Comments on the Report Titled “On the Passive Situation in Development” [1]
(November 19, 1958)
[1]
Refers to the report submitted by the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Chemical Industry to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee on November 10, 1958, concerning the resolute reversal of the passive situation in the development of the chemical industry. The main contents are as follows:

(1) The most urgent task facing the chemical industry at present is to vigorously develop basic chemical industries (nitrogen fertilizers, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, caustic soda, sodium hydroxide, etc.) and important chemical raw materials (calcium carbide, insulating materials, synthetic rubber, etc.), so as to meet the pressing needs arising from the rapid development of metallurgy, machinery, electric power, coal, petroleum, construction, transportation, national defense, and cutting-edge science.

(2) We must follow the path of self-reliance. At present, the chemical industry is hampered both by a shortage of electricity and raw materials, resulting in poor fulfillment of production plans, and by the fact that its construction projects are not being prioritized. To reverse this passive situation, the only way forward is to summon up high morale, rely on self-reliance, launch a widespread “small-scale, local, mass” campaign, carry out a technical revolution, make steel and iron with our own hands, and manufacture equipment independently, despite existing shortages.

(3) We need to learn to walk on two legs. While vigorously promoting the “small-scale, local, mass” approach in the chemical industry, we must also earnestly launch large-scale mass movements in all production enterprises to liberate thinking, encourage boldness and initiative, tap the potential inherent in existing production methods, conserve energy, materials, equipment, and investment, and thereby accelerate the development of the chemical industry.

(4) We should develop comprehensive joint enterprises, with particular emphasis on establishing mechanical industries. It is imperative to resolve to make steel and iron with our own hands this winter and next spring and to expand equipment-manufacturing capacity. At the same time, we hope that other industrial sectors and the transport sector will also engage in some chemical production to meet their own needs for chemical raw materials.

(5) We must catch up swiftly and develop advanced technologies in the chemical industry to keep pace with the overall advancement of cutting-edge science and technology. Cutting-edge science and technology require products from the chemical industry that meet extremely stringent quality standards, most of which have never been produced domestically, necessitating that we find solutions through our own exploration. Attached to the report of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Chemical Industry was also a document titled “The Serious Backwardness of Current Chemical Production and Several Proposed Measures.”

Comrade Peng Tao [1]:
This document is well written. There is one unclear point on page nine (2), and another where the emphasis needs to be shifted and specific examples provided (3). Please handle as you see fit.
Mao Zedong
November 19, 1958
[1]
Peng Tao was then the Minister of the Ministry of Chemical Industry.
[2]
This refers to a passage on page nine of the report by the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Chemical Industry: “It is hoped that the party committees of all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions will arm the chemical departments—either by providing them with machine tools or by assigning them certain machinery factories as a foundation—so that they can gradually grow stronger this winter and next spring, bringing the chemical equipment-manufacturing capacity of each province, municipality, and autonomous region up to 10,000–20,000 tons by 1959.” Mao Zedong annotated beside this passage: “Is this the total amount, or is each province expected to achieve this level?”
[3]
This refers to another passage on page nine of the report: “We hope that other industrial sectors and the transport sector will also engage in some chemical production; this would not only support the chemical industry but also greatly benefit them in securing the chemical raw materials they need.” Mao Zedong drew a vertical line beside this passage and wrote a comment: “Specific examples could be given, focusing on cases where it is mutually beneficial and indispensable. If it were merely to support the chemical sector, who would have the time to do so, given how busy everyone already is?”

Numbers should be listed for all existing quantities to avoid readers having to calculate them one by one.
Ill
Many ambiguous terms throughout the text should be revised.
(2)
[1]
Mao Zedong’s annotation was made in response to a passage in the document “The Serious Backwardness of Current Chemical Production and Several Proposed Measures,” which was appended to the report of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Chemical Industry. In this passage, after stating that existing chemical production capacity could supply only one quarter of the 1959 demand for chemical products, with newly commissioned enterprises providing another quarter, leaving the remaining half still unaccounted for, the author listed the percentages of current output relative to required supply and the corresponding deficits for caustic soda, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, ammonium nitrate, calcium carbide, and silica sand.

[2]
Mao Zedong wrote this annotation on page four of the aforementioned document, “The Serious Backwardness of Current Chemical Production and Several Proposed Measures,” which was appended to the report of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Chemical Industry. In this document, Mao made several revisions to certain expressions and terminology—for example, changing “next year” to “1959,” “this winter and next spring” to “the winter of 1958 and the spring of 1959,” and revising the sentence “Would it be possible for Liaoning and Jilin Provinces, as well as Qinghai and Tibet, to consider establishing specialized mining authorities?” to read “It is recommended that Liaoning and Jilin Provinces, together with Qinghai and Tibet, promptly establish specialized mining authorities”—and then added this annotation.