Xi Jinping speech at the symposium commemorating the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong

The article below is the full text of the speech given by Comrade Xi Jinping at the meeting held in Beijing on the morning of December 26, 2023, to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Mao Zedong.

In his speech, Xi gives a comprehensive exposition of key revolutionary contributions of Mao Zedong and salient features of Mao Zedong Thought, as well as key tasks facing China today on the basis of the foundations laid by the preceding generations of Chinese revolutionaries, the foremost of whom was Mao Zedong, and in the new era.

Xi Jinping begins his speech by stating that:

“Today, with great reverence, we solemnly assemble here to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Mao Zedong, the main founder of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, the People’s Republic of China, and the great leader of the Chinese people of all nationalities.

“Comrade Mao Zedong was a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, strategist, and theoretician, a great pioneer of the Sinicisation of Marxism, a great founder of China’s socialist modernisation, a great patriot and national hero of China in modern times, the core of the party’s first generation of central collective leadership, a generation of great men who led the Chinese people to completely change their own destiny and the appearance of the country, and a great internationalist who made major contributions to the liberation of the oppressed nations of the world and the cause of human progress.”

Noting the ruinous state of China at the time of Mao’s birth, Xi said that: “When he was young, Comrade Mao Zedong set up a lofty ambition to save the nation from danger and threw himself into the great cause of saving the country and the people… and, in the course of repeated comparisons and explorations, resolutely chose Marxism-Leninism and the lofty ideal of striving for the realisation of communism.”

“Comrade Mao Zedong’s life was a life of unremitting struggle for the prosperity and strength of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation, and the happiness of the people. During the period of the new democratic revolution, the Chinese Communists with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative united and led the people to fight bloody battles and persevere, defeat Japanese imperialism, overthrow the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang, complete the new democratic revolution, establish the People’s Republic of China, and realise national independence and the people being masters of the country that the Chinese have dreamed of since modern times. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, they united and led the people to be self-reliant, work hard to make the country strong, carry out the socialist revolution, eliminate the feudal system of exploitation and oppression that had lasted for thousands of years, establish the basic socialist system, and promote socialist construction, thus bringing about the most extensive and profound social changes in the history of the Chinese nation, making great achievements in socialist construction, making China a major country with important influence in the world, and accumulating important experience in socialist construction in a country with a very backward level of social productive forces like China.

“During his difficult and brilliant fighting career of several decades, Comrade Mao Zedong made indelible historical contributions to the Chinese nation and the Chinese people and made glorious historical contributions for thousands of years.

“Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to initiate the historical process of Sinicising Marxism. Without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary practice. The basic tenets of Marxism have universal applicability, and only when they are integrated with the realities of various countries can the powerful force of truth be displayed. Comrade Mao Zedong said:

“”The great strength of Marxism-Leninism lies in the fact that it is linked to the specific revolutionary practice of various countries. As far as the Communist Party of China is concerned, it is necessary to learn how to apply Marxist-Leninist theories to China’s specific environment.””

Mao Zedong Thought, Xi explained, “is the creative application and development of Marxism-Leninism in China, the correct theoretical principles and summation of experience of China’s revolution and construction that have been proven by practice, and the first historical leap in the Sinicisation of Marxism. Comrade Mao Zedong applied dialectical materialism and historical materialism to all the work of the proletarian political party, and formed a stand, viewpoint, and method with the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese communists in the protracted and arduous struggle of China’s revolution and construction, which were embodied in the three basic aspects of seeking truth from facts, the mass line, and independence and self-determination. This is the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong Thought is the precious spiritual wealth of our party and will guide our actions for a long time.”

Having outlined the development of Mao’s thinking on party building, Xi noted that: “After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Comrade Mao Zedong actively explored the laws governing the building of the ruling party, stressed the need to always maintain a modest and cautious style, guard against arrogance and rashness and work hard, be highly vigilant and make efforts to prevent corruption and degeneration of party members and cadres, and resolutely punish corruption, and so on, thus accumulating preliminary experience in party building under the conditions of being in power.”

