We should conduct research on international issues and form well-founded views, rather than offering impromptu, impressionistic opinions. At present, some of the commentary on international affairs is precisely of this impressionistic nature. It is essential to develop basic perspectives on many such issues and to engage in more in-depth analysis.

In journalism, it is not sufficient to be purely pragmatic; one must also attend to the theoretical and ideological dimensions. Once you have formed your views and opinions, you should seize opportunities and identify appropriate topics to articulate them fully. During last year’s rectification campaign, I had already anticipated the need for a counteroffensive. The rightists were attacking—should we counterattack? When should we do so? And on what specific issue should we focus our response? Ultimately, we chose to target Lu Yuwen as that issue.

The bourgeois orientation of the Wen Hui Bao ought to be criticized. The key questions were: when should this criticism take place, and which specific topic should serve as the launching pad? Later, when the Xinmin Evening News issued its self-criticism, we seized upon that very occasion to mount our critique.

The same approach should be applied to both domestic and international matters.

With regard to newspaper propaganda and editorial work, the past month has been rather chaotic, making it difficult to discern any clear direction or overarching theme. By contrast, last year’s campaign against the rightists was highly focused and carried out in a single, coherent thrust. Similarly, this spring, following the publication of the editorial “Mei Lin Views the Whole Country,” the newspaper maintained a strong, unified line. However, over the past one or two months, there has been an abundance of material, yet the overall direction remains somewhat unclear. A newspaper must have a clear direction. In the immediate future, it needs to shift its emphasis, placing industry—especially steel and machinery—at the forefront. The same applies to provincial newspapers.

Each period should have a distinct guiding principle to concentrate everyone’s attention.