Annotations and Revisions to the Draft Communiqué of the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the CPC [1] (September 26, 1962) I. To be circulated to all comrades [3]. Should there be any suggestions for revision, please submit them to the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. Mao Zedong, September 26. Printed from the manuscript. II. The various criminal activities carried out by imperialists, reactionaries of all countries, and modern revisionists—aimed at opposing communism, the people, and the mass struggles of all oppressed nations worldwide; at opposing the People’s Republic of China and all other independent states that refuse to be slaves—have had precisely the opposite effect. Instead, they have only further exposed their hideous true faces, thereby plunging them ever deeper into isolation.

III. We must continue to hold high the revolutionary banner of Marxism-Leninism, uphold the revolutionary principles set forth in the Moscow Declaration of 1957 and the Moscow Statement of 1960, and resolutely and thoroughly combat modern revisionism—the principal danger currently facing the international communist movement. At the same time, we must also resolutely and thoroughly oppose dogmatism, great-power chauvinism, and narrow nationalism, fighting to safeguard the purity of Marxism-Leninism. IV. The Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee pointed out that throughout the entire historical period of the proletarian revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat, and throughout the entire historical period of transition from capitalism to communism—this period will require several decades, or even longer—there will persist class struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, as well as a struggle between the socialist and the capitalist roads. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised text. V. There are certain revisions [4]; Comrade Xiaoping [ ] is requested to reconsider them once more. Mao Zedong, printed from the manuscript on the afternoon of September 26.

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VI. We should continue to raise high the banner of opposing imperialism and safeguarding world peace, uniting all peace-loving nations and peoples around the globe to form the broadest possible united front against U.S. imperialism and other imperialist powers and their lackeys in various countries. VII. Despite successive severe natural disasters and other difficulties over the past few years, the state of the national economy was somewhat better last year than the year before, and this year it will be even better than last year. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised text. VIII. The overthrown reactionary ruling classes are unwilling to accept their demise; they are constantly attempting to restore their rule. Meanwhile, bourgeois influences and the entrenched habits of the old society still remain in our society, and among certain small producers there persists an instinctive tendency toward capitalism. Consequently, there are still some elements within the people who have not undergone socialist transformation—though their numbers are small, constituting only a few percent of the population—who, given the slightest opportunity, will seek to abandon the socialist path and revert to capitalism. Under these circumstances, class struggle is inevitable. This is a historical law long elucidated by Marxism-Leninism, one which we must never forget. Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript. Notes [1] The Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the CPC was held in Beijing from September 24 to 27, 1962. The communiqué was adopted at the plenary session on September 27 and published in the People’s Daily on the 29th. [2] This document (I) consists of annotations written by Mao Zedong on the draft communiqué of the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee. Documents (II), (III), (IV), (VI), (VII), and (VIII) contain Mao Zedong’s revisions to the draft communiqué. Texts typeset in Song typeface represent additions or alterations made by him. Document (V) is an annotation Mao Zedong wrote on the communiqué draft distributed on September 26 (Document No. 42 of the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee). [3] Refers to the comrades then present in Beijing attending the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee. [ ] See documents (VI), (VII), and (VIII) herein. In addition, Mao Zedong made several minor textual revisions. [ ] Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee.


Annotation on Issue No. 137 of the “Foreign Affairs Briefing” (September 29, 1962) To Comrades Wang Jiaxiang, Wu Xiuquan, and Liu Ningyi [1]: This document is worth reading. Both domestic and foreign revisionists collude with foreign forces. Those of us engaged in international work must pay close attention to this fact; otherwise, we are bound to be deceived. If necessary, you [2] may convene a symposium with a group of colleagues working in foreign affairs—for example, about a dozen people, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Affairs Office, the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, and the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles [3]—using the Japanese incident and other similar cases (of which there are many) as examples to heighten vigilance. Mao Zedong, September 29, printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Wang Jiaxiang was then a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Department of International Liaison. Wu Xiuquan and Liu Ningyi were both Vice Ministers of the Department of International Liaison at the time. [2] Refers to Wang Jiaxiang. [3] Namely, the All-China Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. 1£¹


Annotation on the Pilot Program for Screening Rightists [1] (September 29, 1962) To Comrades Liu, Zhou, and Deng [2]: Please have Deng investigate: Who initiated this matter [3]? Was it the Organization Department, the CPC Central Directly Affiliated Organs Committee, or the State Organs Committee itself? This incident occurred within central government organs. The rightists concerned had not requested such screening; rather, higher authorities forcibly designated it as a “pilot project” in order to gain experience and subsequently extend it nationwide. The incident took place in June or July. Its nature can be described as extremely brazen. After reviewing it, please return it and report back to me. Mao, September 29, printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] This annotation was written on the sixty-third special issue of “Propaganda and Education Dynamics,” compiled and published by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee on September 24, 1962. That special issue contained materials reflecting how the State Organs Committee had identified several individuals as pilot subjects for screening rightists. [2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. [3] The material in the sixty-third special issue of “Propaganda and Education Dynamics” stated that during June and July of this year, the State Organs Committee had separately instructed several units to carry out pilot screening work on individual rightists. Due to various reasons, however, some of these pilot screenings did not proceed at all, while others had barely begun or were halted after only preliminary investigations and the submission of recommendations. In its reply dated August 17, 1962, to the United Front Work Department’s request report of July 26 entitled “Several Questions Concerning Work Among Rightists” (Document Zhongfa [2] No. 4), the CPC Central Committee pointed out: “The question of screening and rehabilitation should not be raised generally with regard to rightists. It should apply only to those individuals who have been demonstrably and unequivocally wronged—that is, those who never engaged in any rightist statements or actions—and even then, such cases should be addressed individually and rectified on the basis of factual truth. However, the view expressed in the report, namely ‘If the rightist himself or his family requests screening—even if he has already had his ‘rightist’ label removed—screening should be conducted,’ is inappropriate.”