At a meeting held on June 13 in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for learning from veteran leader Chen Yun and carrying forward his legacy.
Xi, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, acclaimed Chen Yun as a great proletarian revolutionary and statesman, and as one of the founding figures of the country’s socialist economy. He was a key member of both the Party’s first generation of central collective leadership with Mao Zedong at the core and the second generation of central collective leadership with Deng Xiaoping at the core.
Chen was born in 1905 and joined the Party in 1925. He died in 1995 at the age of 90.
Among the key points made by Xi Jinping in his address were:
- Comrade Chen Yun was a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, and outstanding Marxist, one of the founders and builders of China’s socialist economic construction, an outstanding leader of the party and the country who had been tested for a long time, and an important member of the party’s first-generation central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at the core and the party’s second-generation central leadership collective with Comrade Deng Xiaoping at the core, who had made major contributions to the development of the cause of the party and the people.
- Comrade Chen Yun joined the Communist Party of China in 1925, and in his 70-year revolutionary career, he experienced many major events in which our party led the people in revolution, construction, and reform, participated in the formulation and organization of a series of major policy decisions made by the party Central Committee in different historical periods, and devoted his whole life to the development and victory of the new democratic revolution, the establishment and consolidation of China’s socialist system, and the pioneering and development of China’s reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.
- During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Comrade Chen Yun threw himself into the workers’ movement in the torrent of the Great Revolution and grew up to become a leader of the workers’ movement in the course of practical struggles. He took part in the Red Army’s Long March, firmly supported Comrade Mao Zedong’s correct propositions at the Zunyi Conference and supported the conference in establishing the correct leadership represented by Comrade Mao Zedong.
- He participated in the leadership of the liberation of Northeast China and led the Northeast Base Area to take the lead in restoring the economy and supporting the national liberation war. He instructed cadres to “always pay attention to the new situation, new tasks, and new work methods in the new areas” and not to “mechanically apply the old experience of the old liberated areas to the new areas,” thus exploring useful experiences for our party to shift from war to peaceful construction.
- During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Comrade Chen Yun was appointed to preside over and lead the nation’s financial and economic work at the beginning of the founding of New China, and under the leadership of the party Central Committee, he coordinated the forces from all quarters to win the “economic war” in the fields of grain, cotton, cotton cloth, and coal, and achieved national financial and economic unification in less than a year, stabilized financial prices, and economically consolidated the nascent people’s political power.
- He opposed impatient and reckless progress in disregard of the actual conditions and the rush to achieve results, discovered the problems brought about by the “Great Leap Forward” at an early stage, participated in the deployment and leadership of the readjustment of the national economy, and paid special attention to solving the problems of agricultural difficulties and food shortages, thus playing an important role in extricating the national economy and the people’s livelihood from their predicament.
- At a major historical juncture, he resolutely supported the reform and opening up advocated by Comrade Deng Xiaoping and resolutely upheld Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s position as the core of the central leadership collective and the authority of the party Central Committee. He actively promoted the peaceful reversal of unjust, false and wrongly decided cases, put forward important opinions on the drafting of the “Resolution on Several Historical Issues of the Party Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China,” and supported Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s correct proposition on scientifically establishing Comrade Mao Zedong’s historical status and upholding and developing Mao Zedong Thought.
- We should learn from Comrade Chen Yun’s lofty spiritual demeanour. He said: “The most pleasant thing for a person is to participate in the revolution and fight for the interests of the people. Anyone who leaves the people and the party cannot accomplish anything.” At critical moments, he always adhered to the correct political position and clearly showed his attitude. When the development of the party’s cause encountered difficulties, he was always able to keep a clear head, put forward unique views on the basis of careful consideration, and came up with effective ways to solve problems.
- In the new era and new journey, we must strengthen our ideals and beliefs, establish confidence in victory, maintain political determination in the face of chaos and complexity, and not be afraid of clouds to cover our eyes. It is necessary to consciously practice the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, stand firmly on the people’s position, cultivate the feelings of the people, take the mass line of the party in the new era, investigate the people’s feelings, listen to the people’s voices, obey the people’s will, solve the people’s worries, and closely rely on the people to create historical achievements.
- In the area of being in charge of economic work, Comrade Chen Yun put forward many important viewpoints and major measures and explored effective ways to creatively solve problems and open up the work situation. In the process of presiding over the formulation and implementation of the first five-year plan, he not only paid attention to learning from the experience of the Soviet Union, but also insisted on proceeding from China’s national conditions, making scientific arrangements, and steadily promoting socialist industrialization.
- After the socialist transformation was basically completed, he actively explored the socialist economic system and economic system that suited the development of China’s productive forces and put forward the idea of “three main bodies and three supplements,” which provided important enlightenment for overcoming the shortcomings of the Soviet model.
- After the reform and opening up, he profoundly summed up the positive and negative experiences of socialist economic construction and proposed that “the economic construction that our country is carrying out now is socialist economic construction, and the reform of the economic system is also the reform of the socialist economic system”
- He stressed that vigorously cultivating and selecting tens of thousands of middle-aged and young cadres with both ability and political integrity is a strategic task that determines the future of the party and the country, and it is necessary to persist in combining the old, middle-aged and young cadres, maintain the continuity and stability of the contingent of cadres, and ensure that the party’s leadership is always in the hands of Marxists.
- He stressed the need to vigorously promote those cadres who have strong party spirit, upright work style, and the courage to uphold principles, and actively support and implement the policy of making the contingent of cadres more revolutionary, younger, more knowledgeable, and more professional.
