Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, 24-year-old Luo Peilin went to Yan'an, where he joined the revolution. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Party organization assigned him to work in the Kuomintang-controlled areas of Chongqing. After the outbreak of the Liberation War, the Party arranged for him to study in the United States, where he pursued a doctorate in electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology. His excellent academic performance earned him the highest scholarship.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he returned to China and established the first large-scale integrated electronic components factory in China, the North China Radio Equipment Factory, where he served as Chief Engineer and First Deputy Director. He also served as Director of the Technical Department of the newly established Telecommunications Industry Bureau.

He has a lot of work on his hands.

He participated in leading radar and communications technology, and was also responsible for the semiconductor field. Because he was a Party member, a scientific researcher, and a technical cadre, it could be said that the new China was in dire need of cadres like him. He was technically knowledgeable, politically reliable, and capable of leading projects.

His opinion was clear.

The future development direction of the electronics industry is transistors and integrated circuits.

His view was rejected by Soviet experts. But Luo Peilin was a member of the Chinese team, and a leading figure in China's semiconductor field. Many semiconductor researchers who had studied in the United States supported Luo Peilin's opinion.

Wang Zheng, Deputy Minister and Party Secretary of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Minister of the Army's Communications Corps, and direct leader of China's electronics industry, was unable to make a final decision.

Therefore, the development of China's semiconductor industry was based on two main approaches. However, with the development of transistor radio in Shanghai, the call for the development of transistors was intensified.

That's why this meeting took place.

Wei Hongjun listened quietly to everyone's presentations, especially those from researchers who supported the development of transistors. He didn't understand the technical parameters involved. But he did know one thing: the future of semiconductors lay in transistors.

In particular, the TR55, a transistor pocket radio produced by the Japanese company Sony, has already begun selling. It has received very positive reviews since its launch. After all, Sony's transistor radios are significantly smaller in size and offer excellent performance.

Chinese radios will also follow this path in the future.

Luo Peilin, Wang Shouwu, and Lin Lanying, who had just returned to China and taken on the important task, all clearly supported the development of transistors.

"Comrade Luo Peilin, I heard that some people in the electronics industry are calling you an 'American slave.'"

After listening to everyone's presentations, Wei Hongjun had a rough idea of ​​where the resistance lay. These early Chinese electronics researchers were all PhD graduates from American universities, some even holding top positions in the US electronics industry and having previously worked as technicians at major US electronics companies.

However, after the founding of New China, they all returned to China.

They were very familiar with the cutting-edge technologies of the electronics industry. However, as the saying goes, they were left with nothing to do when they returned to China. China had no foundation for an electronics industry, so for many years it had been forced to rely on Soviet support for its electronics industry.

During the First Five-Year Plan, over 70 new factories supporting the electronics industry were established, including nearly 20 factories directly involved in the electronics industry. Among these, eight factories directly aided by the Soviet Union are currently the dominant players in China's electronics industry.

What these people have mainly done in recent years is to train students.

They have opened semiconductor courses at various universities and trained a large number of students. Now the electronics industry has basic factories, opened numerous research institutes, and trained a large number of students in the electronics industry.

They believe that the new China can now concentrate its resources for rapid development.

The advantage of socialist countries is concentrating resources to accomplish major tasks. While New China's overall strength is inferior to that of the United States, China can concentrate its resources. Many American companies develop independently, with scattered resources. China, however, can concentrate its limited resources and focus on developing integrated circuits.

However, resistance came from Soviet experts and some electronics researchers trained in the Soviet Union. Were these opposing researchers incompetent? Not really; they had acquired a solid theoretical foundation after studying in the Soviet Union. It was simply that they had been learning from the Soviet Union and were therefore somewhat "superstitious" about Soviet technology. The Soviet Union had already rejected the transistor development path, believing it was too risky for China to pursue it.

Therefore, Luo Peilin, the leading figure in the development of transistors, was criticized as an "American slave."

Luo Peilin said casually, "Secretary Wei, it's fine to call me an 'American slave.' But we must face up to the scientific gap between us and the United States. The United States has very strong scientific research capabilities. We must boldly learn from American scientific research and technology. The Chairman said at the Ninth National Congress that whether it is the Soviet Union or European and American imperialism, we must boldly and critically learn in the field of natural science. Currently, the world's cutting-edge semiconductor technology is in the United States, and transistors are the trend of semiconductor development. American universities, research institutions, and many companies have invested heavily in the development of transistors. Transistor technology has only been developed for about ten years, and my country now has a certain foundation, so we should catch up."

Wei Hongjun smiled.

I now understand why he was called an "American slave." Even the Chairman himself would never publicly claim that American technology was superior to the Soviet Union in any particular area. Yet Luo Peilin directly stated that the world's cutting-edge semiconductor technology currently resides in the United States. Doesn't this imply that the Soviet Union couldn't match the US in the semiconductor field?

If this kind of talk gets out, of course someone will find something to hold against them.