Xi further explained how, “in 1956, China basically completed the socialist transformation of the private ownership of the means of production, basically realised the public ownership of the means of production and distribution according to work, and established a socialist economic system,” adding that the “socialist system established under the leadership of Comrade Mao Zedong, which is rooted in the land of China, conforms to China’s national conditions, and embodies the aspirations of the people, is incomparably superior, and has not only played an important role in promoting socialist revolution and construction, but has also laid the fundamental political premise and institutional foundation for all development and progress in contemporary China.”

He also outlined Mao’s contributions to the building of a people’s army: “Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to create a new type of people’s army that was invincible. Without a people’s army, the people have nothing. Comrade Mao Zedong was the first to propose and lead the work of armed struggle and the creation of a people’s army. In the course of the extremely arduous revolutionary war, he systematically solved the problem of how to build the revolutionary army, with the peasants as the main component, into a new type of people’s army with a proletarian nature, strict discipline, and close ties with the masses of the people. He laid down the sole purpose of the people’s army to serve the people wholeheartedly… [and] the principle that the party commands the gun… The people’s army personally created by Comrade Mao Zedong has become an armed force loyal to the party and faithfully carrying out revolutionary political tasks, an army that completely and thoroughly struggles for the Chinese people, and a strong pillar for ensuring national independence, people’s happiness, and national defence consolidation.”

In summary: “Comrade Mao Zedong dedicated his life to the party and the people, leaving behind the lofty spiritual demeanour of future generations. Comrade Mao Zedong has displayed a great revolutionary leader’s far-sighted political vision, unswerving revolutionary conviction, extraordinary courage to open up new ground, perfect art of struggle, outstanding and superb leadership ability, pure feelings for the people, open-minded and broad-minded realm, and fine style of arduous struggle, and has won the love and admiration of the whole party and the people of all nationalities throughout the country.”

However, Xi continued: “Socialism is a completely new cause in the history of humanity, and since China is carrying out socialist revolution and construction on an extremely backward basis, there is no ready-made experience to draw on, and it is difficult to completely avoid twists and turns and mistakes of one kind or another on the road ahead… It cannot be denied that Comrade Mao Zedong made detours in the exploration of the road of socialist construction, especially the serious mistake of launching and leading the ‘Cultural Revolution’. Our party has made a comprehensive appraisal of Comrade Mao Zedong’s historical merits and demerits, and his achievements are the first, his mistakes are second, and his mistakes are the mistakes made by a great revolutionary and a great Marxist.”

Before going on to detail China’s present situation and tasks, Xi emphasised:

“The best way to commemorate Comrade Mao Zedong is to continue to push forward the cause he started. Comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernisation is the central task of the whole party and the people of all ethnic groups in the new era and new journey. This is the unfinished business of Mao Zedong and other revolutionaries of the older generation, and it is the solemn historical responsibility of the contemporary Chinese communists. On the new journey, we must not forget our original aspiration, keep our mission firmly in mind, strengthen historical self-confidence, grasp the historical initiative, and continue to push forward the grand cause of Chinese-style modernisation.

“It is necessary to fully arouse the historical initiative of all the people. The people, and only the people, are the driving force behind the creation of world history. Chinese-style modernisation is the cause of all Chinese people, and we must closely rely on the people and gather the infinite wisdom and strength hidden in the people in order to continuously create new historical achievements. We must adhere to the basic viewpoint of historical materialism that the people are the fundamental driving force for creating history, uphold the people’s status as the main body, fully respect the people’s expressed wishes, the experiences they create, the rights they have, and the roles they play, and take the safeguarding, realisation, and development of the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people as the starting point and end goal of all our work, so that the fruits of modernisation can benefit all the people in a more equitable way.”

In analysing the present situation in China, Xi stressed once again the absolute necessity of continuing and not relaxing the struggle against corruption:

“Corruption is the greatest cancer that endangers the party’s vitality and combat effectiveness, and the anti-corruption struggle cannot cease for a moment. It is necessary to persist in promoting the integration of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, deepening the treatment of both the symptoms and the root causes, and systematically treating them, continuing to maintain a high-pressure posture of punishing corruption, resolutely investigating and dealing with corruption where political and economic problems are intertwined, resolutely preventing leading cadres from becoming spokesmen and agents of interest groups and powerful groups, deepening the rectification of corruption in areas where power is concentrated… and resolutely winning the battle against corruption by fighting a tough and protracted battle, so as to ensure that our party will never change its quality, colour, or taste.”

