To Chen and Rao [1]: We have received your telegram dated Xu-Xian. (1) Your decision to strengthen the leadership of the East China Military Region and centralize operations—namely, Comrade Chen Yi residing in Nanjing to oversee the military region’s work, while the East China Bureau and the East China Military-Administrative Committee gradually relocate some of their support organs to Nanjing, concurrently reinforcing military command in Shanghai by appointing Wang Jian’an as commander and Guo Huazuo as political commissar—is, in our view, correct. Please proceed accordingly. (2) At present, military affairs are of paramount importance. Beyond troop training, the development of all arms—navy, air force, artillery, and engineering—as well as the building up of public security forces, local militias, and other auxiliary units, the task of suppressing bandits in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces is particularly critical. Specifically, the bandit problem in Fujian must be tackled with four or five main combat divisions, conducting relentless pursuit and swift clearance within a set timeframe. Fujian’s performance in this regard has lagged behind other provinces, and the reasons for this must be thoroughly investigated. I propose that, starting now, this effort be closely coordinated with a broad-based land reform campaign (Fujian must initiate land reform without delay), aiming to eradicate all organized bandit groups within six months. I charge Ye Fei and Ding Cheng [2] with dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to achieving concrete results. Once banditry is eliminated in Fujian and land reform is completed, even if Chiang Kai-shek were to launch an invasion, it would be relatively easy to repel. (3) All work in East China should be planned with the hypothetical scenario of a U.S.-Kuomintang invasion as its foundation. Mao Zedong November 17 Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Chen refers to Chen Yi, then Second Secretary of the CPC East China Bureau and Commander of the East China Military Region. Rao refers to Rao Shushi, then First Secretary of the CPC East China Bureau and Political Commissar of the East China Military Region. [2] Ye Fei was then Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Commander of the Fujian Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, and Vice Chairman of the Fujian Provincial People’s Government. Ding Cheng refers to Zhang Dingcheng, then Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Political Commissar of the Fujian Military Region, and Chairman of the Fujian Provincial People’s Government.