Qu Qingshan：A Century-Old Party: Enhancing Self-Confidence and Consciousness and Making Great New Achievements

A Century-Old Party: Enhancing Self-Confidence and

Consciousness and Making Great New Achievements

Qu Qingshan

Head of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the

Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President

and Researcher of the CPC History Society

On the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a very important and solemn day, General Secretary Xi Jinping, at a time when China has achieved its first centenary goal and is on the way to the second, delivered a major impressive speech with a focus on promoting the Party’s long great cause and learning from history to create a bright future. The speech attracted worldwide attention, triggering warm reactions in the entire Party and in the whole of society and receiving high praise from the international community. It was highly evaluated by the international community. We should carefully study and implement the guiding principles from this speech marking the centenary of the CPC gain a deep understanding of the great achievements of the CPC in the past 100 years, its great spirit and valuable experience of building the Party, and draw wisdom and strength to move forward.

I. Deeply Understanding the Significance of General Secretary

Xi Jinping’s Major Speech, Enhancing the Historical Confidence

and Consciousness, and Making Great New Achievements

in a Century-Old Party

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech, from the perspective of theory and practice, history and reality, put forward new concepts, new ideas and new requirements as well as new elaborations, new generalizations and new assertions. It profoundly explained the reasons for the success of the CPC, Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics and profoundly revealed the internal laws and trends for this success. It has further strengthened our faith in Marxism and communism, our belief in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and our confidence in achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The speech is strategic, majestic, visionary, meaningful and far-reaching. It is riddled with worldviews and methodologies of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. It is a glorious document shining with the light of the truth of Marxism and is a political manifesto of the contemporary Chinese Communists. It is also an action program for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the in the new era. It is of great political, theoretical and practical significance, and of profound historical and global significance in guiding us in building a great modern socialist country and realizing the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation.

First, the speech solemnly declares to the world that the success of the CPC and profoundly reveals that adhering to the Party’s overall leadership and resolutely upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole is the inevitable choice of historical development.

One hundred years ago, history and the people chose the CPC; over the past hundred years, in the four historical periods of revolution, construction, reform and rejuvenation, the CPC has made great contributions to the happiness of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, forging an unprecedented historical glory. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “A century ago, at the time of its founding, the CPC had just over 50 members. Today, with more than 95 million members in a country of more than 1.4 billion people, it is the largest governing Party in the world and enjoys tremendous international influence.” The founding of the CPC “profoundly changed the course of Chinese history in modern times, transformed the future of the Chinese people and nation, and altered the landscape of world development.” “The great path the CPC has pioneered, the great cause it has undertaken, and the great achievements it has made over the past century will go down in the annals of the development of the Chinese nation and of human civilization.”[1] With these irrefutable historical facts, the speech solemnly declares to the world the success of the CPC.

An important reason for this success that our Party has always maintained its distinctive identity as a Marxist Party, always adhered to its unchanging nature and purpose, always upheld its lofty ideals and convictions, and always used its important instrument of strengthening the Party, leading a great social revolution with a great self-revolution. History has proven that the leadership of the CPC is the foundation and lifeblood of the Party and the country, is vital for the interests and future of the Chinese people, is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is the greatest advantage of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. Resolutely upholding the authority and centralized leadership of the Party Central Committee and the core position of the Party leader is the fundamental guarantee that the Party and the people’s cause will continue to move from victory to victory.

History shows us that the establishment and maintenance of its own leadership core is an important sign of the maturity of the CPC. The Party must has a core so that the Party Central Committee can have authority and the Party can be powerful. Since the 18th National Party Congress, in the call of the times, the choice of history, the expectations of the people and the forging of practice, General Secretary Xi Jinping has deservedly become the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole Party. Embarking on a new century journey, adhering to the Party’s overall leadership, resolutely safeguarding the position of Xi Jinping as the core of the Party Central Committee and the whole Party, and resolutely safeguarding the Party Central Committee’s authority and centralized leadership is the common will of the entire Party and the Chinese people, is the inevitable choice of historical development, is the most fundamental political guarantee for making great new historical achievements in the century-old Party.

