Outline of Remarks at the Meeting of Heads of Central Government Departments Convened in Guangzhou (April 27, 1958) Can we surpass the United States within fifteen years? The slogan of surpassing Britain within fifteen years should remain unchanged for the time being; let us refrain from raising the question of when we might overtake the United States and wait a few years before deciding. Following the example of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power’s report [1] (and also that of the Ministry of Metallurgy), is it feasible to draft a lengthy report within ten days? It would be intended for the Party Congress and for my own use. What are the respective measures and funding allocations of each ministry, and what will be the total investment? The focus should be on 1958. How is the ideological rectification proceeding in each ministry? Is it practicable to centralize major decision-making authority under the central leadership (using the “red belt” approach)? How many people are currently working on the draft decision regarding 1953? Is it possible to reach a formal decision, and if so, when? As for holding the Third National Party Congress in 1959, is that feasible? Could we publicize the collective decision on our guiding principles? It appears there are two factions, each adopting a different stance. This situation exists across the Party, government, military, mass organizations, and academic circles. Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript. Note [1]: Refers to the report submitted by the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power to the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee concerning the second five-year plan for the electric power industry. See note [1] on page 187 of this volume. 1£¸