Central Reply to Chen Yi Regarding the Appointments of Tan Zhenlin [1] et al. and the Reorganization of the Military (June 9, 1952) Comrade Chen Yi, together with the East China Bureau and the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee: Your telegram of June 8 [3] has been received. We concur with all your views. Comrade Tan Zhenlin shall serve as Vice Chairman of the East China Military and Political Committee; during Rao’s [4] illness, he will exercise the powers of the Chairman. He may assume office once his appointment has been submitted to and approved by the Central People’s Government. We also agree that Comrade Pan Hannian [ ] should continue to hold the post of Secretary of the Party Group of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, while Comrade Fang Yi [ ] will be reassigned as Deputy Secretary. Furthermore, we approve that Comrade Liu Changsheng [7] remain Secretary of the Party Group of the Shanghai General Federation of Trade Unions, with Comrade Zhong Min [ ] being appointed Deputy Secretary. The reorganization and demobilization of the military should be expedited and closely supervised, so as to achieve the goal of “providing livelihoods through reemployment and transitioning to production,” while avoiding large-scale layoffs. These suggestions are correct. Issued by the Central Committee on June 9, based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft.

Notes [ ] Tan Zhenlin, at that time, was acting as Secretary of the CPC East China Bureau by decision of the Central Committee due to Rao Shushi’s illness and convalescence. [ ] Chen Yi, then Second Secretary of the CPC East China Bureau and First Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.
[ ] Refers to Chen Yi’s report dated June 8, 1952, addressed to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee, concerning the appointments of Tan Zhenlin and others, as well as the reorganization and demobilization of the military. The report expressed support for Mao Zedong and the Central Committee’s policy of “fighting, building, and stabilizing simultaneously,” along with all related work arrangements, but noted that the issue of military reorganization had not yet been sufficiently emphasized. It recommended that the Central Committee launch appeals and provide close supervision after the Three-Anti and Five-Anti Campaigns, and suggested that, in the course of reorganization, mass layoffs should be avoided in favor of ensuring that demobilized personnel could secure employment and transition to productive work. [ ] Rao refers to Rao Shushi, who at the time served as First Secretary of the CPC East China Bureau and Chairman of the East China Military and Political Committee, but had stepped down to recuperate due to illness. [ ] Pan Hannian was then Vice Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. [ ] Fang Yi was then Second Vice Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and Secretary of the Party Group of the Municipal Government. [7] Liu Changsheng was then Chairman of the Shanghai General Federation of Trade Unions. [ ] Zhong Min was then First Vice Chairman and Secretary of the Party Group of the Shanghai General Federation of Trade Unions.