Expedite preparations for the high-altitude transport aircraft needed for the march into Tibet [1]
(August 23–24, 1950)

Item 7 [2]: Request Comrade Zhou [3] to urge the Air Force Command [4] to expedite preparations and inform me of the situation. The thirty aircraft must be suitable for high-altitude use, and the pilots must also meet this requirement. Please pay attention to this matter!

Mao Zedong
August 23

[1] Note 1: This is Mao Zedong’s comment on the report by the Southwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee dated August 20, 1950, regarding preparations for the capture of Chamdo. Note 2: This is Mao Zedong’s letter to Li Tao.
Li Tao (1905–1970), a native of Rucheng, Hunan, was then Director of the Operations Department of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Note 3: This is Mao Zedong’s comment on Li Tao’s report dated August 24, 1950, concerning the organization and purchase of high-altitude transport aircraft.

[2] Refers to Item 7 of the report by the Southwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to Mao Zedong dated August 20, 1950, on preparations for the capture of Chamdo.

[3] Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai.

[4] Air Force Command refers to the Air Force Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.