Do as directed. There must be serious criticism, and through criticism we can achieve unity. I
suggest that Comrades Li Desheng and Ji Dengkui [3] attend the conference. Yongsheng and
Zuopeng [4] should attend the North China Conference along with Desheng and Dengkui.
This conference should play a significant role in the entire army, correcting some of the
irregularities in our military's work style. At the same time, it should help correct the
unhealthy tendencies of arrogance and complacency among the two groups [5].
December 19, 1970

[1] Refers to the upcoming enlarged meeting of the Beijing Military Region Party Committee.
[2] On December 19, 1970, Zhou Enlai wrote a report to Mao Zedong and others, saying that
the Political Bureau meeting last night conveyed and discussed the Chairman’s comments on
the 38th Army’s report. Some responsible comrades from the North China region and the
Beijing Garrison District also attended the meeting. At the meeting, everyone unanimously
supported the Chairman’s suggestion to hold an enlarged meeting of the Beijing Military
Region Party Committee. They believed that this meeting should focus on discussing the
understanding and exposure of the Chen Boda issue in the Beijing Military Region and the
North China region, with more people and a longer time. In order to hold this meeting well,
open up thoughts and achieve better unity, the Political Bureau agreed to hold a three-day
meeting of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Military Region Party Committee before
everyone arrived and held the meeting to initially unify understandings and facilitate the
acceptance of everyone’s criticism. At the same time, Huang Yongsheng and Li Zuopeng
talked to the comrades of the 38th Army who attended the meeting, pointing out that their
report was good and played a role in promoting the work. At the meeting, unity should be
achieved through exposure and criticism. After reading the meeting, Mao Zedong wrote this
comment.
[3] Li Desheng, then alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee
and director of the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army,
concurrently served as commander of the Beijing Military Region in January 1971. Ji
Dengkui, then alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee,
concurrently served as second political commissar of the Beijing Military Region in January
1971
[4] Yongsheng, also known as Huang Yongsheng, was then a member of the Political Bureau
of the CPC Central Committee, head of the Central Military Commission's working group,
and Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army. Zuopeng, also known as Li



Zuopeng, was then a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, a
member of the Central Military Commission's working group, Deputy Chief of the General
Staff of the People's Liberation Army, and First Political Commissar of the Navy.
[5] This refers to what were then called the "war achievements" made during the war years
and the "new achievements" made during the "Cultural Revolution."