Annotation on the Draft 1951 Budget Submitted by Bo Yibo for Review
(September 13, 1950)

Comrade Bo Yibo:

Detailed explanations and comparisons with the previous year are required; otherwise, review is impossible. Therefore: (1) The summary budget table must list the comparative figures for this year and next year, as well as the increase or decrease of next year’s figures compared to this year’s. The explanatory notes at the end of the table must also explain the comparative changes between this year and next year, so as to clarify the historical progression. (2) For the expenditure budgets of each sector, several detailed tables must be separately prepared, specifying each sub-item within each sector. For example, the various sub-items of military expenditure and their two-year historical comparison; the various sub-items of investment and their historical comparison (for instance, the various sub-items of industrial investment and their two-year historical comparison, wherein railway investment must include the budget figures for each individual railway, water conservancy investment must include the figures for each individual river, and cultural and educational expenditure must include the figures and comparisons for each individual cultural and educational undertaking); and so on for other categories. This work must be completed and submitted to me before September 25. Regarding the need for detailed content, I already raised this with you during the Political Bureau discussion in August.

Mao Zedong
September 13

--- Notes

Bo Yibo, then Deputy Director of the Financial and Economic Commission of the Government Administration Council and concurrently Minister of Finance.