solid foundation; only by playing a good match can one achieve victory relatively smoothly. During the competition, one should focus more on favorable conditions and less on unfavorable ones;
prioritize national interests over personal gains or losses. Second, the issue of ambition and aspiration. Cultivating high aspirations requires consistent effort in daily practice. One must recognize their potential as a player: if others can play well, then with determination to improve, so can you. You should “fight” for the nation’s honor, dare to take responsibility, and remain resilient even if you lose a match. Third, the question of confidence. The basis of confidence lies in competing against foreign opponents. By clearly setting this goal, practicing techniques with an awareness of “enemy conditions,” and playing with the desire to win honor for the motherland, confidence can be built. Confidence must be established and nurtured through every aspect of daily life. Fourth, the five main problems currently facing the women’s team are:
1.
Key technical skills are not being effectively mastered;
2.
The direction of technical development for female players remains unclear;
3.
There is insufficient emphasis on “enemy conditions” during training;
4.
Athletes need to both dare to learn and learn effectively;
5.
How to think critically and creatively during training and competition.
[3]
On October 10, 1964, He Long, Vice Premier of the State Council and Director of the State Sports Commission, commented on Xu Yinsheng’s speech to the Chinese Women’s Table Tennis Team, stating that several points raised in Xu’s address were particularly well made. First, he emphasized the question of “for whom we play,” stressing that the honor of the motherland should come first. Second, he discussed adopting a strategic mindset of underestimating the opponent while treating them seriously at the tactical level—aiming to undermine their morale and enhance one’s own prestige. Third, athletes should emulate the People’s Liberation Army by always keeping the objective of winning in mind and connecting every action to how best to perform on the court, setting aside personal gains or losses when competing. In summary, athletes should harbor lofty ambitions, train diligently under normal circumstances, and compete boldly and tenaciously. He also highlighted an extremely important point: routine training must be closely aligned with actual competition scenarios, especially international matches. Training should be challenging, rigorous, and based on real combat needs, encouraging innovation while rejecting formalism and dogmatism. These issues hold universal significance for all sports teams. It would be beneficial to quickly print and distribute this document so that everyone can study it carefully, compare it with their own situation and that of their team, and gain valuable insights.
[4]
Refers to the national working conference convened by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee between December 1964 and January 1965 to discuss the document “Some Current Issues Raised in the Socialist Education Movement in Rural Areas.”

Commentary on the letter reflecting problems in China’s military engineering technology education [I] (2)
(January 12, 1965)
Comrades He Long and Rui 9R:
What is mentioned in this document may be a common problem across many institutions. Please handle it seriously. Since Comrade Lin Biao proposed the rectification of educational institutions last year, some progress has likely been made, which has emboldened authors like this one to speak out.
Mao Zedong
January 12th
[1]
Refers to a letter from Xu Xiaozǐ, head of the teaching and research section at the Artillery Engineering College of the People’s Liberation Army, addressed to Mao Zedong regarding issues in China’s military engineering technology education. The letter states that the most significant problem currently facing military engineering education in China, as previously criticized by the Chairman himself at the Military Engineering College, is the failure to implement the “Four Priorities.” Specifically:
First, the college’s educational management methods foster arrogance and pampered attitudes among students, while also cultivating a habit of uncritical learning. Second, teaching materials are outdated, and course content is disconnected from practical realities. Teaching often focuses on superficially impressive forms rather than substantive improvement, with a disconnect and mutual isolation between academic departments and production units. Third, scientific research is virtually non-existent. Faculty members lack practical knowledge, and those engaged in research and laboratory construction do not have sufficient time allocated for these tasks. Fourth, the administrative apparatus is bloated and overstaffed, with few students, making the institution economically inefficient.
[2]
This commentary was written on an abstract of a public letter titled “Serious Problems Currently Existing in China’s Military Engineering Technology Education,” which appeared in the first issue of “Mass Feedback,” published by the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee Office on January 8, 1965.