Telegram on Agreeing to the Indian Interim Representative
Coming to Beijing to Negotiate the Establishment of a Diplomatic Mission
(January 20, 1950)

Comrade Shaoqi:

(1) All telegrams of the 19th of this month have been noted. I agree with your suggestion to first send a telegram to Nehru [1], the general idea being to concur with Mr. K. V. K. Menon [2] serving as interim representative to come to Beijing to negotiate preliminary and procedural matters regarding the establishment of a diplomatic mission. As for the reply to Britain, we should stall for a while. The comrades in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do not understand the purpose of stalling and think it will "reach a deadlock." This is incorrect. There is no deadlock here; the initiative rests entirely in our hands. Please decide on the length of this delay after consulting with Li Kenong [3]. (2) I agree with the draft statement to be issued on the Tibet issue. (3) The matter of the air transport group will be replied to after consultation with Zhou [4].

Mao Zedong
5:00 a.m., January 20

[1] Nehru, then Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs of the Indian Government.
[2] K. V. K. Menon, formerly secretary at the Indian Embassy to the Kuomintang China.
[3] Li Kenong, then Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central People's Government.
[4] Zhou, refers to Zhou Enlai.