I would also like to say a few words here about the issue of establishing the positions of vice-chairmen and general secretary.

I mentioned this last time as well. The Central Committee plans to appoint four vice-chairmen, namely Comrades Shaoqi, Enlai, Zhu De, and Chen Yun [2].

In addition, we also plan to set up a Secretariat. The list of members for the Secretariat has not yet been finalized, but we intend to nominate Comrade Deng Xiaoping [3] for the position of general secretary.

Are the candidates for the four vice-chairmen and the general secretary appropriate? Of course, this is the responsibility of the Central Committee, and it will be up to the Central Committee to elect them.

However, we should keep the delegates informed. I would ask you to go and solicit their opinions, all right? For a large party like ours and a large country like ours, for the sake of national security and the Party’s security, I am afraid it is better to have a few more people.

The Party Constitution is now being revised to include the phrase "establish a number of vice-chairmen."

The first person to propose having four vice-chairmen was Comrade Shaoqi.

With one chairman and one vice-chairman, Comrade Shaoqi felt lonely, and so did I.

With one chairman, plus four vice-chairmen, and a general secretary, my "windbreak" will have several layers.

"There are unexpected storms in nature, and sudden fortunes or misfortunes befall humans overnight." With this arrangement, things will be easier to handle.

Unless an atomic bomb drops and a few of us happen to be clustered together—then we would have to hold a new election.

If only one individual is harmed, or due to illness, or for some other reason, has to go see Marx ahead of schedule, then there will still be someone to hold the fort. Our country would not be affected, unlike the Soviet Union, where after Stalin died, things were left in disarray.

We must prepare for that contingency.

At the same time, having more people is also beneficial for the work.

Establishing the position of general secretary is absolutely necessary.

I say that we people here—including myself, one; the Commander-in-Chief [4], one; and Comrade Shaoqi, half (not including Comrades Enlai, Chen Yun, and Deng Xiaoping; they are the younger, vigorous faction)—are just doing supporting work.

We cannot take the stage to play the leading roles; we no longer have the qualifications for that. We can only maintain things, help out, and play such a role.

Don't think I am now beating a retreat and wanting to quit. It is truly that in terms of health, age, and energy, I am not as good as others in every respect.

I belong to the faction that maintains the status quo, relying on seniority to get by.

Seniority also has its advantages, because one is senior.

But ability-wise, I am no longer up to it. For instance, writing articles or giving speeches on stage—I can no longer do those well.

Comrades are also very concerned about us, saying that piling on too much work is probably not good. This opinion is correct.

So, who should serve as chairman and vice-chairmen? It should be the several comrades from the former Secretariat.

This is not to say that other comrades cannot serve as chairman or vice-chairmen. Comrades may also nominate others. But according to custom, for the time being, it will be one chairman and four vice-chairmen.

I am prepared for this: when the time is right, I will no longer serve as chairman and will request that comrades appoint me as honorary chairman.

Does an honorary chairman do no work? He will still work as usual, doing whatever he is capable of.

Please, comrades, deliberate on this and see if it is appropriate.

The central aim is for the security of the country—having a few more people, with everyone sharing some responsibility.

As for changing the title of secretary-general to general secretary, that is simply turning a Chinese term into a foreign one. (Deng Xiaoping: I am still more comfortable holding the post of secretary-general.) He prefers to be China's secretary-general, not a foreign general secretary.

Actually, a foreign general secretary is equivalent to China's secretary-general, and China's secretary-general is equivalent to a foreign general secretary.

He says it doesn't sound smooth. I can do some advocacy work for this. If everyone approves, it will become smooth.

I see Comrade Deng Xiaoping as a relatively fair-minded person. Like me, he is not without shortcomings, but he is relatively fair-minded.

He is relatively talented and capable. You say he handles every single matter perfectly? No. Like me, he has handled many things incorrectly and has also said some things wrong. But comparatively speaking, he is capable.

He is relatively thorough, relatively fair-minded, and a kind-hearted person, so people are not so afraid of him.

Today, I will say a few words in his praise.

He says he is not up to it. I think he is.

Whether it goes smoothly depends on everyone's opinion. My observation is that it will go relatively smoothly.

There will also be people dissatisfied with him, just as some are dissatisfied with me.

Some people are dissatisfied with me. I have offended many people. Today, these people choose me out of consideration for the overall situation.

Do you say Deng Xiaoping has never offended anyone? I don't believe it. But generally speaking, this person is relatively considerate of the overall situation, relatively kind-hearted, and relatively fair in handling problems. When he makes mistakes, he is very strict with himself.

He says he is somewhat apprehensive and fearful. He has been through struggles within the Party.

As for Comrade Chen Yun, he also simply says he is not capable, that it won't go smoothly.

I see him as a good person. He is relatively fair-minded, capable, and steady. He has vision when looking at problems.

In the past, I didn't fully understand him. In these years since entering Beijing, working alongside him, I have come to understand him better.

Don't be fooled by his very amiable appearance; he sees problems sharply and can grasp the key points.

Therefore, I think Comrade Chen Yun is capable.

As for whether it goes smoothly, you comrades can judge. He comes from the working class. Don't we say that the working-class element in our Central Committee is too small? I think it's not small at all. Among the five of us—chairman and vice-chairmen—there is one.

Please deliberate on this among the delegates, because the members of the Political Bureau, the Secretariat, the chairman, and the vice-chairmen must be proposed together as a complete list and elected together.

As for the Standing Committee, the plan is for it to consist of the chairman, vice-chairmen, and the general secretary.

This is not to say that others cannot serve on the Standing Committee. Others can too, because if one is proposed, there could be a second, and even a third. So, for the time being, we will use this method.

This means transforming the former Secretariat into the Standing Committee, only with the addition of a general secretary compared to before.

We will also establish a Secretariat. The number of people in the Secretariat may be somewhat larger; there could be over a dozen secretaries and alternate secretaries.

Many matters will be handled there, and proposals will be put forward there.

The number of members of the Political Bureau will also be expanded, not just thirteen, but to around twenty.

Because our Central Committee has 170 members, perhaps over 170.

See if this arrangement is feasible? No decision will be made today.

Printed based on the transcript of the speech preserved in the Central Archives.

Notes

〔1〕 This is part of Mao Zedong's speech at the third session of the Seventh Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

〔2〕 Chen Yun, then a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a secretary of the Central Committee Secretariat. At the First Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the CPC held on September 28, 1956, he was elected a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and a vice-chairman of the Central Committee.

〔3〕 Deng Xiaoping, then a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary-general of the Central Committee. At the First Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the CPC held on September 28, 1956, he was elected a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and general secretary of the Central Committee.

〔4〕 Refers to Zhu De.