Telegram in Reply to Tao Zhiyue and Bao
Erhan
(September 28, 1949)
(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 28) Chairman Mao and Commander-in-Chief Zhu today replied to the circular telegram sent by General Tao Zhiyue
and Chairman Bao Erhan of the government of Xinjiang on the 25th and 26th. The
telegram is as follows:
To General Tao Zhiyue1 and the soldiers under his command:
To Chairman Bao Erhan2 and the government staff under him:
We received your circular telegrams of September 25th and 26th. We feel that
your stance is correct. You announced that you are breaking away from the remnant reactionary government in Guangzhou to join the people’s democratic camp,
that you accept the leadership of the People’s Consultative Conference, and that
you will obey the command of the Central People’s Government and the People’s
Revolutionary Military Commission. This attitude is consistent with the desires
of the people throughout the country, and we are most gratified. We hope you can
unite all military and government personnel, maintain ethnic solidarity and local
order, and cooperate with the People’s Liberation Army as it prepares to advance
to destroy the old institutions and build the new institutions, and to fight for the
establishment of a new Xinjiang.
Mao Zedong
Zhu De
The source of this text is Renmin ribao, September 29, 1949, p. 1.
1.  Tao Zhiyue was formerly deputy chief of the Guomindang’s Northwest Military and
Political Affairs Office and commander-in-chief of the Xinjiang Garrison Command. On
September 25, 1949, the units under his command in Xinjiang announced their rebellion
via telegram.
2.  Bao Erhan was chairman of the Xinjiang Provincial Government. With another
member of the provincial government, Liu Mengchun, he jointly announced his rebellion
via telegram on September 26, 1949.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719436-327