Mao Zedong clearly put forth the CPC's "general line for the transition period" on June 15, 1953.

"The time between the founding of the People's Republic of China and the basic completion of socialist transformation is a period of transition. The Party's general line and general task for the transition period is to gradually accomplish the country's industrialization along with the socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts and capitalist industry and commerce over a relatively long period of time."

The general line pointed out China's future direction for the nation's transition from a society of new democracy to a socialist society.

(Courtesy of the Foreign Languages Press)