Comments on Zhao Erlu’s [1] Report on the Initial Establishment of the Second Ministry of Machine-Building Industry
(September 2, 1952)


Return to Comrade Zhao Erlu.
This document has been read (2). It is very good. Attention to secrecy and counter-espionage is extremely necessary.


Mao Zedong
September 2


[1] Zhao Erlu,
who at that time served as Minister of the Second Ministry of Machine-Building Industry of the Central People’s Government.
[2]
Refers to Zhao Erlu’s report dated September 1, 1952, addressed to Mao Zedong and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, concerning the initial establishment of the Second Ministry of Machine-Building Industry and related matters. The report stated that the leadership bodies and affiliated factories of the three industrial bureaus—aviation, ordnance, and tank manufacturing—which had previously been under the purview of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, had now been formally transferred to the administration of the Second Ministry. The current priority was set as establishing, consolidating, and reorganizing the institutional structure, reallocating cadres, strengthening factory capacities, becoming familiar with the situation, and laying the groundwork for forthcoming production and construction tasks. According to preliminary assessments, there still existed serious problems within both the administrative organs and the factories, namely organizational impurity and lax control over classified information. This matter had already been emphasized to cadres at all levels to heighten their vigilance, and the heads of each bureau were instructed to immediately conduct a comprehensive survey of the situation and formulate appropriate measures. The three key steps—“purifying the ranks, tightening regulations, and reinforcing confidentiality safeguards”—were designated as the essential components of this work, with the aim of effectively safeguarding state secrets and ensuring the secure development of the military-industrial complex.