So Wei Hongjun shook his head and said, "Comrade Luo Peilin, I think what you said is wrong. You can't be indifferent to the criticism of being a 'slave of the United States.' Science is science. It is the objective laws of the world we study. Scientific debates should not be mixed with political slogans. If the Americans are willing to transfer their atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb, aircraft, and aircraft carrier technology to us, would we want it? Of course we would. Don't be a fool. I would be the first to agree with it. But does anyone want to label me a 'slave of the United States' just because I advocate this?"

"Comrades, politics is about determining who science serves, not about labeling people. Comrade Bo Shuchun, Comrade Zhang Jingfu, this isn't just an issue in the electronics industry; it's something all scientific research departments must keep in mind. Differing opinions on scientific research are fine; we can debate. If the debate isn't satisfying, it's fine to raise fists, but you can't casually label people. This isn't a 'hat factory,' handing out labels at will. That's wrong."

"We'll keep an eye out."

Bo Shuchun nodded.

Bo Shuchun really relied on his achievements to reach his current position step by step.

The "national debt crisis" in his early years directly affected Bo Shuchun, delaying him for a long time. However, he relied on his outstanding work at the Ministry of Finance and his subsequent achievements in managing heavy industry to be elected as Vice Premier of the State Council during the Second National People's Congress.

Although he did not become an alternate member of the Politburo at the Ninth National Congress, his popularity was still very high.

Although Bo Shuchun has experienced setbacks, he is young, only 49 years old. As long as he develops steadily, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.

Wei Hongjun returned to the original topic and said, "Everyone has given very convincing opinions. Although I'm not a scientist, I generally understand what everyone is saying. While transistors still have many problems, they have great prospects and many advantages."

"Yes."

Lin Lanying had just returned to China, so she spoke immediately.

She was the first Chinese doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, and also the first female doctoral student since the university's founding. After graduating with a doctorate, her advisor recommended her for a position at the semiconductor research company, Sophia. Her outstanding performance quickly earned her a position as a senior engineer. Due to her exceptional work ethic, the company increased her annual salary three times within a year, bringing it to $10000. However, she, citing her mother's serious illness as an excuse, traveled extensively through Hong Kong and returned to China. Less than two years later, her monthly salary in China is less than 300 yuan.

After she came back, everyone in the Chinese semiconductor industry paid great attention to her.

Because she had just returned to China, she was very familiar with the current state of semiconductor development worldwide. When she returned, she also brought with her Germanium and Silicon single crystals from the United States. Lin Lanying said directly, "Secretary Wei, semiconductor technology in the United States is developing very rapidly, especially transistor research, which is progressing at an astonishing rate. Transistors undergo changes almost every year, and their performance is getting better and better. Furthermore, transistors are widely used, whether in the military, computer fields, or even in home appliances. Currently, the most researched area in the United States is integrated circuits that combine electronic components with multiple performance characteristics. This should also be the direction of our semiconductor development."

She tried her best to use a method that Wei Hongjun could understand.

Wei Hongjun looked at Wang Zheng and said, "Comrade Wang Zheng, what do you think?"

"I trust the judgment of our scientific researchers."

Wang Zheng supported it.

Without his support, and despite the opposition of Soviet experts, China's transistors would not have had their current foundation and development.

Wei Hongjun looked at Bo Shuchun.

Bo Shuchun nodded slightly.

In fact, many cadres also agreed with the judgment of these researchers. This is because compared with the young students who just returned from studying in the Soviet Union, most of those who studied in the United States were in their thirties or forties.

They are all highly educated technical researchers who have worked in this field in the United States.

Look at Lin Lanying.

Not only are they PhDs in this field, but they are also senior engineers at major American companies. Compared to them, the students returning from the Soviet Union are young, generally in their twenties.

China and the Soviet Union were in a honeymoon period, so the Soviet Union was the authority in many areas. This included technology, which China largely inherited from the Soviet Union. Consequently, many people developed a blind admiration for Soviet technology.

Because of this, the problem has been brought to Wei Hongjun.

To put it bluntly, no one in the electronics industry, from top to bottom, dared to make a direct decision. After all, this could be considered a technological competition, but if you escalate it, it becomes a "technological showdown" between the US and the Soviet Union. Who would dare to directly declare that transistors have a better future than vacuum tubes? Especially when Soviet experts in the USSR had already dismissed the future of transistors?

If the decision is wrong and the transistor route is later proven to be wrong, who will be responsible?

So I came to Wei Hongjun.

Wei Hongjun made the final decision, "Science is science. We should trust our researchers. We should develop electron tubes, mainly learning from the Soviet Union. However, transistors have a brighter future, so we should focus on transistor development. I heard that Shanghai has already developed a transistor radio, so we should keep up the good work and develop an even better one. Comrade Bo Shuchun, I think you should go back and research this. Count all the departments and agencies in the State Council and the military involved in the electronics industry. The electronics industry is a major project that requires unified leadership and resources."

"Secretary Wei means that the electronics industry should establish a unified department."

"Make a plan first."

"it is good."

Wei Hongjun concluded, "Comrades, the Third Industrial Revolution has begun. The electronic information industry is a top priority. Whether our country can catch up with the Third Industrial Revolution depends on the scientific researchers present here. Everyone should boldly develop our electronic information industry. Just like the issue of transistor development, you can boldly raise it. In the future, if there is anything you lack or need in your work, do not hide it. If Comrade Wang Zheng cannot solve it, let Comrade Bo Shuchun solve it. If that still doesn't work, then come directly to me and I will solve it."