And he concluded:

“Today, the great cause pioneered by Mao Zedong and other revolutionaries of the older generation is thriving, the great ideals they pursued are becoming reality, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is showing unprecedented bright prospects. Let us unite more closely, seize the day, fight tenaciously, follow the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and forge ahead bravely for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation in an all-round way with Chinese-style modernisation!”

The below version of Comrade Xi’s speech was released by Xinhua News Agency and published in Chinese by People’s Daily. It has been machine translated and lightly edited by us. It is anticipated that an authorised English-language translation of the speech will be published in due course.

Comrades and friends

Today, with great reverence, we solemnly assemble here to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Mao Zedong, the main founder of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, the People’s Republic of China, and the great leader of the Chinese people of all nationalities.

Comrade Mao Zedong was a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, strategist, and theoretician, a great pioneer of the Sinicisation of Marxism, a great founder of China’s socialist modernisation, a great patriot and national hero of China in modern times, the core of the party’s first generation of central collective leadership, a generation of great men who led the Chinese people to completely change their own destiny and the appearance of the country, and a great internationalist who made major contributions to the liberation of the oppressed nations of the world and the cause of human progress.

At the time when Comrade Mao Zedong was born, due to the invasion of Western powers and the corruption of feudal rule, China, which had a history of more than 5,000 years of civilisation, had gradually become a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, the country was humiliated, the people were suffering, and civilisation was covered with dust. The Chinese nation suffered unprecedented calamities, and saving the country and rejuvenating China became the common dream of all Chinese people. In order to save the nation from peril, the Chinese people rose up to resist, people with lofty ideals ran and shouted, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, the Boxu Transformation Law, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Xinhai Revolution rose one after another, and various national salvation plans were introduced one after another, but all ended in failure. After the Communist Party of China stepped onto the stage of history, it united and led the people of all ethnic groups across the country in waging an arduous struggle against foreign invasion and against national and class oppression. In this magnificent and great struggle that has a bearing on the survival of the country and the liberation of the nation, groups of people’s heroes and the backbone of the nation have emerged, and Comrade Mao Zedong is an outstanding representative of them and a great man of a generation.

When he was young, Comrade Mao Zedong set up a lofty ambition to save the nation from danger and threw himself into the great cause of saving the country and the people with the lofty ambition of “being confident in life for 200 years and being able to hit water for 3,000 miles.” In order to find a way out for China, Comrade Mao Zedong “explored the great source of the great capital” and, in the course of repeated comparisons and identifications, resolutely chose Marxism-Leninism and the lofty ideal of striving for the realisation of communism.

Comrade Mao Zedong’s life was a life of unremitting struggle for the prosperity and strength of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation, and the happiness of the people. During the period of the new democratic revolution, the Chinese Communists with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative united and led the people to fight bloody battles and persevere, defeat Japanese imperialism, overthrow the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang, complete the new democratic revolution, establish the People’s Republic of China, and realise national independence and the people being masters of the country that the Chinese have dreamed of since modern times. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, they united and led the people to be self-reliant, work hard to make the country strong, carry out the socialist revolution, eliminate the feudal system of exploitation and oppression that had lasted for thousands of years, establish the basic socialist system, and promote socialist construction, thus bringing about the most extensive and profound social changes in the history of the Chinese nation, making great achievements in socialist construction, making China a major country with important influence in the world, and accumulating important experience in socialist construction in a country with a very backward level of social productive forces like China.

During his difficult and brilliant fighting career of several decades, Comrade Mao Zedong made indelible historical contributions to the Chinese nation and the Chinese people and made glorious historical contributions for thousands of years.

Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to initiate the historical process of Sinicising Marxism. Without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary practice. The basic tenets of Marxism have universal applicability, and only when they are integrated with the realities of various countries can the powerful force of truth be displayed. Comrade Mao Zedong said:

“The great strength of Marxism-Leninism lies in the fact that it is linked to the specific revolutionary practice of various countries. As far as the Communist Party of China is concerned, it is necessary to learn how to apply Marxist-Leninist theories to China’s specific environment.”

