Section 4: The new era is the age of strivers

1. Always maintain the fundamental motivation to never forget the original intention and keep the mission in mind

To carry out great struggles, build great projects, advance great causes, and realize great dreams require long-term struggle, relay struggle, and common struggle. Comrade Xi Jinping stressed: “The original aspiration and mission of the Chinese communists is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. This original intention and mission is the fundamental motive force that motivates the Chinese Communists to keep advancing.” 1

The original aspiration and mission of the Chinese Communists are determined by the nature of the Party and the Party’s guiding ideology. The original intention is the purpose of the original departure, that is, why the departure, the goal to be achieved or the task to be completed. Marx and Engels pointed out in the Communist Manifesto: “The movement of the proletariat is an independent movement of the overwhelming majority of the people, for the interests of the overwhelming majority of the people.“2 Communists “have no interests different from those of the proletariat as a whole.“3

That is to say, the original intention and mission of Marxism and the communists under its guidance is to seek the interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. After its founding, the Communist Party of China took Marxism as its guiding ideology, regarded the realization of communism as the party’s highest ideal and ultimate goal, shouldered the historical mission of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation without hesitation, united and led the people in an arduous struggle, and composed a magnificent epic that swallowed mountains and rivers. As a political organization, the original mission of the Communist Party of China was to follow the path guided by Marxism and seek the independence and prosperity of the country and the freedom and happiness of the people. We reaffirm the original intention of the Party and the historical mission of the Chinese Communists in the new era, that is, to enable more than 90 million Party members to continuously gain strong primary impetus from it. Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out, “Our party requires all comrades in the party not to forget their original intention and remember their mission, that is, to remind all comrades in the party that the party’s original intention and mission are the concentrated embodiment of the party’s nature, purpose, ideals and beliefs, and fighting goals, and the longer they stay in power, the more they must not lose the true colors of a Marxist political party, the more they must not forget the party’s original intention and mission, and the more they must not lose their self-revolutionary spirit.”

No matter how far we go and how great our achievements are, we must not forget the road we came from, the history written by the Party with blood, sweat, and tears, why we set out, the goal of achieving the prosperity and strength of the country, the rejuvenation of the people, and the lofty ideal of communism. Whether in the revolutionary years of the blazing flames, or in the years of vigorous construction and the period of magnificent reform, the unchanged original intention is the spiritual code of uniting and condensing the communists to continue their struggle, and is the key to the success of the party from victory to new victory.

In July 2013, Comrade Xi Jinping went to Xibaipo, Hebei Province to conduct research, revisit the “two musts” and issue a call to the whole party to “catch up for the exam”; only one week after the conclusion of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Comrade Xi Jinping led the new Politburo Standing Committee members to Shanghai and Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province to visit the site of the First Congress and the Red Boat on Nanhu, review the history of the founding of the Party, relive the oath of the People’s Party, and declare the firm political conviction of the new leadership of the Party Central Committee. According to the arrangements of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, starting from June 2019, the theme education of “not forgetting the original intention and remembering the mission” will be carried out in two batches from top to bottom in the whole party, promoting the whole party to firmly grasp the general requirements of “keeping the original intention, undertaking the mission, finding the gaps, and grasping implementation”, and strive to achieve the specific goals of gaining gains in theoretical study, being baptized ideologically and politically, daring to take responsibility for entrepreneurship, serving the people and solving problems, and setting an example of honesty and integrity. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee proposed that we should establish a system that does not forget our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, and regard not forgetting our original aspiration and keeping our mission in mind as an eternal task for strengthening party building and a lifelong task for all party members and cadres. All this is to tell the world that the Communist Party of China will always maintain the spirit of struggle in the revolution and always maintain its heart for the people. This fully demonstrates the firm determination of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core to never forget its original intention and strive forever.

Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out: “Ideals and beliefs are the spiritual calcium of communists, and if the ideals and beliefs are firm, the bones will be hard; without ideals and beliefs, or if the ideals and beliefs are not firm, the spirit will be ‘calcium deficient’, and you will get: cartilage.” 2 He also emphasized:

“History and practice have repeatedly proved that if a political party has lofty ideals and lofty pursuits, it will be strong, invincible, and invincible, and will be able to withstand setbacks again and again and rise up again and again; if a cadre has firm ideals and convictions, he will be able to stand tall and broad-minded, and he will be able to adhere to the correct political orientation and be as calm as a mountain without moving through storms.” 1 The ideals and beliefs of the Chinese Communists have never been ethereal, but have always been embodied in their original aspiration and mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. We must adhere to the Marxist faith and the lofty ideals of communism, engrave in our hearts the original intention of the Party and the mission of the Party, build a solid foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of the spirit, stabilize the rudder of thinking, always breathe with the people, share a common destiny, and link hearts with each other, always regard the people’s yearning for a better life as the goal of struggle, and continue to forge ahead courageously towards the grand goal of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with an unremitting mental state and an indomitable attitude of struggle.

