Make Decisions Based on Specific Conditions¹
(July 2, 1950)

To the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and inform Chen Geng²:

We agree with your June 28 telegram proposing to strike Cao Bang first, and the final decision may be made when Chen Geng meets with you. As for how you conduct operations thereafter, you yourselves shall make decisions based on specific conditions. If we have any opinions, they shall only serve as reference material for you, because you are more familiar with the situation than we are.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
July 2

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¹ This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
² Chen Geng was then serving as Deputy Commander of the Southwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and Commander of the Yunnan Military Region. At this time, he was dispatched to Vietnam as a representative of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to assist the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the General Headquarters of the Vietnam People’s Army in organizing and commanding the Border Campaign against the French invading forces.