(The ``Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China'' was drafted under the guidance of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and of its Secretariat, with Comrades Deng Xiaoping and Hu Yaobang presiding over the work. A drafting group was set up, with Comrade Hu Qiaomu as its principal leader. On a number of occasions between March 1980 and the Sixth Plenary Session of the Party's Eleventh Central Committee in June 1981, Comrade Deng Xiaoping gave his opinions on the drafting and revision of the resolution. Here are excerpts from nine of his talks.)

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March 12, 1980

The problems of the army which I have recently discussed with some comrades include four main ones: First, reducing ``bloatedness''; second, reforming structure; third, improving training; and fourth, strengthening political and ideological work.

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Today I want to discuss three subjects: first, this session itself; second, the political, ideological and organizational lines of the Party; and third, methods of work.

First, about this session. It is a highly important one and has been very successful, as successful as the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Party. The political life of the Party is more spirited now than it has been for many years. This session, at which everyone has spoken his mind freely, has given genuine expression to the collective wisdom and leadership of the Central Committee, and has set a good example for our inner-Party life which should be emulated in the Party's leading organs at all other levels.

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Comrades,

On New Year's Day I spoke for about 15 minutes at a meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Later, Comrade Hu Yaobang and others asked me to speak to more comrades about our expectations for their work in the coming year. At present there are some problems within the Party and among the people which call for solution. Of course, it is impossible for me to cover them all in my speech today, and the comments I am going to make on some of them may not be adequate. But since you want me to speak, I will do so.

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The objective of achieving the four modernizations was set by Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai. By achieving the four modernizations, we mean shaking off China's poverty and backwardness, gradually improving the people's living standards, restoring a position for China in international affairs commensurate with its current status, and enabling China to contribute more to mankind. Backwardness will leave us vulnerable to bullying.

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Gibney: Over a fairly long period of time China has remained closed off from the United States. For such a country as China, it is really a big challenge to achieve rapid modernization. It seems that China has to carry out a new revolution.

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Today I wish to speak to our senior cadres on a number of questions.

I. MATERIAL BENEFITS FOR SENIOR CADRES

The document ``Some Regulations Concerning the Material Benefits for Senior Cadres'', which is about to be circulated by the Party's Central Committee and the State Council, was drafted mainly by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection with the participation of some other departments concerned. Necessary revisions will be made according to the views expressed in your discussions. I have read the record and am very pleased because not only are you all in favour of adopting these regulations but you have asked that they be made stricter and more specific. This shows that the overwhelming majority of our senior cadres are concerned for the overall interests of our Party and state and understand the general situation. After review and endorsement by the Political Bureau, the document will be distributed to the units concerned for trial application before it is formally promulgated. Basically, these regulations reaffirm the provisions in force before the Cultural Revolution. There aren't many new ones, and some are not so strict as before. Those that concern housing are an instance. Although the document prescribes that each person may have only one residence, it may vary in size. But a few people now have two or three residences! And they are not all senior cadres, some are at lower levels. The document stipulates that whatever the size of the residence, the occupants must pay rent for all rooms except those used for offices and reception. This is unchanged from before the Cultural Revolution, when we all paid for living space. Many other provisions remain the same -- for example, the one regarding payment for the use of official cars for private purposes. In fact, by and large we have now restored our old regulations without adding many new or stricter ones. I think these rules will work, because they did before the Cultural Revolution.

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Delegates and Comrades,

Today, delegates representing our writers, dramatists, artists, musicians, performing artists, motion picture personnel and other workers in literature and art are gathered here to sum up their basic experience over the past 30 years and to discuss ways of building on their successes, overcoming shortcomings and thus making literature and art flourish in the new historical period. This is a happy and historic occasion and on behalf of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, I am pleased to greet you warmly.

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During this new historical period, China's patriotic revolutionary united front also enters a new stage of historical development. The united front is still a magic weapon. It should not be weakened but must be strengthened, and it should not be diminished but should be expanded. It has become the broadest alliance of all our socialist labourers and patriots who support socialism and the reunification of the motherland. The task facing the united front during this new period is to bring every positive factor into play, unite with all forces we can unite with, make concerted efforts to build China into a modern, powerful socialist country by the end of the century, and promote and accomplish the return of Taiwan to the motherland for the reunification of China.

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At this forum we shall mainly discuss economic work. I should like to air some ideas on current and future economic work.

1. Economic work is a political task of prime importance and the economic question is an overriding political question. I think that we must concentrate on economic work for a long time to come.

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