Comrade Mao Zedong attached great importance to and always adhered to the use of the basic tenets of Marxism to solve China’s practical problems, founded Mao Zedong Thought in the course of fighting against various erroneous tendencies and, profoundly summing up the experience of the Chinese revolution, enriched and developed Mao Zedong Thought in the practice of exploring a road of socialist construction suited to China’s national conditions. Mao Zedong Thought is the creative application and development of Marxism-Leninism in China, the correct theoretical principles and summation of experience of China’s revolution and construction that have been proven by practice, and the first historical leap in the Sinicisation of Marxism. Comrade Mao Zedong applied dialectical materialism and historical materialism to all the work of the proletarian political party, and formed a stand, viewpoint, and method with the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese communists in the protracted and arduous struggle of China’s revolution and construction, which were embodied in the three basic aspects of seeking truth from facts, the mass line, and independence and self-determination. This is the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong Thought is the precious spiritual wealth of our party and will guide our actions for a long time. Comrade Mao Zedong’s great practice of using the “arrow” of Marxism to shoot at China’s specific reality has provided a glorious example for us to correctly treat Marxism and continuously promote the Sinicisation and modernisation of Marxism.

Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to forge a great, glorious, and correct Communist Party of China. China’s revolution and construction must be led by an advanced political party. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: “Without the efforts of the Communist Party of China and without the Chinese Communists as the mainstay of the Chinese people, China’s independence and liberation would have been impossible, and China’s industrialisation and agricultural modernisation would have been impossible.”

Comrade Mao Zedong was one of the first leaders to establish local party organisations, attended the first party congress, and led the party building in the Red Army and base areas during the Jinggangshan struggle. He explicitly proposed to promote party building as a “great project” and successfully led the implementation of this great project. Comrade Mao Zedong was the founder of our party’s theory on party building. For the first time in the history of Marxist political parties, he scientifically expounded the relationship between party building and the party’s political line, revealed the basic laws of party building, and pointed out the direction for strengthening party building. Stressing the need to build the party ideologically, it has created a form of rectification, of ideological education through criticism and self-criticism, creatively applying the principle of democratic centralism to correctly handle intra-party relations and maintain the unity of the party. It has formed the “three major styles” of the party, which has become a distinctive symbol that distinguishes the Communist Party of China from any other political party. In the deep thinking of exploring the cyclical rate of jumping out of history, the first answer is given, that is, “let the people supervise the government”, and so on. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Comrade Mao Zedong actively explored the laws governing the building of the ruling party, stressed the need to always maintain a modest and cautious style, guard against arrogance and rashness, and work hard, be highly vigilant and make efforts to prevent corruption and degeneration of party members and cadres, and resolutely punish corruption, and so on, thus accumulating preliminary experience in party building under the conditions of being in power. The Communist Party of China, founded by Comrade Mao Zedong himself, has continued to mature in the course of revolutionary forging, one after another, has always been at the forefront of the times, has become the backbone of the people of the whole country, and has become a strong leadership core for China’s revolution, construction, and reform.

Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to establish a new China in which the people were the masters of the country. Seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the nation is the original mission of our party. Since its founding, our party has been committed to building a new society in which the people are the masters of the country. Comrade Mao Zedong stressed: “We are a people’s democratic dictatorship, and governments at all levels must add the word ‘people’ and all organs of political power must add the word ‘people’.”

The founding of New China has realised China’s great leap into a people’s democratic system, and the Chinese people, who have taken their own destiny into their own hands, have participated in the management of state affairs and economic, cultural and social affairs through various channels. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: “As soon as China’s destiny is in the hands of the people themselves, China will, like the sun rising in the east, shine on the earth with its own glorious light, quickly wash away the muddy waters left by the reactionary government, heal the wounds of war, and build a brand-new, strong, and veritable people’s republic.”

“Under the leadership of the Party, the nascent people’s power realises and consolidates the great unity of the people of all nationalities throughout the country, and the great unity of the workers, peasants, intellectuals and other strata of the people throughout the country. We have vigorously promoted economic construction and worked hard to change the backward appearance of being poor and blank, thus effectively guaranteeing the basic living needs of the people. We should continue to develop socialist culture and improve the ideological, moral, scientific, and cultural qualities of the masses of the people.” In this way powerful national defence forces have been developed, including the “two bombs and one satellite,” completely ending the history of old China being repeatedly invaded by foreign enemies, and China’s national defence strength is at the forefront of the world. China has adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace, firmly upheld national independence, sovereignty and dignity, and put an end to the humiliating diplomacy of old China, standing tall in the east of the world as an independent country with complete sovereignty. Ancient China has changed in the hands of the people, the Chinese people have raised their eyebrows, and the international status of new China is increasing day by day.

Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to create an advanced socialist system. Only socialism can save and develop China. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: “The establishment of the socialist system has opened up a road for us to reach the ideal realm.” During the period of the Central Soviet Region and Yan’an, Comrade Mao Zedong carried out a great deal of theoretical and practical exploration for the establishment of the people’s democratic system. After the founding of New China, Comrade Mao Zedong led the formulation of the “Common Program of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference” and the “Constitution of the People’s Republic of China,” defined China’s state system, political system, and state structure, established the organisational system of state power in New China, established the people’s congress system, the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy. In 1956, China basically completed the socialist transformation of the private ownership of the means of production, basically realised the public ownership of the means of production and distribution according to work, and established a socialist economic system. In the course of carrying out large-scale socialist construction, we have also explored the establishment of specific socialist systems in the fields of science and technology, education, culture, and medical and public health. The socialist system established under the leadership of Comrade Mao Zedong, which is rooted in the land of China, conforms to China’s national conditions, and embodies the aspirations of the people, is incomparably superior, and has not only played an important role in promoting socialist revolution and construction, but has also laid the fundamental political premise and institutional foundation for all development and progress in contemporary China.

Comrade Mao Zedong led the people to create a new type of people’s army that was invincible. Without a people’s army, the people have nothing. Comrade Mao Zedong was the first to propose and lead the work of armed struggle and the creation of a people’s army. In the course of the extremely arduous revolutionary war, he systematically solved the problem of how to build the revolutionary army, with the peasants as the main component, into a new type of people’s army with a proletarian nature, strict discipline, and close ties with the masses of the people. He laid down the sole purpose of the people’s army to serve the people wholeheartedly, laid down the principle that the party commands the gun, established the principle of political army building, formulated the three main rules of discipline and eight points for attention, practiced the three major democracies of politics, economy, and military, implemented the principle of unanimity between officers and soldiers, unity between the army and the people, and the disintegration of the enemy army, formed a set of principles and methods for the people’s army’s political work, systematically put forward the idea of building the people’s army, formulated a series of strategies and tactics for the people’s war, and helped the people’s army defeat the extremely vicious enemy at home and abroad. The victory of the Chinese revolution provided the fundamental guidance. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Comrade Mao Zedong profoundly explored the new characteristics and laws of the building of the people’s army, and put forward the important guiding ideology of strengthening national defence, building a modern revolutionary armed force, and developing modern national defence technology, thus providing a strong backing for consolidating the new people’s political power, establishing China’s status as a great power, and safeguarding the dignity of the Chinese nation. The people’s army personally created by Comrade Mao Zedong has become an armed force loyal to the party and faithfully carrying out revolutionary political tasks, an army that completely and thoroughly struggles for the Chinese people, and a strong pillar for ensuring national independence, people’s happiness, and national defence consolidation.

Comrade Mao Zedong dedicated his life to the party and the people, leaving behind the lofty spiritual demeanour of future generations. Comrade Mao Zedong has displayed a great revolutionary leader’s far-sighted political vision, unswerving revolutionary conviction, extraordinary courage to open up new ground, perfect art of struggle, outstanding and superb leadership ability, pure feelings for the people, open-minded and broad-minded realm, and fine style of arduous struggle, and has won the love and admiration of the whole party and the people of all nationalities throughout the country.

Comrades and friends!

Socialism is a completely new cause in the history of humanity, and since China is carrying out socialist revolution and construction on an extremely backward basis, there is no ready-made experience to draw on, and it is difficult to completely avoid twists and turns and mistakes of one kind or another on the road ahead. As Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: “There must be a process for understanding the laws governing the construction of socialism. We must proceed from practice, from having no experience to having experience, from having less experience to having more experience, from building socialism, which is an unrecognised kingdom of necessity, to gradually overcoming blindness, understanding objective laws, and thus gaining freedom, so as to make a leap in understanding and reach the kingdom of freedom.”

It cannot be denied that Comrade Mao Zedong made detours in the exploration of the road of socialist construction, especially the serious mistake of launching and leading the “Cultural Revolution”. Our party has made a comprehensive appraisal of Comrade Mao Zedong’s historical merits and demerits, and his achievements are the first, his mistakes are second, and his mistakes are the mistakes made by a great revolutionary and a great Marxist.

