(June 14, 1960)
It is probably time to raise quality to the first place. In 1958 and 1959 we stressed quantity; this year we must stress quality. Specifications and varieties—in the past no one took charge of them, no arrangements were made, no arrangements for ten years. If you make no arrangements for nine years, it would still be good to make arrangements in the tenth year, yet up to this very day no arrangements have been made. What is to be done? Should we set up a special department for missing categories, call it the Department for Picking Up the Missing and Filling the Gaps?
Japan and Germany do not have much steel, but their range of varieties is complete. Our steel must all be fit for use, the range of varieties must be complete; in addition to ordinary steel, we must have all kinds of special steel.
We must concentrate on specifications, varieties, and quality. Put varieties and quality in the first place, and quantity in the second place.
This is part of Mao Zedong's speech at the enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee held in Shanghai.