Strengthen and Improve Economic Planning Work

A year's planning starts in spring. Today I am going to speak about how to persevere in keeping the planned economy primary and market regulation supplementary. I've already spoken about this at the discussion meeting of the first secretaries of provinces, autonomous regions, and centrally administered municipalities. The above principle must be followed after the institution of production responsibility systems in agriculture. There must be no exceptions. For instance, city outskirts should raise vegetables according to plan. The state must assign hog-raising quotas. Tobacco acreage must not increase; grain acreage must not decrease. The people's living standards should be raised, but the country has only so much money so there must be a plan as to how much [to spend] here, how much there. The people's living standards need to improve, and can be improved, but how much improvement is necessary requires careful consideration. I am still saying what I said: Looking at the overall situation, first, people must eat; second, there must be construction. We cannot eat and use up everything, or the country will have no future. After eating, there must be enough left over to engage in production construction. Only by so doing is there hope for the country. Under all circumstances we must adhere to this principle.