Regarding the Issuance of
Editorial Comments on the People’s Daily Editorial
“Soviet Union Takes a Giant Step Toward Communism”
(November 18, 1958)
This is the People’s Daily editorial dated November 16, 1958,[1] which is hereby circulated to all 121 comrades present at the meeting.
Mao Zedong
November 18, 1958

[1]
The People’s Daily editorial of November 16, 1958, “Soviet Union Takes a Giant Step Toward Communism,” stated:
The target figures for developing the Soviet national economy during the period 1959–1965 have been announced. This Seven-Year Plan will undergo two months of nationwide discussion before being submitted to the Twenty-First Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union for approval and implementation. With an unprecedented scale, a pace of leapfrog development, the spirit of overwhelming imperialism in the peaceful competition, and the majestic momentum of advancing toward a communist society, this grand plan has won cheers from the socialist camp and progressive humanity worldwide, while shocking imperialists and all reactionaries. Our people feel boundless excitement and inspiration over this giant step taken by the Soviet Union on its road to communism.
Over the seven years, the Soviet Union’s steel output will increase from 55 million tons in 1958 to 86–91 million tons in 1965; oil production will rise from 113 million tons in 1958 to 230–240 million tons in 1965; electricity generation will grow from 233 billion kilowatt-hours in 1958 to 500–520 billion kilowatt-hours in 1965; and annual grain output will reach 10–11 billion poods. From the picture presented by the Seven-Year Plan, one can see how the Soviet Union will develop over the next seven years.

The main features of the editorial comments on the People’s Daily editorial “Soviet Union Takes a Giant Step Toward Communism” are as follows:
First, building upon the priority given to heavy industry, further vigorous development will be carried out across all sectors of the economy, substantially strengthening the country’s economic potential so as to ensure a continuous improvement in the people’s standard of living. Second, the national economy will be developed at a high speed while maintaining necessary balances. Third, the spatial distribution of productive forces will be improved, accelerating economic development in the eastern regions. Fourth, the latest technologies will be further disseminated, and cutting-edge science will be advanced. Fifth, alongside the further development of socialist productive forces, socialist relations of production will be improved.[2]
Refers to the upcoming enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to be held in Wuchang.