Circular on illiteracy, 1988.
In 1988, the Chinese State Council issued a Circular calling for a nationwide campaign to do away with illiteracy within five years. The goal of the campaign is to ensure that over 85% of the population in rural areas and over 90% of the population in enterprises, institutions, and cities between the ages of 15 and 40 is literate. The campaign calls for governments at all levels to take measures against illiteracy and requires peasants to learn at least 1500 characters and industrial workers and urban residents to learn 2000 characters. Certificates are to be issued to persons who meet the standards.