Message from Zhou Enlai

The present overall situation throughout the country is a situation of stalling (拖延) and stalemate (僵局) on the part of the KMT Government. They still maintain the facade (表面) of engaging in anti-Japanese activities. But concurrently, they are more active in pursuing (從事) anti-communist activities. The possibility of KMT units surrendering to Japanese units in isolated locations cannot be ruled out (把...排除在外). We must maintain our anti-Japanese guerrilla [gəˋrilə] campaign bravely and should not be afraid of armed conflict. Only through such a move can we survive and develop further. Units commanded by Zeng Sheng (曾生) and Wang Zuorao should return to the Dongguan (東莞), Bao'an (寶安) and Huizhou (惠州) areas. With such favorable political conditions and the support from the local populace (民眾), you should find a way to operate in the areas between the Japanese occupied territory and that controlled by the KMT. But do not stay in an area for too long. If you resort to total avoidance of armed conflict with the enemies and hide in the hinterland (偏僻地區), it is not only a wrong political move, but it is also doomed to fail militarily. In such an event, the KMT forces will eliminate you under the pretext (藉口) that your are but local bandits (土匪). If you move to the Chaozhou (潮州) and Meixian (梅縣) areas, you are leaving your base of support.

Chan, S.J. (2014). East River Column -- Hong Kong Guerrillas in the Second World War and After. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.