The People's Liberation Army Must Enter Tibet [I]

(October 11, 1950)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

Ambassador Yuan should be informed: (1) Tibet is Chinese territory, and the Tibet issue is a matter of China's internal affairs. The People's Liberation Army must enter Tibet. It is first hoped to enter Tibet without war, hence the request for Tibetan representatives to come to Beijing for negotiations in September. That delegation deliberately delayed and has yet to set out. Now the People's Liberation Army has advanced toward Qamdo and may occupy it within days. If Tibet is willing to negotiate, the delegation should come to Beijing immediately.

(2) The Korea question should be answered in accordance with the content of Premier Zhou's speech on September 30, namely that China cannot sit idly by and ignore aggression against its neighbor, and the responsibility for expanding the war rests with the aggressor nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to draft a telegram for review.

Mao Zedong
October 11

[I] This is a comment written by Mao Zedong on a report submitted by Chinese Ambassador to India Yuan Zhongxian to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 10, 1950, regarding India's attitude toward the Tibet issue.