Letter to Damdiny Dambaa, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party〔1〕 (May 20, 1957)  To Comrade D. Dambaa, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party:  I have received your letter of April 26, 1957. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in our country, the Government of the Mongolian People’s Republic dispatched a government delegation to participate in the celebratory ceremonies, which greatly pleased us. We wish to express our sincere gratitude.

We have carefully considered the question you raised in your letter concerning the supply of labor from China to the Mongolian People’s Republic. We are of the view that this is indeed a matter that ought to be undertaken. However, as you have suggested, it would be difficult to effect a large-scale relocation of Mongolian residents from our Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to settle permanently in the Mongolian People’s Republic. This is because the population of our Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region numbers 8.7 million, of whom over 7 million are Han Chinese, while the Mongolian ethnic group comprises only slightly more than 1 million persons. Moreover, should we mobilize labor from China to engage in production and construction in the Mongolian People’s Republic, we could at most dispatch workers from the industrial and agricultural sectors; it would be far more challenging to mobilize herders. Accordingly, we propose that only Han Chinese laborers be sent to the Mongolian People’s Republic to work in industries and agriculture where manpower is needed. Even under these circumstances, the number of workers we could send each year would not be substantial. For if the contingent were too large, difficulties would arise in terms of language, daily customs, and administrative management.

We further suggest that the bulk of the labor force sent to participate in industrial construction in the Mongolian People’s Republic should consist of skilled workers, so as to assist the Mongolian people in acquiring certain production skills. It is our view that once these Chinese technical workers engaged in industry and agriculture have, within the mutually agreed time frame, imparted such skills to their Mongolian counterparts, they may return home. Based on our calculations, it should be feasible to supply several thousand workers annually over the next few years.

In order to facilitate the work of the Han Chinese laborers in the Mongolian People’s Republic and to promote harmonious cooperation with the Mongolian people, we intend to assign, among each annual contingent, several dozen Mongolians who are proficient in both Mongolian and Chinese, to serve as liaisons with the relevant administrative authorities of the Mongolian People’s Republic, thereby alleviating administrative challenges. We recommend that the issue of labor supply be handled through diplomatic channels between our two governments. Should you deem it impractical to send Han Chinese workers due to their unfamiliarity with the Mongolian language and way of life, we could reduce the number of personnel dispatched or even refrain from sending any at all. In short, all decisions should be made in accordance with your needs and in a manner most convenient for you.

At present, we have already sent over 8,000 individuals to the Mongolian People’s Republic to engage in various forms of labor. According to information available to us, a considerable number of them have violated the laws of the Mongolian People’s Republic. With the assistance of the competent authorities of that country, we have taken appropriate measures with respect to these cases: some have been repatriated to China, while others have been dealt with in accordance with Mongolian law, depending on the nature of their offenses. We anticipate that similar incidents will continue to occur in the future. Henceforth, we shall adhere to the principle that any Chinese employees who violate the laws of the Mongolian People’s Republic shall be prosecuted under Mongolian law. Should you identify any personnel whose continued employment would be undesirable, please inform us, and we stand ready to recall them without delay, so as not to impose additional burdens on your administrative apparatus.

With fraternal greetings!  Mao Zedong  Date: Year Month Day

While reviewing a draft of this letter, Mao Zedong wrote the following instruction: “Could we add the idea that those dispatched might be withdrawn after they have trained the local workforce?” Mao Zedong, May 18.  In light of this directive, the sentence “It is our view that once these Chinese technical workers engaged in industry and agriculture have, within the mutually agreed time frame, imparted production skills to the Mongolian people, they may return home” was incorporated into the text.

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Printed from the original document preserved in the Central Archives.  Notes 〔1“ Return to Premier Zhou”〕