Telegram on Explaining the Requisitioning of Foreign Barracks and Other Actions to Democratic Personages
(January 18, 1950)

Comrade Shaoqi:

Your telegram of January 17 has been received. (1) The withdrawal of all official personnel of the United States from China is extremely advantageous to us. However, among the democratic personages, those who suffer from the fear-of-America disease may be dissatisfied with our actions such as the requisitioning of foreign barracks. Please pay attention to explaining this.
(2) When the British chargé d’affaires, Hu Jiesen,[1] arrives in Beijing, what issues should we raise and discuss with him? Please ask the Central Committee to convene personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a discussion, define the guiding principles, attitude, and specific content, draft a written document, and inform me in advance.

Mao Zedong
January 18

[1] Hu Jiesen was then the chargé d’affaires ad interim designated by the British government to China, responsible for negotiating with China on the establishment of Sino-British diplomatic relations.