August 17, 1953
Comrade Jingguang:

Your telegram of August 7 has been received.¹² I am greatly relieved to learn that your health has improved and that you have already resumed work.

Regarding the issue of reducing or exempting the grain transport duties of the Fifth Fleet, after joint study by the Navy Command,¹³ the Ministry of Grain, the Ministry of Communications, and other units, it has been resolved in accordance with the principle of balancing disaster relief and naval construction. That is, naval vessels transporting grain in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River shall carry out one more shipment before being relieved of their grain transport duties; vessels currently still capable of undertaking grain transport duties in the upper reaches must continue transporting grain until the end of August before they can be relieved of their duties. In addition to notifying the relevant units to implement the above, this is hereby communicated to you specifically.

Mao Zedong
August 17

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**Notes**
¹ This is a telegram from Mao Zedong to Xiao Jingguang, Commander of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
² Refers to Xiao Jingguang’s telegram to Mao Zedong dated August 7, 1953. The telegram stated: According to a report from the East China Navy, they have committed the entire Fifth Fleet to grain transport duties. Due to severe damage to the vessels, the East China Navy has requested that the remaining grain transport task of over 10,000 tons on the Chongqing–Yichang section be reduced or exempted. They request the Chairman’s consideration—if circumstances permit, exempting this task would be most favorable.
³ Navy Command, i.e., the Command of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.