All comrades to read, return directly to Mao.

Important Document

(December 1959)

[I]
This comment was written on the first special issue of the *Planning Work Briefing* issued by the General Office of the State Planning Commission in December 1959. This issue of the briefing carried the *Preliminary Conception of the Speed, Scale, and Distribution of China's Iron and Steel Industry in the Next Eight Years (1960-1967)*. The main contents were: (1) In the next eight years, China's iron and steel industry will develop persistently and at a high speed. In 1959, China's steel output will reach 13.7 to 13.8 million tons; around 1962, it will reach about 30 million tons; in 1967, it will be entirely possible to reach 60 million tons, and as a result of implementation, it may reach 70 million tons or even a bit more. Thus, in the next eight years, steel output will increase by an average of 5.8 to 7 million tons annually, i.e., an average annual growth rate of 20% to 23%. (2) The development speed of China's iron and steel industry will not only greatly surpass that of the United States but will also be faster than that of the Soviet Union. (3) After eight years of effort, the regional distribution of China's iron and steel industry will undergo a fundamental change. (4) The variety and quality of steel products will meet the needs of the national economy's continued leap forward and cutting-edge industries. (5) Strive to ensure the realization of the above goals in terms of materials, equipment, and technical investment.