Second, the speech solemnly declares to the world the success of Marxism. It profoundly reveals that adhering to the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and adapting Marxism to the needs of our times is an inevitable requirement of historical development.

One hundred years ago, from the day of its birth, the CPC included Marxism distinctly on its banner; over the past hundred years, in the four historical periods of revolution, construction, reform and rejuvenation, the CPC has adapted Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It has included on the banner Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Theory of Balanced and Sustainable Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, guiding the Party and the people’s cause from victory to new victory. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that, “Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and country are founded; it is the very soul of our Party and the banner under which it strives.... At the fundamental level, the capability of our Party and the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics are attributable to the fact that Marxism works.”[2] With these irrefutable historical facts, the speech solemnly declares to the world that Marxism works.

What makes Marxism work is, first of all, that it is not a study in a book, but was created to change the historical destiny of the people. As the most scientific and thorough theoretical system about the most general objective laws of nature and society, Marxism is not only the most thorough materialism that adheres to dialectics, but also the most complete dialectics that adheres to materialism; it not only creatively reveals the laws of the development of human society, but also shows the people a bright path to achieve freedom and liberation. History has proved that Marxism, with its power of truth, has provided a powerful ideological weapon for China’s revolution, construction, reform and rejuvenation, and created a miracle of development unprecedented in human history; the CPC, with its century-long struggle, has fully tested the scientific and truthfulness of Marxism, fully implemented its people-orientation and practicality, and fully manifested its openness and modernity. Marxism has profoundly changed not only China but also the world. Only by constantly creating a new realm of Marxism can we grasp the laws of history and the general trend, provide scientific theoretical guidance for the development of the Party and the people’s cause, enable the people to achieve intellectual initiative, and grasp the future of the Chinese nation.

History shows us that it is completely correct for the CPC to include Marxism on its banner. As the ideological banner of the CPC in the new era, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is Marxism in contemporary China that concerns the future of the country and a 21st century Marxism that concerns the prospects for the development of scientific socialism. Embarking on a new century journey, adhering to the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and continuously promoting the modernization of Marxism in China are integral for adhering to and developing Marxism and scientific socialism, and for historical development, and is the most important intellectual basis for making great new historical achievements in the century-old Party.

Third, the speech solemnly declares to the world the success of socialism, and profoundly reveals that building a great modern socialist country and achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the inevitable trend of historical development.

One hundred years ago, the CPC assumed the historical responsibility of achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and set the realization of socialism and communism as its goal; in the past one hundred years, during the four historical periods of revolution, construction, reform and rejuvenation, the CPC has united and led the people in the arduous exploration for the realization of the lofty ideals of communism and the common ideals of socialism with Chinese characteristics, creating, adhering to, defending and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has been created, upheld, defended and developed. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that socialism with Chinese characteristics has enabled China to “achieve the historic leap from a country with relatively backward productive forces to the world’s second largest economy” and that “the Chinese nation has achieved the tremendous transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong.”[3] With these irrefutable historical facts, the speech solemnly declares to the world the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The success of socialism with Chinese characteristics first of all lies in the fact that it has achieved a high degree of unity between the Party’s ultimate program and basic program, a high degree of unity between conformity to the laws and conformity to purposefulness in historical development, and a high degree of unity between the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of Chinese social development. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has creatively answered the major historical questions of what socialism is and how to build it, blazed a new path of Chinese-style modernization, and created a new form of human civilization. History has proved that socialism with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental achievement of the Party and the people after great hardships and at great cost, and is the right path to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Only by adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics can we achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has united and led the people in making overall plans for the great struggle, the great project, the great cause and the great dream, building a moderately prosperous society and starting a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects, providing a better institutional guarantee, a more solid material foundation and a more active intellectual motivation for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

History shows us that socialism has not failed China, and vice versa. Socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era is both the fruit and the continuation of the great social revolution carried out by the people under Party leadership. Embarking on a new century-long journey, the CPC and the Chinese people have put the fate of China’s development and progress firmly in their own hands. To build a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the inevitable trend of historical development, and the greatest goal of making great new historical achievements in the century-old Party.

