Comments on the “Fengqing” Ship Issue
(March 10, 1976)
It should not be circulated. This matter is improper. [2]
March 10
Jiang Qing [3] meddles far too much. She has convened a separate meeting with representatives from twelve provinces to deliver a speech.
Notes
Printed according to Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft.
[1] Refers to the incident in which the “Gang of Four,” using the cargo ship “Fengqing” as a pretext, provoked a confrontation and launched an attack against Zhou Enlai and other central leaders. The “Fengqing” was a 10,000-ton vessel built by the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, equipped with five major components—main engine, radar, and others—entirely of domestic manufacture. Initially, for safety reasons, the Far-Ocean Shipping Bureau of the Ministry of Communications had designated the “Fengqing” for short-haul routes. On September 30, 1974, after its first long-distance voyage, Jiang Qing seized the opportunity to assail the Ministry of Communications. On October 14, she appended comments to a draft of a Xinhua News Agency report on the “Fengqing’s” overseas trip, distorting the facts, whipping up public opinion, and slandering the State Council and the Ministry of Communications as failing to support domestic shipbuilding while being overly eager to purchase foreign vessels—accusing them of “blind admiration for foreign powers” and “capitulation and treason.” She also fabricated charges, labeling the legitimate refusal of ministry officials assigned to the “Fengqing” to participate in this “criticism” campaign as a “reactionary political incident.” On March 2, 1976, Jiang Qing again unilaterally convened a symposium involving representatives from twelve provinces and autonomous regions, where she provided further explanations regarding materials on the “Fengqing” issue that had been distributed at the meeting, directing her attacks squarely at Deng Xiaoping, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.

[2] These comments were written on a report submitted to Mao Zedong on March 3, 1976, by Hua Guofeng, a member of the CPC Central Politburo and acting Premier of the State Council. In his report, Hua Guofeng stated: “Regarding the ‘Fengqing’ ship issue, as previously proposed by Comrade Jiang Qing and approved by me, I agreed to circulate a draft of the domestic news item (containing Comrade Jiang Qing’s annotations) for the attendees’ reference.” He continued: “Now Comrade Jiang Qing has proposed that her additional remarks delivered at the symposium of twelve provinces and regions on March 2 be printed not only for submission to Chairman Mao and the Politburo members in Beijing, but also to all comrades who have come to Beijing for meetings, with supplementary copies to be sent to those who attended the previous two sessions. Since the content involves the Politburo members’ endorsements and mentions that it was shown to the Chairman, I am uncertain whether it should be printed. May I seek the Chairman’s instructions on this matter?”

[3] Jiang Qing: see note [1] on page 367 of this volume.