2. Always maintain the spirit of having the courage to assume responsibilities and dare to struggle

The eyes are difficult and difficult, and the jade is successful. The more difficulties and contradictions stand in the way, the more it is necessary to rely on responsibility and struggle to overcome difficulties and keep innovation upright. Strong historical responsibility and fighting spirit are the spiritual characteristics of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Comrade Xi Jinping has taken the lead in setting an example, clearly pointing out the ruling philosophy of “serving the people and shouldering the responsibilities that should be shouldered”, clearly putting forward that “I will live up to the people without myself”, and repeatedly emphasizing that “the ministry must have a responsibility, how much responsibility can do how much cause, how much responsibility can make great achievements”, and “push forward socialism with Chinese characteristics with a new mental state and fighting attitude.”

Our party is a party that is born, grows and grows in the course of struggle. After nearly a century of struggle, the spirit of struggle has long been in the bloodline of the Party and runs through all periods of revolution, construction and reform. Today, the Chinese nation is in a crucial period of great rejuvenation, reform and development are in an important stage of overcoming difficulties and conquering difficulties, and the road ahead cannot be smooth. This is the time when the struggle is most needed, and it is also the time when the responsibility is most tested. In the face of the new mission, we must fully understand the protracted, complex, and arduous nature of the struggle, and we must carry forward the spirit of having the courage to assume responsibilities and dare to struggle.

Only by taking the posture of opening up roads every mountain and building bridges when encountering water, and with abundant and tenacious fighting spirit, can we cross the “snowy mountains” and “meadows” on the new Long March, conquer the “Loushan Pass” and “Laozikou” on the new journey, and constantly win new victories in the great struggle of the new era. Big things are difficult to bear, and major risks especially need to be fought for. At present, the international situation is turbulent, the surrounding environment is complex and sensitive, the tasks of reform, development and stability are heavy, various problems are superimposed, various contradictions are prominent, various ideologies and interests are stirring each other, and various risks and challenges are coming one after another. In particular, it is necessary to dare to take responsibility and fight well in preventing and resolving major risks. Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must always maintain a high degree of vigilance, both the black swan ‘incident’ and the gray rhino ‘incident; we must have the first hand to prevent risks, and we must also have the high tactics to deal with and resolve risk challenges; we must fight a prepared battle to prevent and resist risks, and we must also fight a strategic initiative battle to turn dangers into opportunities and turn crises into opportunities.“1 We must fully understand the importance and urgency of preventing and defusing major risks, maintain the spirit of struggle, strengthen the experience of struggle, constantly undergo strict ideological tempering, political experience, and practical tempering, do not bow our heads in the face of difficulties, do not shrink in the face of challenges, do not trade principles, and constantly improve our fighting skills in the midst of strong winds and waves and in the tempering of practice. At the same time, we should dare to show our sword in the face of major right and wrong, dare to face difficulties in the face of contradictions, dare to stand up in the face of crises, dare to stand up in the face of crises, and dare to resolutely struggle in the face of unhealthy tendencies and evil tendencies, so as to “step on the bumpy road and fight against hardships and dangers again.” ’s tenacious will, coping well with every major risk and challenge, and pushing forward the cause of the party and the people without hesitation.

3. Always maintain the practical character of integrating knowledge with action and doing solid work

Struggle cannot be shouted in vain, it must be translated into action. The unity of knowledge and action and real work are the distinctive qualities of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Comrade Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed that “empty talk misleads the country, practical work rejuvenates the country”; he stressed that the Communist Party of China started and developed by seeking truth from facts, and that adhering to seeking truth from facts can rejuvenate the party and the country, and violating the truth from facts will lead to misleading the party and the country;

He stressed that it is necessary to persist in the persistence of the political elite, establish that success does not have to be carried out in my thinking, and work through to the end with a blueprint, and do not engage in things that are divorced from reality, divorced from the masses, and labored and the people and hurt money. At the opening ceremony of the 2019 spring semester training course for young cadres at the Central Party School (National Academy of Administration), Comrade Xi Jinping encouraged the vast number of cadres, especially young cadres, to adhere to the unity of knowledge and action, really grasp practical work, be actors who start and do, talk about things without sitting and talking, be strugglers who overcome difficulties, and bodhisattvas who should not be afraid of wind and rain. These important expositions are earnest, demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping’s political character of integrating knowledge with action and doing real work.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the reason why the party and the country have been able to establish a new wind and open up a new situation is closely related to Comrade Xi Jinping’s efforts to integrate knowledge with action and really do solid work. As the leader of the party and the state, Comrade Xi Jinping not only pays attention to systematic thinking and scientific planning on internal and foreign affairs, national defense, party and military management, world development and global governance, but also pays attention to promoting practical innovation with theoretical innovation, testing and promoting theoretical innovation with practical innovation, and comprehensively promoting the “four greats”, so as to promote historic achievements and changes in the development of the cause of the party and the country.

Xi stressed: “Great dreams are not something that can be waited for and shouted about, but spelled out and done.” “We must show the tenacity to grasp the traces of iron and step on stones, grasp the implementation with the spirit of nails, and ensure that all major reform measures are implemented.“1

Today, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has become the guiding ideology of the Party and the country, and the goal and task of winning the victory in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and then building a modern and powerful socialist country in an all-round way have been clear, and the most important thing is “action, action, and action” and “implementation, implementation, and implementation.” It is necessary to establish a correct outlook on undertakings and political achievements, do practical things without seeking false prestige, seek practical results and do not do false merits, do more work to lay a foundation and benefit the long term, let it become a common practice to bury one’s head in hard work and really grasp solid work, and strive to create achievements that can stand the test of practice, the people, and history.