II. Accurately grasp the Intellectual Essence of the Speech to Draw on

Historical Wisdom and Great Power to Make Great New

Historical Achievements in the Century-Old Party

The speech systematically reviews our Party’s 100 years of extraordinary times, glorious history and great achievements. It highly evaluates the great historical achievements made over the past 100 years by our Party in uniting and leading the Chinese people in realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation to establish great historical achievements. It incisively summarizes the Party’s glorious tradition and noble spirit formed in the century of struggle. It systematically summarizes the Party’s valuable experience and practical lessons accumulated in the century of struggle. It profoundly clarifies major issues in the new journey to advance the cause of the Party and the country. It persistently displays the scientific spirit of respect for history, the practical character of reality-orientation, and the sense of mission to create the future. To accurately grasp the rich connotation, essence of thought and core meaning of the speech, we need to focus on understanding and grasping the following six points.

First, we should deeply understand and grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discussion on the CPC unifying and leading the Chinese people in achieving the goal of the first 100 years of struggle.

In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly proclaimed on behalf of the Party and the people: “Through the continued efforts of the whole Party and the entire nation, we have realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. This means that we have brought about a historic resolution to the problem of absolute poverty in China, and we are now marching in confident strides toward the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. This is a great and glorious accomplishment for the Chinese nation, for the Chinese people, and for the CPC.”[4] This solemn proclamation declares that the thousand-year dream and century-old wish of the Chinese people has become a reality in the new era, marking a crucial step toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the fulfillment of the CPC’s vow to the people and to history, which is an important milestone in the history of the CPC, in the history of the People’s Republic of China and in the development of the Chinese nation. The journey is long, but only struggle can complete it. “Over the past century, the CPC has secured extraordinary historical achievements on behalf of the people. Today, it is rallying and leading the Chinese people on a new journey toward realizing the second centenary goal.”[5] We firmly believe that with the leadership of the CPC and the unity of the Chinese people, the goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects will be achieved and the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation will be realized.

Second, we should deeply understand and grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discussion on the theme of the CPC’s century-long struggle.

General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly stated that, “The Chinese nation is a great nation. With a history of more than 5,000 years, China has made indelible contributions to the progress of human civilization. After the Opium War of 1840, however, China was gradually reduced to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society and suffered greater ravages than ever before. The country endured intense humiliation, the people were subjected to great pain, and the Chinese civilization was plunged into darkness. Since that time, national rejuvenation has been the greatest dream of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.... Since the very day of its founding, the Party has made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and mission. All the struggle, sacrifice, and creation through which the Party has united and led the Chinese people over the past hundred years has been tied together by one ultimate theme—bringing about the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”[6] With a broad historical perspective, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s statement examines the theme of the Party’s century-long struggle from the perspective of the more than 180 years of China’s modern history, the over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, and the long history of human civilization. It profoundly clarifies that achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the fundamental theme of the Party uniting and leading the people in the unremitting struggle over the past 100 years, and the internal consistency between realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and adhering to the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission, which points out the way forward for us to continuously enhance our sense of responsibility to carry out our original aspiration founding mission and better shoulder the responsibility of achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation. After a century of vicissitudes, the Chinese Communists, staying true to its original aspiration and founding mission, is marching forward on a new great journey and striving for greater glory for the Party and the people.

Third, we should deeply understand and grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s discussion on the “four great achievements” made by the CPC in its glorious history of struggle over the past century.

