The China White Paper 1949(XXI)

Under the mutual agreement of the Nationalist government and CCP, the Political Consultative Conference (PCC) was established and held a meeting in January 1946 from 10th-31st. In this meeting Chiang Kai-shek agreed to (a) grant freedom of speech, assembly, and association; (b) equal legal status for all political parties; (c) to hold popular election; and (d) to release political prisoners. Among other things, PCC suggested that the KMT should revise the organic law of the National Government "to make the State Council the supreme organ of the Government in charge of national affairs". This council would have 40 members, KMT could only have half of the membership, and the allocation of non-KMT seats should be decided by the PCC. As subsequent historical development would tell, the veto power of this Council later became an important point in the negotiation between the National government and CCP.1 This PCC had also touched on the military problems by suggesting the reorganization and reduction of armies and the creation of "a national army belonging to the State in which no political parties would be allowed to carry on political activities". It aimed at reducing the army size in China to 50-60 divisions.2 (to be continued)

Notes:
1.United States, Department of State. The China White Paper-August 1949. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1967, page 139-140.
2. Ibid., page 140.