1032 Regulations on the Appointment of Leading Party and Government Cadres

After returning from the Soviet Union, everyone worked non-stop for two months in December 1957 and January 12.

Especially since there are many things going on internationally, there are also many external issues.

China first consolidated the content of the "Moscow Declaration" and continued to support the Soviet Union as the leader of the socialist camp in public opinion, which gave Khrushchev the greatest help. At this time, Khrushchev was truly grateful for China's support.

With China's unwavering support, Khrushchev was finally able to sort out issues at home, within the socialist camp, and within the international communist movement. While China supported Khrushchev and the Soviet Union, it also believed that fraternal parties should engage in equal dialogue and discuss any issues.

During this period, the entire socialist camp was closely following the contents of the People's Daily, as it contained the Party Central Committee's interpretation of the Moscow Declaration. Eastern European countries, observing the CPC Central Committee's stance, expressed their support. Previously, fear of Stalin had prevented them from expressing dissatisfaction with Soviet chauvinism, fearing they would be labeled "counter-revolutionaries." But now, the terrifying Stalin was gone. Furthermore, after two years of Khrushchev's maneuvers, Eastern European countries began to boldly express their opinions.

The fraternal party is not the boss's party.

Without Soviet suppression, many Eastern European countries were free to pursue their own paths in political and economic development. Consequently, relations between Eastern European countries and the People's Republic of China have improved significantly. Not only are political exchanges frequent, but economic cooperation is also increasing.

In addition to matters concerning the socialist camp, the French industrial and commercial delegation has reached many cooperation projects with China.

Because now everyone in France knows that Charles de Gaulle is going to come out and form a new government.

After returning to France, Charles de Gaulle publicly stated that any act of ignoring China was self-deception. China is a great power in the East, and any country that wants to play a role in Asian and global affairs must engage with China. Therefore, Charles de Gaulle expressed his willingness to cooperate with China in all aspects of politics, economy, and diplomacy.

The purpose of these industrial and commercial delegations from France is to reach cooperation with China in advance.

After arriving in China, they were also quite surprised. They had originally thought China was very poor, but who could have imagined that China could actually produce a large amount of US dollar foreign exchange? In recent years, China has accumulated a lot of funds through foreign trade.

At the same time, China doesn't appear to be in a life-and-death struggle with imperialism. Many in the French delegation initially worried that ideological issues might lead to hostility in China. If that were to happen, cooperation would become increasingly difficult.

But not.

It is true that some people dislike France, but no one says they are hostile to France.

The most common slogan in China was "Down with American imperialism," a point the French delegation heard everywhere. The French didn't care that China wanted to "down with American imperialism."

Some French financial institutions are testing China's stance, hoping to gauge the extent of cooperation between China and France. They've expressed interest in offering loans to China, with the idea of ​​using the loans to purchase French machinery and equipment. China is surprisingly interested. This doesn't give any sign of a "Red China."

Deng Xixian was personally responsible for this negotiation.

Good grades.

Deng Xixian avoided discussing ideological issues with the industrial and commercial delegations, focusing directly on economic cooperation. He also possessed a deep understanding of the current state of French industry and commerce. It's fair to say that China's understanding of Western countries far surpasses Western understanding of China.

Therefore, every negotiation can benefit French industry and commerce.

Of course, in addition to these events, the first Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Conference was held at the end of December 1957.

China is of course very concerned and supportive.

Because this was a conference attended by no former colonial power, China, as a major Asian nation that had emerged from a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society, would undoubtedly strongly support such a conference. Furthermore, developing diplomatic ties with Asian and African countries is a top priority for China.

China's successful hosting of Charles de Gaulle and the successful conclusion of the Moscow Conference in 1957 dramatically increased its influence in the world. Consequently, many world leaders visited China during this period.

There are also many countries in the Nordic region.

These should be taken seriously.

Therefore, many central government departments are cooperating with the Premier in handling these diplomatic tasks, including the Secretariat. Because many exchanges with proletarian political parties require the Secretariat's approval,

Of course, in addition to handling these diplomatic affairs, the central government has been emphasizing the direction of wage reform and the concept of socialist "common prosperity" at various meetings in the past two months.

The Chairman’s meaning is very clear.

A consensus on "common prosperity" must be formed within the Party. Only in this way can the next step of wage reform proceed smoothly.

The Financial and Economic Work Committee has been adjusting the Second Five-Year Plan.

The main reason for adjustments to the Second Five-Year Plan was the situation in 1957, the first year of the Second Five-Year Plan, as well as the increasing cooperation with the Soviet Union and subsequent cooperation with European countries. After all, each of China's private cooperation with the Soviet Union, Europe, and even the current private cooperation with Japan was not a simple small-scale cooperation.

After all, when investing in any project, there are many things that need to be adjusted.

Domestically, the "two bombs" project, overseen by the Central Special Committee, saw a significant acceleration in the investment of funds and resources into the project. This directly impacted the original Second Five-Year Plan.