With profound historical thinking, vision and wisdom, General Secretary Xi Jinping expounded in depth that over the past century, “the Party united and led the Chinese people in fighting bloody battles with unyielding determination, achieving great success in the new-democratic revolution...in freeing the mind and forging ahead, achieving great success in reform, opening up, and socialist modernization...in pursuing a great struggle, a great project, a great cause, and a great dream through a spirit of self-confidence, self-reliance, and innovation, achieving great success for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.” The “four great achievements” were made the four historical periods respectively in the century-long history of the Party, which is a major innovation in the phasing of Party history. The four great achievements have witnessed the glorious centennial history of the CPC, given us invaluable wisdom and strength and unparalleled strength and self-confidence, and are of great significance in the history of the Chinese nation, world socialism, and human society. Looking back on history, we should be proud of the great achievements made by the Chinese people led by the CPC, and we should be proud of being members of the CPC and Chinese people. Having embarked on a new journey in the new era, we should use the Party’s struggle and great achievements to further inspire us and chart the course, further strengthen our beliefs and cohesion, and constantly enhance our courage, confidence and determination to break new ground and forge ahead, and strive to deliver new performance that lives up to the expectations of our revolutionary ancestors and is worthy of history and the people.

Fourth, we should deeply understand and grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s discussion on the “four solemn declarations” made by the CPC to the world during its century of glorious struggle.

General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that in the new-democratic revolution, “Through tenacious struggle, the Party and the Chinese people showed the world that the Chinese people had stood up, and that the time in which the Chinese nation could be bullied and abused by others was gone forever.” During the period of socialist revolution and construction, “Through tenacious struggle, the Party and the Chinese people showed the world that the Chinese people were capable of not only dismantling the old world, but also building a new one, that only socialism could save China, and that only socialism could develop China.” In the new era of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, “Through tenacious struggle, the Party and the Chinese people showed the world that by pursuing reform and opening up, a crucial move in making China what it is today, China had caught up with the times in great strides.” As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era, “Through tenacious struggle, the Party and the Chinese people have shown the world that the Chinese nation has achieved the tremendous transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, and that China’s national rejuvenation has become a historical inevitability.”[7] General Secretary Xi Jinping’s major discussions incisively summarize that the four major events the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in accomplishing or advancing in succession in the past 100 years and in writing the most magnificent chapter in the millennia-long history of the Chinese nation, embodying the dauntless spirit that Mao Zedong expressed when he wrote, “Our minds grow stronger for the martyrs’ sacrifice, daring to make the sun and the moon shine in the new sky.” The discussions eloquently prove the unbreakable truth that “without the Communist Party there would be no the People’s Republic of China.... Only the CPC can lead China, only socialism can save China, only reform and opening up can develop China, socialism and Marxism, only the socialist path with Chinese characteristics can lead China to prosperity and strength.”[8] There is no end to the journey. The four solemn declarations, made based on a great magnificent century-long journey, will always inspire the Party and the people to continue to forge ahead.

Fifth, we should deeply understand and grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s discussion on the great spirit of strengthening the Party.

The speech, for the first time, systematically summarizes, outlines and refines the great founding spirit of the Party formed during the century of struggle. This is: “upholding truth and ideals, staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people.”[9] These principles are the source and essence, spirit and soul of the intellectual genealogy of the Chinese Communists, a red line running through and through their intellectual genealogy, and a good summary and condensation of the Party’s spiritual genealogy, fully reflecting General Secretary Xi Jinping’s profound grasp of the Party’s history, Party tradition and Party spirit since the 18th National Party Congress. These principles have both a solid historical foundation and distinctive characteristics of the times. The great founding spirit of the Party profoundly reveals the essential characteristics of the CPC, is a vivid depiction of our Party’s advanced ideology, firm faith, unchanged original aspiration, original color, tenacious will, excellent conduct, lofty moral character and love for the people, and is a concentrated display of the Party’s powerful ideological, political, intellectual and moral advantages, and a powerful driving force for the Chinese Communists to forge ahead in the new era. “As history has kept moving forward, the spirit of the Party has been passed on from generation to generation. We will continue to promote our glorious traditions and sustain our revolutionary legacy, so that the great founding spirit of the Party will always be kept alive and carried forward.”[10]

Sixth, we should deeply understand and grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s discussion on the fundamental requirements of the “nine musts” developed by the CPC during its glorious history of struggle over the past century.

