(December 22, 1953)
Comrades Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Peng, and Chen Yi[1]: read and handle, with Peng to process.
Comrade Chen Yi’s opinion:
At present, it is advantageous not to attack Jinmen; otherwise, we would be very passive and lack full certainty of capturing it. I agree with this opinion. It would require nearly five trillion yuan[2], which cannot be expended. At least in 1954, such a large sum of funds should not be used.

Mao Zedong
December 22, 1953

[1] This is a comment written by Mao Zedong on the report by Wang Shangrong, Deputy Director of the Operations Department of the People’s Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People’s Government, dated December 19, 1953, regarding the cost estimate for attacking Jinmen. It was addressed to Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, and others.
Peng refers to Peng Dehuai, then Vice Chairman of the People’s Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People’s Government.
Chen Yi was then Second Secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Commander of the East China Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army.
[2] Refers to the old Renminbi. Ten thousand yuan of the old currency is equivalent to one yuan of the new Renminbi.