Theoretically Yan had authority over all the Chinese military forces in his theatre of operations, including Lin Biao's 115th Division of the Communist 8th Route Army, Liu Ruming's ex-Kuomintang troops and various Central Army contingents responsible to Chiang Kai-shek.
I teorien havde Yan kommandoen over alle kinesiske militærstyrker i området, heriblandt Lin Biaos 115. division i kommunisternes 8. armé, Liu Rumings tidligere Kuomintang tropper og forskellige enheder fra den Centrale Arme, som var underlagt Chiang Kai-shek.