**Instructions on Forwarding and Promoting the Experience Report of Phonetic Literacy by the Central Committee**

The experience of Wanrong County proves that the method of phonetic literacy is a good way to eliminate illiteracy quickly, effectively, and economically, to consolidate and expand the results of literacy campaigns, and is a shortcut to accelerating the intellectualization of workers and peasants. The implementation of this method provides favorable conditions for reforming industrial and agricultural spare-time education and full-time primary school education, and shortening the length of schooling. In order to promote the experience of Wanrong County, we convened an on-site conference in Wanrong County in December of last year, attended by 600 people, including educational administrative cadres, Communist Youth League cadres, primary and secondary school principals, and teachers from various special districts, cities, and counties, which powerfully promoted literacy and spare-time education work throughout the province. According to incomplete statistics, more than 676,000 phonetic teachers have been trained throughout the province, and more than 3.28 million people have participated in the study of Hanyu Pinyin. We have already made a comprehensive plan to strive to achieve a province without illiteracy in 1960. We have now organized several pilot projects for school system reform to further create experience for teaching reform, and at the same time, we are preparing to compile and print a large number of phonetic popular reading materials in order to timely supply the needs of the rapidly unfolding nationwide literacy and spare-time education movement. When reviewing this report, Mao Zedong proposed the title: "Report to the Central Committee by the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee on Promoting the Experience of Phonetic Literacy in Wanrong County throughout the Province and Striving to Make Shanxi a Province Without Illiteracy in 1960."

[Image of Mao Zedong et al. at a Central Committee meeting in April 1960.]

**Instructions on the Report of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry on Continuing to Vigorously Develop the "Small Foreign Groups" and the Upgrading of the "Small Foreign Groups" [1]**
(April 21, 1960)

[1] This report, given to Li Xiannian, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee, and Vice Premier of the State Council, and reported to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee by the Party Group of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry on April 18, 1960, stated that since the nationwide vigorous development of iron and steel in the autumn of 1958, the "small foreign groups" and "small indigenous groups" of iron and steel, mines, coking, and refractory materials established in various places have gradually grown into a strong force on the iron and steel front after a year of rectification, support, and improvement. It has made and will continue to make great contributions to supporting the production of "large foreign groups," supporting local industry and agriculture. At present, it is developing towards the advanced form of "small foreign groups" -- joint enterprises, which will have a decisive impact on the higher-speed development of China's iron and steel industry. After analyzing the output and various technical and economic indicators of the "small foreign group" enterprises, as well as its great role in the entire iron and steel industry, the report pointed out that the more meaningful role of the "small foreign groups" lies in: First, it is the pioneer of technological revolution in the metallurgical industry; Second, its growth, development, creation, and innovation play a huge role in changing people's mental outlook and ideology; Third, it is the growth point of thousands of iron and steel joint enterprises in the future. To this end, we convened a national conference of metallurgical bureau directors from various provinces, cities, and districts in February of this year, focusing on the following two issues: First, among the existing iron and steel "small foreign groups," select a group with good conditions to not only increase steelmaking and rolling equipment, but also gradually expand into small and medium-sized joint enterprises. Second, plan to build a new batch of "small foreign groups" so that every county and commune with conditions has one or several iron and steel "small foreign groups" or "small indigenous groups."

May 16, 1960, the CPC Central Committee forwarded this report of the Party Group of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry.

**Instructions on the Report on Continuing to Vigorously Develop the "Small Foreign Groups" and the Upgrading of the "Small Foreign Groups"**

Very good. The document is worth reading, and return it after reading.

Mao Zedong
April 21st

Comrades Chen Boda, Hu Qiaomu, Hu Sheng, and Tian Jiaying [1] read.

[1] Chen Boda was then an alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, director of the Central Policy Research Office, and Mao Zedong's secretary. Hu Qiaomu was then an alternate secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Mao Zedong's secretary. Hu Sheng was then the deputy director of the Central Policy Research Office. Tian Jiaying was then the deputy director of the Central Policy Research Office and Mao Zedong's secretary.