Comments on the Arrangements for Industrial Production in the First Quarter Made by Seven Provinces and Municipalities and Fourteen Key Enterprises [1] (January 23, 1960)

To be read by all comrades; return directly to Mao. I intend to discuss this matter shortly. It appears that a sustained Great Leap forward is feasible. Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript.

Note [ ] refers to the article “The Situation Regarding Industrial Production Arrangements for the First Quarter of This Year in Seven Provinces and Municipalities and Fourteen Key Enterprises,” published in No. 17 of the CCP Central Office’s Briefing on Current Affairs, compiled and printed on January 11, 1960. The article states that, according to information gathered by the State Planning Commission from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Liaoning, Guangdong, Sichuan, and Shaanxi—seven provinces and municipalities—and reports from special envoys dispatched to fourteen key enterprises, including the Chongqing Iron and Steel Company, the arrangements made by various localities and enterprises for industrial production in the first quarter of this year, in terms of both value of output and physical output, generally either match or slightly exceed last year’s fourth-quarter levels, with only a few cities and certain products being exceptions. In order to ensure a strong start to production in the first quarter, all localities and enterprises are vigorously carrying out preparatory work. At present, however, several problems remain to be solved: (2) Equipment lacks maintenance materials or spare parts. (1) There are still shortages in the supply of raw materials. (3) Insufficient new large-scale equipment has been acquired. (4) Cooperative relationships have yet to be fully established.