After the reform and opening up, our party resolved the two major historical tasks of correctly appraising the historical status of Comrade Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought and establishing the correct path for China to realize socialist modernisation in the light of new reality and historical experience, and made the historic decision to shift the focus of the work of the party and the state to socialist modernisation with economic construction as the centre, adhere to the four cardinal principles, and carry out reform and opening up, thus starting a new long march to build socialism with Chinese characteristics. In order to accelerate socialist modernisation, our party has unswervingly adhered to the party’s basic line, vigorously promoted theoretical, institutional, cultural, and other innovations on the basis of practice, implemented the socialist market economic system, and achieved a historic breakthrough from a relatively backward state of productive forces to the world’s second largest economic power, and realised a historic leap in the people’s living standards from insufficient food and clothing to an overall well-off life and to an all-round well-off life. It has provided a new and energetic institutional guarantee and material conditions for rapid development for China’s socialist modernisation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, on the basis of long-term exploration and practice since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially since the reform and opening up, our party has fully implemented the thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, taken a series of strategic measures, promoted a series of transformative practices, achieved a series of breakthroughs, achieved a series of landmark achievements, overcame a series of major risks and challenges, successfully promoted and expanded Chinese-style modernisation, and promoted the cause of the party and the country to achieve historic achievements and historic changes. The great cause of national rejuvenation has been provided with a more perfect institutional guarantee, a more solid material foundation, and a more active spiritual force.

Comrades and friends!

The best way to commemorate Comrade Mao Zedong is to continue to push forward the cause he started. Comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernisation is the central task of the whole party and the people of all ethnic groups in the new era and new journey. This is the unfinished business of Mao Zedong and other revolutionaries of the older generation, and it is the solemn historical responsibility of the contemporary Chinese communists. On the new journey, we must not forget our original aspiration, keep our mission firmly in mind, strengthen historical self-confidence, grasp the historical initiative, and continue to push forward the grand cause of Chinese-style modernisation.

It is necessary to fully arouse the historical initiative of all the people. The people, and only the people, are the driving force behind the creation of world history. Chinese-style modernisation is the cause of all Chinese people, and we must closely rely on the people and gather the infinite wisdom and strength hidden in the people in order to continuously create new historical achievements. We must adhere to the basic viewpoint of historical materialism that the people are the fundamental driving force for creating history, uphold the people’s status as the main body, fully respect the people’s expressed wishes, the experiences they create, the rights they have, and the roles they play, and take the safeguarding, realisation, and development of the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people as the starting point and end goal of all our work, so that the fruits of modernisation can benefit all the people in a more equitable way.

It is necessary to improve the institutional system in which the people are the masters of the country, develop whole-process people’s democracy, and ensure that the people are always the masters of the country, society, and their own destiny, and enjoy more extensive, more genuine, and more convenient democratic rights and freedoms. It is necessary to improve the institutional mechanism for safeguarding social fairness and justice, protect the people’s right to equal participation and equal development, and let every hard-working, arduous fighter and innovative creator have the opportunity to make their dreams come true and have a brilliant life. It is necessary to focus on protecting and improving people’s livelihood, do a good job in various people’s livelihood undertakings, focus on the people’s thoughts, hopes, worries and urgency, and solve people’s livelihood issues closely related to their lives, such as employment, education, medical and health care, elderly care and child care, and social security, so as to make the people’s sense of gain, happiness and security more substantial, more secure and more sustainable, and promote the common prosperity of all people to achieve more obvious and substantive progress. It is necessary to grasp the characteristics and laws of mass work under the new situation, take the mass line in the new era, enhance the feelings of the masses, keep the pulse of the masses, accurately serve the masses, meet the multi-level and diversified needs of the people, and achieve the work in the hearts of the people, always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the people, always accept the people’s criticism and supervision, and always breathe the same air, share the same destiny and heart-to-heart ties with the people, so that Chinese-style modernisation will have the most reliable, deepest, and most lasting source of strength!

