Remarks on the General Political Department’s Summary Report on the All-Army Sports Meet (August 25, 1952) Comrade Xiao Hua [1]: This document [2] is very good. Please draft a telegram in the joint names of the Central Committee and the Military Commission to be sent to the major military regions, the Chinese People’s Volunteers, the various special arms, and the Military Academy, with copies also to all central bureaus and sub-bureaus, approving this report and instructing all localities to implement the four recommendations [3] it contains. Mao Zedong August 25th Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Xiao Hua was at that time Deputy Director of the General Political Department of the People’s Revolutionary Military Commission. [2] Refers to the report dated August 23, 1952, submitted by Luo Ronghuan, Director of the General Political Department, together with Deputy Directors Fu Zhong and Xiao Hua, to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee concerning the All-Army Sports Meet held to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the “August 1” Founding Day of the People’s Liberation Army. The report states that the meeting was, by and large, a success. In order to raise the troops’ level of military science, as well as their political, cultural, and artistic education; to strengthen the physical fitness of officers and men; to cultivate noble qualities in revolutionary soldiers; and to foster a vigorous and energetic spirit so as to enhance the combat effectiveness of the armed forces, the following points should be given attention in the future: (1) Competitions should be conducted on the basis of

the earnest attention paid by leaders at all levels and the regular training efforts already underway. (2) Physical training within the armed forces must be organized, led, and governed by established regulations. The promotion of sports activities should be made one of the principal tasks of the political organs at every level. (3) To achieve both widespread participation and high-level performance, the General Political Department, together with the major military regions, the various special arms, and other key units, must set up specialized sports teams or training classes, bringing together outstanding athletes and promising personnel into these units. (4) Cultural and artistic work should continue to adhere to the principle of “facing the companies and serving the soldiers.” (5) It is recommended that similar sports meets henceforth be held annually, either on an army-wide scale or by military region, thereby establishing them as a regular institutional practice. [3] In fact, there are five recommendations; see note [2] to this text.