Struggle forges glory and experience is precious. General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly emphasized that “As we put conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, we must bear the following in mind: “We must uphold the firm leadership of the Party”; “We must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life”; “We must continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context”; “We must uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics”; “We must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces”; “We must continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future”; “We must carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features”; “We must strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people”; and “We must continue to advance the great new project of strengthening the Party.” These “nine musts” integrate the suffering and glorious past, the rapidly changing present, and the bright and ambitious future, and have greatly sublimated our Party’s understanding of the law of Communist Party rule, the law of building socialism, and the law of the development of human society. In particular, the “nine musts” further proposes the following major ideas: The basic tenets of Marxism must be integrated with the specific reality of China and with traditional Chinese culture; the people must be kept at the center and whole-process people’s democracy must be developed; socialism with Chinese characteristics has created a new path of Chinese-style modernization and a new form of human civilization; the CPC is willing to advance hand in hand with all other progressive forces in the world and promote the building of a human community with a shared future; daring to struggle and win is the invincible and powerful intellectual force of our Party; overall Party leadership must be upheld and continued efforts must be made to promote the great new project of strengthening the Party in the new era. “By learning from history, we can understand why powers rise and fall. Through the mirror of history, we can find where we currently stand and gain foresight into the future. Looking back on the Party’s 100-year history, we can see why we were successful in the past and how we can continue to succeed in the future. This will ensure that we act with greater resolve and purpose in staying true to our founding mission and pursuing a better future on the new journey that lies before us.”[11]

III. Fully Implementing the Practical Requirements of the Speech and

Creating a New Pattern in Party History and

Literature Work in the New Era

The purpose of learning the speech is to apply it, enhance work skills and become better able to solve practical problems. The speech has far-reaching significance for guiding all the work of the Party and the state. It is a powerful intellectual weapon and scientific guide to do a good job in Party history and literature work at the new stage in the new era.

First, we must study and promote the guiding principles from Xi Jinping’s speech as a major political task, and continue to promote to deepen the study and education of Party history.

The guiding principles from the speech are an important part of the Party history learning and education throughout the Party. As a specialized institution for the study of the history and theory of the Party under the direct leadership of the Party Central Committee and a member of the Central Leading Group for Party History Study and Education, the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee should not only take the lead in studying the guiding principles from Xi Jinping’s speech at a deeper level. In addition, it must also organize carefully and make thorough arrangements to actively serve the study and education of the Party history and the publicity and education of the “four histories” throughout the whole society. All departments of the Institute, the societies under it, and all the Party history and literature departments throughout the country must, at the earliest opportunity. They must seriously organize the study, exchanges and discussion of the guiding principles. They must carry out diverse forms of distinctive learning activities with a wide range of prominent themes such as study sessions of central study groups; training sessions; Party branch general meetings, meetings of Party branch committees, Party group meetings, and Party lectures; and Party day activities with a theme. We must integrate the study of the guiding principles from the speech with the study of other relevant speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping and with the study of his discussions on the history of the Party. Based on a comprehensive study, we accurately grasp the significance, main content, basic ideas, and core meaning of the speech and acquire a good understanding of its important innovations and priorities. We should make good use of the websites, publications, microblogs, official WeChat accounts and other positions and platforms run or supervised by our Institute to innovate the form and enhance the effect of publicity and promotion. We should arrange experts and scholars to write articles on for public communication purposes, and go out to carry out special lectures. Members of the Institute Head’s Council, leaders in charge of various departments, and those in charge of the societies under the Institute should take the lead and set an example in studying and promoting the speech, and lead departments of Party history and literature throughout the country in quickly setting off a wave of learning and promoting the guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech.

Second, we must study and interpret the guiding principles from the speech of General Secretary Xi Jinping as a key business work, and continue to achieve high-quality development of Party history and literature work.

