September 4, 1949
Cheng Qian arrived in Hankou on September 2 and will depart from Hankou for Beiping on the 4th. Please immediately instruct the Ministry of Railways to ensure protection and care along the route, with no negligence. Upon confirming the exact time of arrival in Beiping, please have Zhou organize a group to go and welcome him, and also arrange his accommodations in advance.
Chuan
This is the main content of Mao Zedong's letter to Zhou Enlai and Nie Rongzhen concerning the specific arrangements for Cheng Qian's journey to the capital and his reception upon arrival. Zhou Enlai promptly proposed a detailed arrangement plan, which was submitted to Mao Zedong for review and then handed over to Nie Rongzhen for implementation.
At 10 p.m. on the evening of the 7th, Cheng Qian arrived at Beiping. Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, Lin Boqu, Dong Biwu, Li Jishen, Guo Moruo, and over a hundred others went to the station to welcome him.
On the 8th, Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, and others met with and hosted a banquet for Cheng Qian at Zhongnanhai.