It is necessary to constantly open up a new realm for the Sinicisation of Marxism and the modernisation of the times. Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology for us to build the party and the country and to rejuvenate the party and the country. Unswervingly upholding and advancing with the times to develop Marxism, vigorously promoting theoretical innovation on the basis of practice, and consciously using Marxism of the Chinese era to guide new practice is the successful way for our party to grasp the historical initiative, keep up with the pace of the times, and constantly create a new situation in the development of the cause. Practice is endless, theoretical innovation is endless, and understanding the truth will never end. Chinese-style modernisation has opened up broad prospects for the party’s theoretical innovation and put forward new and more arduous and complex tasks. We must persistently integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific reality and with China’s excellent traditional culture, profoundly explore the laws governing Chinese-style modernisation, constantly answer brand-new questions encountered in practice, and lead practical innovation with theoretical innovation. To write a new chapter in the Sinicisation of Marxism and the modernisation of the times, the whole party needs to work together. The broad masses of party members and cadres, especially leading cadres at all levels, should treat science with a scientific attitude, pursue the truth in the spirit of truth, strengthen the courage to uphold the truth, the vigour to explore the truth, use their brains, be diligent in thinking, actively put forward their insightful views, and contribute wisdom and strength to the party’s theoretical innovation. The people’s creative practice is an inexhaustible source of theoretical innovation, and we must sincerely worship the people as teachers, promptly sum up the fresh experiences created by the masses of the people and make the party’s theory truly become a theory that the people love, recognise, and possess. It is necessary to establish a global vision, gain a deep insight into the trend of human development and progress, actively respond to the common concerns of the people of all countries, and contribute Chinese wisdom to solving the common problems facing humanity. It is necessary to study and draw on all outstanding achievements of civilisation in human society with an open mind that embraces all rivers and streams, and constantly enrich the party’s ideological and cultural resources for theoretical innovation.

It is necessary to further deepen reform and opening up. Reform and opening up is an important magic weapon for contemporary China to catch up with the times in great strides, and it is a key move that determines the success or failure of Chinese-style modernisation. To promote Chinese-style modernisation, it is necessary to further deepen reform and opening up in an all-round way, constantly liberate and develop the social productive forces, and liberate and enhance social vitality. We must conform to the new development trend of the times, the new requirements of practical development, and the new expectations of the people, and with a strong determination to reform to the end, we must be serious, dare to tackle tough problems, make precise, coordinated, and continuous efforts, and resolutely break down all institutional obstacles that restrict the smooth progress of Chinese-style modernisation. It is necessary to deepen the reform of the economic system, give full play to the decisive role of the market in the allocation of resources, give better play to the role of the government, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, build a unified national market, improve the macroeconomic governance system, stimulate the vitality of various business entities, and accelerate the formation of an institutional mechanism conducive to high-quality development. It is necessary to deepen the reform of the scientific and technological system, give full play to the advantages of the new national system, strengthen the national strategic scientific and technological power, strengthen the main position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, optimise the allocation of innovation resources, strive to break through key core technologies, and promote the realisation of high-level scientific and technological independence and self-reliance. It is necessary to work together to promote the reform of the cultural system, social system, ecological civilisation system and other fields, and continuously inject new impetus into Chinese modernisation in an all-round way. Modernisation is inseparable from openness, and openness achieves modernisation. We should continue to expand high-level opening-up, firmly pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win opening strategy, rely on the advantages of China’s super-large-scale market, attract global resource elements with domestic circulation, enhance the linkage effect of domestic and international markets and resources, steadily promote institutional opening-up such as rules, regulations, management and standards, improve the quality and level of trade and investment cooperation, and continuously expand the development space of Chinese-style modernisation.