The guiding principles from the speech are a treasure trove of ideas for the study of Party history and theory. We should follow the guidance of the guiding principles from the speech and embody the research and interpretation of the guiding principles from the speech in every aspect of the whole process of Party history research, literature editing, and compilation and translation of Chinese leaders’ works. It is of particular note that we should follow the guidance of the guiding principles from the speech in completing a series of major compilation and research tasks of our Institute. All departments of the Institute, the societies under it, and all the Party history and literature departments throughout the country must give full play to their advantages and use think-tank projects, research projects, and special guidance funds to organize in-depth and solid thematic research on the major views and strategies proposed in the speech, the main themes and mainstream essence of the Party’s historical development, the great achievements and basic experiences of the CPC’s century-long struggle, the great founding spirit of the Party, and learning from history to create a bright future. We should combine the study of the guiding principles from the speech with the study of the history and theory of the Party and the classic works of Marxism, especially with the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We should further explain the profound logic embedded in the historic changes, interpret the advantages of the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics behind the historic achievements, and achieve a number of influential, in-depth and meaningful research results.

Third, we should make the implementation of the guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech a long-term issue and strive to build a high-end platform for research on the history and theory of the Party that is commensurate with the status of our large Party and country.

The guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech are the fundamental guidelines of the Party history and literature work in the new era. All departments of the Institute, the societies under it, and all the Party history and literature departments throughout the country must take the opportunity to study the guiding principles from the speech to further recognize the new historical orientation of the Party history and literature work, find the new coordinates of work to serve the overall situation of the Party and the state, take the implementation of the guiding principles from the speech as a long-term issue to build a high-end platform for Party history and theoretical research commensurate with the status of our large Party and country, strengthen forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and overall promotion, and use systems views to plan and promote work. We should strengthen the coordination of all departments of the Institute, the societies under it, and all the Party history and literature departments throughout the country. We should increase contact and interaction with all relevant departments of Party and government organs, Party schools (academies of governance), colleges and universities, academies of social sciences, cultural museums, and the military. We should actively carry out and participate in international academic exchanges, and continuously expand the breadth and depth of Party history and literature work. We should build up the greatest synergy to create a comprehensive system and a high-end platform for promoting the development of Party history and literature work in the new era. We should effectively shoulder the mission of using Party history and documentation work to disseminating Party policy and compiling the red genealogy of the Party.

Building on past successes to further advance its cause, the century-old Party has embarked on a new journey, Party history and documentation work has also embarked on a new historical journey. On the new historical starting point of achieving the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, we should study and implement the guiding principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at a ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core and follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must be deeply conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We must stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must uphold the core position of the General Secretary on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We will strive to build a great modern socialist country and realize the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation.

*Speech at a conference on Xi Jinping’s major speech  marking the centenary of the Communist Party of China,  held in Beijing on July 3, 2021, by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Communist Party of China Literature Research  Association of China, the Chinese Society for the Study of the Communist Party of China History Figures, the Chinese Society for the Study of Mao Zedong's Poetry, the  Chinese Society for the Study of Marx and Engels, the Chinese Society for the History of the International Communist Movement.  First published in The Literature of Chinese Communist Party, No.4, 2021.

*Speech at a conference on Xi Jinping’s major speech  marking the centenary of the Communist Party of China,  held in Beijing on July 3, 2021, by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Communist Party of China Literature Research  Association of China, the Chinese Society for the Study of the Communist Party of China History Figures, the Chinese Society for the Study of Mao Zedong's Poetry, the  Chinese Society for the Study of Marx and Engels, the Chinese Society for the History of the International Communist Movement.  First published in The Literature of Chinese Communist Party, No.4, 2021.

[1] Xi Jinping, Speech at a Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China, Beijing: People's Publishing House, 2021, pp. 21, 3, 7–8.

[2] Ibid., pp. 12–13.

[3] Ibid., pp. 6, 7.

[4] Ibid., p. 2.

[5] Ibid., p. 22.

[6] Ibid., pp. 2, 3.

[7] Ibid., pp. 4-7.

[8] People's Daily, September 24, 2019.

[9] Ibid., p. 8.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid., p. 10.