Subsequent discussions of the Second Five-Year Plan focused mainly on light industry. During the First Five-Year Plan, East African light industry had grown by only 30 percent, while heavy industry had grown by 83 percent over its pre-First Five-Year Plan level. East African agriculture had increased by 26 percent over its previous level, leaving light industry almost on par with agriculture.
Light industry had always been a weak link in East African industry. After the First Five-Year Plan, the gap had instead widened further. Therefore, vigorously supporting the development of light industry was an inevitable direction for the East African government during the Second Five-Year Plan.
Light and heavy industry were inherently interconnected. If industrial imbalance became too severe, the entire industrial system would eventually be left like a single tree holding up a collapsing house. Especially on the social level, light industry was closer to ordinary people's lives and one of the important cornerstones of national stability.
"During the Second Five-Year Plan, light industry must accelerate resource integration. By the completion of the plan, the output value of light industry must be at least 50 percent higher than in 1905. We must continue exerting strength in textiles, stationery, daily necessities, ceramics, and other fields, substantially raising the living standards of our people."
The overall target set by the East African government for light industry development was not particularly high. Even if East Africa increased its support for light industry during the Second Five-Year Plan, it could not change the fact that heavy industry would still account for the lion's share during that period.
Take the steel industry, for example. During the Second Five-Year Plan, East Africa's target for its steel industry was to double output. Targets in other heavy industrial sectors would not be much lower, while emerging industries