Deng Xiaoping Submits a Written Report to the Central Committee on the China-Burma Border Issue

Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s written report on the China-Burma border topic submitted June 28 [1956] to the Central Committee [of the Chinese Communist Party]

(Unread: Liu [Shaoqi], Zhou [Enlai]. Read: Zhu [De], Chen [Yun], Peng [Dehuai])

To discuss this topic, we convened a special meeting. Participants included [Generals] Chen Geng and Xiao Hua, as well as comrades from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Business, Finance, Police, and Private Capital. [Governor] Guo Yingqiu of Yunnan arrived at the meeting, as did the Central Committee’s Deputy General Secretary.

The results of the discussion, aside from Chen agreeing with Xiao Hua’s statement and the opinions of the military commission, were the following affirmations:

1) Xiao Hua will be responsible for leading a work group with one representative each from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Business, Finance, the Military’s General Staff, the Public Security Army, Education, and Health. They will go to Yunnan and, in collaboration with the [Yunnan] Provincial Party Committee, oversee the cooperative drafting of a concrete strategy.

2) It was proposed that henceforth at the border, with the exception of diplomatic, military, and customs concerns, practically all matters concerning business, taxation, culture/education, health, police, minorities, foreigners entering and leaving, foreigners conducting low-volume trade, etc. would be overseen without exception by the Provincial Party Committee, with the Central Committee’s relative departments providing assistance as needed. (In the past, if the Provincial Party Committee laid eyes on the Central Committee it would be powerless to actively resolve its own issues.) Naturally, important questions still must be referred and reported back to the Central Committee.

3) The principle lately mentioned by the Provincial Committee was agreed upon, namely that the border region’s Ethnic Armed Forces unit should be fixed at 5,000 members (this is mandatory). I invite the Military Commission to have the final say. As far as organizing these 5,000 men, many options are available. It will be up to Comrade Xiao Hua and the provincial leadership to decide.

4) Regarding foreign questions, I ask the Foreign Affairs committee to get together and set some basic principles in writing. After they are approved by the Central Committee, our comrades in Yunnan will implement them. In theory, for the natives of the two countries [China and Burma] to go back and forth should be somewhat more natural, adopting a looser principle.

5) Regarding business, history has sanctioned the policy of “reparations” and internal economic development. But this has been done badly; it needs to be done seriously like in Tibet. Culture/education and health also need more vigorous and concrete methods. Customs is obliged to install offices at several important gaps, but should not be responsible for people near the border simply going back and forth. Taxes on low-volume trade will be lenient as well—less can be taken or none at all.

6) Military civil transport workers’ salary will be paid by the [Ministry of] Finance.

If you agree with the above statements, please make your criticisms and disseminate this to lower offices.