Comments on a Review of China’s Economic Situation and Prospects [1]
(July 27, 1959)

Distribute to all comrades.

I would like to ask comrades to take a look at what Kishi Nobusuke said. He stated: “In the course of fulfilling long-term plans, China, like other communist countries, naturally also faces difficulties, but in view of the achievements made so far, one must say: China’s prospects are not unfavorable.”

Well, what do you think? Has not this representative figure of the Japanese big bourgeoisie made a fairly accurate comment on our country’s economic situation and prospects? Compared with some of our pessimists and defeatists, is he not somewhat better, at least in terms of commenting on the same matter?

Mao Zedong
July 27

[1] This is a comment written on a report dated July 20, 1959, from the Chinese Embassy in the German Democratic Republic to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning Kishi Nobusuke’s visit to the Federal Republic of Germany.
[2] This passage by Kishi Nobusuke was spoken at a press conference he held in Bonn when discussing Sino-Japanese relations. The Chinese Embassy in the German Democratic Republic quoted this passage in its report.