Letter to Li Xiannian [l]
(August 15, 1965)
Comrade Xiannian:
“Still much hard work is needed,” your view is entirely correct. I ask you to closely oversee and supervise this matter over the next few years, ensuring that we definitely achieve the goal of storing grain among the people; under no circumstances should we over-purchase grain.
Mao Zedong
August 15, 1965
[1]
Li Xiannian was at the time Vice Premier of the State Council and Minister of Finance.
[2]
This refers to the views put forward by Li Xiannian in his letter dated August 2, 1965, addressed to Mao Zedong and others, concerning the correction of excessively heavy grain procurement quotas in certain regions. He suggested, “My preliminary plan is to stabilize the grain procurement targets over the next few years.” Regarding the unevenly distributed procurement burdens—some areas facing too little while others faced too much—he proposed making adjustments to ensure fairness and reasonableness, adding, “To meet these requirements for fairness and reasonableness, considerable hard work will still be necessary.”