Central Telegram Regarding the Convening of a Meeting of Responsible Comrades from Various Regions to Discuss Military Affairs, Land Reform, and Other Issues (March 18, 1950) Comrades Dehuai, Xiaoping, Shushi, Fangfang, and Gao Gang [1]:  In order to discuss military affairs, land reform, and related matters, it is proposed that the responsible comrades from each region be invited to Beijing for a meeting. You five are requested to depart for Beijing within a few days of receiving this telegram (Comrades Lin Biao and Su Yu [2] have already arrived in Beijing). To this end, the meeting of the Northwest Military Region should be rescheduled. Please inform us what means of transportation Peng will use to come to Beijing; our view is that he could travel by train. Also, please indicate the most suitable date for Xiaoping’s departure so that we may dispatch an aircraft to meet him. Jianying [3], who has just returned from Wuhan to Guangdong, should ask Fangfang to come to Beijing once. Comrades Peng, Deng, Rao, and Fang may arrive in Beijing on March 24 or 25; the date of Comrade Gao Gang’s arrival will be notified separately.

Issued by the Central Committee at 1:00 A.M. on March 18, based on Mao Zedong’s manuscript.

Notes [1] Dehuai refers to Peng Dehuai, who at the time served as First Secretary of the Northwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as First Secretary of the Southwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Shushi refers to Rao Shushi, who at the time served as First Secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Fangfang was then Third Secretary of the South China Sub-Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Gao Gang was then Secretary of the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. [2] Lin Biao was then First Secretary of the Central-South Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Su Yu was then Deputy Commander of the Third Field Army of the People’s Liberation Army and Deputy Commander of the East China Military Region. [3] Jianying refers to Ye Jianying, who at the time served as First Secretary of the South China Sub-Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.