when I meet with him today.  In the interests of the Chinese people’s liberation and the independence of the Chinese nation; in order to bring the war to an early end and restore peace, thereby enabling the great task of launching nationwide production and construction to commence without delay and allowing the country and its people to steadily progress toward prosperity, strength, and well-being, it is highly desirable that our two sides conclude a peace agreement as soon as possible. The Chinese Communist Party earnestly wishes to join hands with all patriotic elements within the country and to struggle together for this noble goal.

(Originally published in the People’s Daily, April 10, 1949)