Notes of Approval on Wang Guanlan’s [1] Proposal to Construct the Jiaolai Canal
(September 25, 1952)
Comrade Yibo 121:
Please have the Central Financial and Economic Commission refer to this document [3].
If this canal can be completed and navigable by large vessels, that would be beneficial; however, I wonder whether we will have the financial resources to undertake such a project within the first five years.
Mao Zedong
September 25
[1]
Wang Guanlan, who at the time served as Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Central People’s Government.
[2]
Yibo refers to Bo Yibo, who at the time was Vice Chairman of the State Council’s Finance and Economic Commission and also Minister of Finance.
[3]
This refers to Wang Guanlan’s report dated September 24, 1952, addressed to Mao Zedong, recommending that the central authorities consider constructing the Jiaolai Canal between Jiaozhou Bay and Laizhou Bay at the neck of the Jiaodong Peninsula. In his report, Wang Guanlan stated that if the canal were opened, it would not only yield substantial economic benefits but also provide significant advantages for national defense.