(1) The communiqué issue. The West may be falling apart—indeed, it appears to be—but this is not yet certain. There is a bloc on the European continent that opposes Britain and the United States, yet it is riddled with internal contradictions: tensions between Germany and France, as well as between Britain and the United States. They are both united and in conflict. Stalin argued that capitalism’s internal contradictions would lead to war. We have long maintained, as stated in an article written in 1946, that there exists a “middle zone” between the United States and the Soviet Union, and that competition for this middle zone is paramount. Why not attack the middle zone first rather than the Soviet Union? Under the guise of anti-communism, they pursue a policy of gradual encroachment, invading the middle zone and provoking resistance. Given the vastness of this middle zone, they will never succeed. This includes the United States, France, Germany, and Italy, with Asia, Africa, and Latin America serving as their rear areas. With turmoil erupting across Europe, Asia, and Africa, how could the United States possibly disengage to launch an attack on the Soviet Union?

Exploitation means exploiting people; only by exploiting people can one exploit the earth. Without people, there is no land; without land, there is no wealth. What would be the point of annihilating all people and then seizing their territory? I cannot fathom why anyone would drop an atomic bomb instead of employing conventional weapons. Our view is that, so long as atomic bombs are not used, Germany, France, and Italy would concur, and many other nations would not fear the United States. Could they not simply conclude a treaty pledging mutual non-use? However, as long as monopoly capital persists, war becomes inevitable, since there is neither sufficient raw material nor adequate markets.

The communiqué’s assessment of the international situation: imperialism is bound to disintegrate—and to engage in warfare among itself. Nixon has declared that an economic race should be initiated and that India ought to be bolstered. But how could India possibly be strengthened under such circumstances? While a mood of pessimism prevails in the West, we remain optimistic. The notion of fragmentation requires careful consideration. It is indeed true that fragmentation is inevitable, but raising the issue might alert them, leaving us with little recourse. Meanwhile, the United States seeks to install pro-liberal elements in Taiwan. Iraq remains highly tense; over the past few days, a large number of counterrevolutionaries have been arrested, though the outcome remains undecided. The primary conspirators are the United States, Britain, Turkey, and Iran (regarding Qasim—why did he dissolve the trade unions? There are suspicions about how Iraq manages to obtain such timely intelligence).

(2) Three documents have now been finalized. Regarding the resignation: every group needs a leader, just as a class requires a monitor; similarly, the central leadership must have a First Secretary. Without even a speck of dust to serve as a nucleus, no rain can fall. It is better to experience some disorder now than to face chaos after someone is gone. A core is absolutely essential; we must consolidate it. Once established, however, it becomes difficult to dismantle—a deeply ingrained psychological state that may persist regardless of future changes in official positions. In practice, the Chairman has effectively served only half his term, refraining from daily administrative duties.

The 1959 plan will be reviewed again after two months, with another discussion scheduled for mid-February.

What about the People’s Communes? A meeting of provincial and municipal party secretaries will be convened on February 1st, either in Beijing, Chengdu, or Shanghai.

A Hong Kong newspaper criticized Chiang Kai-shek, stating that he “fled in panic to Taiwan after abandoning his throne.”

The National People’s Congress is set to convene on March 15th.

A meeting will be held on February 1st. In addition to reviewing the two resolutions, it is also necessary to streamline state institutions, prepare the report for the National People’s Congress, address educational issues, and issue further internal directives concerning the People’s Communes.

Do the People’s Communes undermine the Constitution? For example, the merger of government and commune functions was never approved by the National People’s Congress and is therefore not enshrined in the Constitution. Many provisions of the Constitution have become outdated. However, rather than amending it now, we propose adopting a written constitution only after surpassing the United States. For the time being, we will follow the American model of an unwritten constitution, pieced together through successive enactments.

Transition to communism will require fifteen to twenty years, or perhaps even longer. Achieving socialist public ownership throughout society could take as little as three to four years—corresponding to the Second Five-Year Plan—or as long as five to six years—aligning with the Third Five-Year Plan.

(3) Documents pertaining to the People’s Communes still require refinement. An additional three days—on the 15th, 16th, and 17th—are allocated for revisions. The communiqué and the announcement of the Chairman’s resignation will be released on the 18th, followed by the resolution on the People’s Communes on the 19th.

Should any doubts remain regarding the Chairman’s resignation, another teleconference may be convened for further clarification.

(4) The Beidaihe Conference. I made a mistake by focusing solely on three matters: a steel production target of 10.7 million tons, the People’s Communes, and the artillery bombardment of Kinmen. No other issues were considered. The resolution adopted at the Beidaihe Conference is currently being revised. At the time, there was concern that revolutionary enthusiasm had not been adequately combined with a practical mindset. It was at the Wuchang Conference that these two elements were successfully integrated, leading to the need to revise the resolution. The approach involves walking on two legs: drawing on Russia’s revolutionary spirit while incorporating America’s pragmatic approach.

Chen Jiongming, in the Dongjiang region, formed a partnership with the tax chief of a certain county to elect a single individual as head of the administration. Inspections were conducted every two months.

Two additional phrases were included: “Prioritize tasks according to their urgency and importance. Self-reliance through small-scale local initiatives,” with the overarching principle being “politics takes the lead.”

An afternoon meeting must be held to issue a notice emphasizing the dictatorship of the proletariat. Provincial party secretaries should attend. Ultimately, the matter boils down to backwardness—backwardness that has already taken hold. Even if we fall further behind for a few more years, what harm is there? A provincial party secretary must possess a comprehensive perspective and act in the national interest. Balancing national unity with local initiative presents inherent tensions, requiring subordination to the broader national good. Upholding the higher moral standard of prioritizing the collective interest does not entail personal loss. Those who fail to do so will inevitably suffer consequences. Yang Yichen, for instance, sought to seize the opportunity to overthrow Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi, and others, attempting to advance his own agenda. Anyone pursuing such schemes ends up shooting themselves in the foot. There exists a cohort of individuals who consistently disregard the greater good. Throughout history, those who have acted against the collective interest have invariably met with ill fortune, including Yang Yichen, Gao Gang, and Luo Zhanglong.

Yang Yichen prepared himself to bear false accusations while simultaneously insisting on safeguarding the overall interests. Yet how much Marxist-Leninist theory did he actually possess? None whatsoever.

Some provinces are desperately poor, and even decades of continued poverty would not necessarily be disastrous; in reality, prolonged destitution is unlikely to occur.

Why does the matchmaker stand outside late into the night, enduring beatings, sacrificing herself for the sake of others?