(September 8, 1949)
[Xinhua News Agency Beiping, September 8] The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, on the occasion of successive reports of victory from all military fronts, has specially sent a congratulatory message to the field armies on the front lines, the people’s armed forces in the South, and the people of all circles, expressing congratulations. The congratulatory message states:

To all commanders and fighters of the field armies, to comrades of the People’s Liberation Army in various southern regions, and to compatriots of all circles:

It has been over four months since our heroic People’s Liberation Army, on all routes, received orders to set out and launch a great advance into the provinces of the South and Northwest. In addition to completing the first-stage plan—liberating the entire provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang, the northeastern and northern parts of Jiangxi, the greater parts of Hubei and Shaanxi, the remnant enemy-occupied areas in Shanxi and northern Henan, and the Qingdao area in Shandong, altogether annihilating several hundred thousand enemy troops and liberating tens of millions of people—you have further continued the advance, liberating the greater parts of Gansu and Qinghai, a part of Hubei, the central and northern parts of Hunan, the entire province of Jiangxi, the greater part of Fujian, and the Changshan Archipelago in the Bohai Sea, including the four provincial capitals of Changsha, Fuzhou, Lanzhou, and Xining, as well as the major towns of Ganzhou, Changde, Yichang, and Tianshui, wiping out large numbers of enemy troops and liberating vast numbers of people. During this period, General Cheng Qian and General Chen Mingren led their troops in uprising and stood on the side of the people, dealing a heavy blow to the Guomindang reactionaries and effectively coordinating with the advance of the People’s Liberation Army. The victorious development of the People’s Liberation Army in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, and Yunnan is greatly threatening the rear areas of the Guomindang reactionaries. Wherever our People’s Liberation Army on all routes has marched, all compatriots and democratic personages of all circles have extended a warm welcome and rendered tremendous assistance to the People’s Liberation Army. Among them, the Hui compatriots in Gansu and Qinghai, like the Han compatriots, have warmly welcomed and assisted the People’s Liberation Army. All commanders and fighters of our army, undertaking a long-distance expedition, braving the scorching heat, inspired by the great and sacred aspiration to liberate the people of the whole country and unify the territory of the entire nation, with unparalleled heroism and a spirit of self-sacrifice, have accomplished enormous tasks in a short period of time. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China hereby expresses warm congratulations and profound solicitude. It is hoped that you will continue your efforts and struggle to fulfill the new military and political tasks, to wipe out the remnant enemy troops, and to liberate the people of the whole country.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
September 8, 1949