It is necessary to thoroughly promote the comprehensive and strict management of the party The core force leading our cause is the Communist Party of China. Chinese modernisation is socialist modernisation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and only by maintaining a sober and firm attitude in solving the unique problems of the big party and building the party into a stronger and more powerful party can we ensure that the Chinese-style modernisation will cut through the waves and achieve steady and far-reaching results. It is necessary to implement the general requirements of party building in the new era, lead the work of party building with the party’s political construction, improve the system of comprehensive and strict governance of the party, and comprehensively promote the party’s self-purification, self-improvement, self-innovation and self-improvement, so that our party can stick to its original mission, walk in the forefront of the times, and always maintain its vitality and vigour. It is necessary to comply with the new requirements of the development of Chinese-style modernisation and strive to create a team of high-quality professional cadres who are loyal, clean, and responsible. We should educate and guide the majority of party members and cadres to update their ideas and concepts in a timely manner, make up for their shortcomings, improve their ability to perform their duties, bravely stand at the forefront of the times, strive to be the vanguard of the cause, resolutely abandon all lazy people who stick to the old thinking, old ideas, old routines, and old methods, and resolutely oppose all ‘lying flat’ behaviours that do not take responsibility and do not act, shirk and dodge, and do not want to forge ahead. Party organisations at all levels should have a clear attitude, take responsibility for those who are responsible, be responsible for those who are responsible, support those who are responsible, and actively create a good environment conducive to entrepreneurship. It is necessary to uphold a strict tone of upright conduct and discipline, start with the leading organs and leading cadres, emphasise solid work, do solid work, and seek practical results, strive to overcome formalism and bureaucracy, and let the broad masses of party members and cadres, especially grassroots cadres, concentrate more energy on promoting development and serving the masses. Corruption is the greatest cancer that endangers the party’s vitality and combat effectiveness, and the anti-corruption struggle cannot cease for a moment. It is necessary to persist in promoting the integration of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, deepening the treatment of both the symptoms and the root causes, and systematically treating them, continuing to maintain a high-pressure posture of punishing corruption, resolutely investigating and dealing with corruption where political and economic problems are intertwined, resolutely preventing leading cadres from becoming spokesmen and agents of interest groups and powerful groups, deepening the rectification of corruption in areas where power is concentrated, capital intensive, and resource enrichment, and resolutely winning the battle against corruption by fighting a tough and protracted battle, so as to ensure that our party will never change its quality, colour, or taste.

It is necessary to uphold and improve the principle of “one country, two systems” and promote the reunification of the motherland. Chinese-style modernisation requires all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation to work together to achieve great things. We must comprehensively, accurately and unswervingly implement the principles of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, “Macao people governing Macao” and a high degree of autonomy, adhere to the rule of law in governing Hong Kong and Macao, uphold and improve the “one country, two systems” system, implement the central government’s overall jurisdiction, implement the principles of “patriots administering Hong Kong” and “patriots administering Macao”, and uphold the unity of the central government’s overall jurisdiction and ensuring a high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR. We must support Hong Kong and Macao in developing their economies, improving people’s livelihood, resolving deep-seated contradictions and problems in economic and social development, and better integrating into the overall development of the country. Realising the complete reunification of the motherland is the trend of the times, where the great righteousness lies, and the aspiration of the people, and the motherland must and will be reunified. We must adhere to the Party’s overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue in the new era, adhere to the one-China principle and the “92 Consensus”, deepen the integration and development of various fields across the Taiwan Strait, and promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. The Chinese people have firm will, full confidence, and sufficient ability to resolutely prevent anyone from separating Taiwan from China in any way.

It is necessary to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. Keeping the world in mind is an important historical experience of our party’s struggle over the past century. Chinese modernisation is modernisation that follows the path of peaceful development, which not only benefits the Chinese people, but also promotes the modernisation of all countries in the world. We will stand firmly on the right side of history and the progress of human civilisation, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, promote the common values of all humanity, promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative, and promote the building of an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. We will firmly uphold the basic norms governing international relations, uphold international fairness and justice, always decide our own positions and policies on the basis of the merits of the matter, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics. We will adhere to the right direction of economic globalisation, firmly pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win strategy of opening-up, jointly cultivate new drivers of global development, promote the building of an open world economy, and oppose protectionism. We will build high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people ties with other countries, and create a new platform for international economic cooperation. We will actively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system, practice the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, adhere to true multilateralism, promote democracy in international relations, and promote the reform of global governance in a more just and equitable direction. China’s development is the growth of the forces for world peace, and no matter how far it develops, China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.

Comrades and friends!

More than 100 years ago, Comrade Mao Zedong said: “We must always work hard!” “We always must move forward tenaciously! Our golden world, the glorious world, is just ahead!” Today, the great cause pioneered by Mao Zedong and other revolutionaries of the older generation is thriving, the great ideals they pursued are becoming reality, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is showing unprecedented bright prospects. Let us unite more closely, seize the day, fight tenaciously, follow the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and forge ahead bravely for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation in an all-round way with Chinese-style modernisation!