- He pointed out: “The Communist Party must uphold party discipline at all times, whether it is working underground or in power.”
- He put forward the important thesis that “the issue of the party style of the ruling party is an issue related to the life and death of the party,” stressing that “the issue of party style must be tackled with great attention and forever.” In order to maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the party and the masses of the people, it is necessary to properly resolve the two key issues of earnestly safeguarding the people’s vital interests and resolutely opposing unhealthy tendencies within the party.
- We should study Comrade Chen Yun’s scientific thinking and work methods. Persisting in seeking truth from facts is a distinctive characteristic of Comrade Chen Yun.
- He regarded investigation and study as an important prerequisite for policy decision-making, stressing: “Leading organs should devote more than 90 percent of their time to investigation and study in formulating policies.”
- In the new era and new journey, it is necessary to improve the quality of investigation and study, and through various channels and methods, accurately grasp the new situation, new problems, and new trends in economic and social development, accurately grasp the needs of the grassroots and the expectations of the masses and make policy decisions more in line with reality and the wishes of the masses.
A number of other speakers also addressed the meeting.
Qu Qingshan, President of the Central Academy of Party History and Literature, said:
“Throughout his life, Comrade Chen Yun attached great importance to the study of Marxist philosophy and summed up and adhered to the ‘15-character formula’ of ‘not only the top, not only the book, but only the truth, exchange, comparison, and repetition.’
“The ‘15-character formula’ originated from the three conversations between Comrade Chen Yun and Comrade Mao Zedong during the Yan’an period. At that time, Comrade Chen Yun asked Comrade Mao Zedong for advice on ‘how to make fewer mistakes or not make big mistakes.’ Comrade Mao Zedong said that ‘making mistakes is a matter of ideology and method,’ and the reason why he made mistakes was ‘not because of lack of experience, but because of wrong ideological methods.’ He also suggested that he study a little philosophy. Following the guidance of Comrade Mao Zedong, Comrade Chen Yun summed up his practical experience while studying philosophy and gradually synthesized his understanding and experience as a ‘15-character formula.’ He said: ‘Of these 15 words, the first nine are materialism and the last six are dialectics.’ For these 15 words, Comrade Chen Yun has realized all his life’s work, talked about it all his life, and used it all his life.”
Wang Zhijun, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, said:
“Comrade Chen Yun attached great importance to strengthening the party’s leadership over economic work, especially the centralized and unified leadership of the party Central Committee, stressing that ‘to realize the four modernizations, we must rely on our party’s leadership’ and that socialist economic construction ‘must strengthen and rely on the party’s leadership, especially the core leadership role of the party Central Committee.’ Before and after the founding of New China, he participated in and led the ‘Silver Dollar War,’ the ‘War of Rice and Cotton,’ the unified purchase and marketing of major agricultural products, and the readjustment of the national economy. He profoundly pointed out that in economic activities, the central authorities should concentrate the powers that must be concentrated, and that the political authority of the central authorities should be based on the economic authority of the central authorities, and he particularly stressed the need to safeguard and strengthen the authority of the party Central Committee, saying that ‘without the authority of the central authorities, great things cannot be accomplished, and society cannot be stable.’
“Comrade Chen Yun advocated deepening the reform of the economic system in order to better develop the productive forces and realize the self-improvement and development of the socialist system. In the early days of the founding of New China, he put forward the idea of ‘three main bodies and three supplements,’ which was very commendable at that time. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, he proposed that we should consciously bring into play and expand the role of market regulation and support the exploration of a new socialist economic system that is in line with reality and full of vitality, which has had a broad and profound impact. He advocated the need to independently carry out foreign economic exchanges, pay attention to the use of foreign capital and the introduction of new technologies, and actively support the construction of special economic zones and the development and opening up of Pudong [in Shanghai].”
Gong Zheng, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, said:
“Shanghai is the starting point for Comrade Chen Yun to embark on the revolutionary road, strengthen his ideals and convictions, and establish immortal meritorious deeds. Comrade Chen Yun was born on June 13, 1905, in a poor peasant family in Qingpu. In 1919, he went to Shanghai as an apprentice at the Commercial Press and then accepted Marxism. In 1925, he participated in the May Day Movement, led the general strike of the Commercial Press, and then joined the Communist Party of China. From 1928 to 1929, he engaged in the revolutionary movement in the suburbs of Shanghai, leading the armed peasant uprisings in Xiaozhen, Fengjing, and Zhuangxing. In 1931, he assisted Comrade Zhou Enlai in decisively handling the emergency incident of Gu Shunzhang’s arrest and betrayal, ensured the safety of the Party Central Committee, and then led the Central Special Branch to continue the struggle against the enemy. After the liberation of Shanghai in 1949, in the face of the chaotic situation of the national economy, the Party Central Committee arranged for Comrade Chen Yun to be based in Shanghai. He grasped the ‘two whites and one black’ of rice, gauze, and coal, and coordinated the forces of all quarters to crack down on financial speculation and curb the sharp rise in prices, thus laying an important foundation for the rapid recovery and development of the national economy after the founding of New China. Whether he was leading the workers’ and peasants’ movement, carrying out underground work, or leading economic construction, Comrade Chen Yun always braved hardships and dangers and bravely shouldered heavy burdens, fully demonstrating his extraordinary courage and ability. The people of my hometown are very proud of Comrade Chen Yun, a great proletarian revolutionary and statesman, who walked out of Shanghai!
“Comrade Chen Yun has always been concerned about his hometown and attached great importance to and supported the development of Shanghai. In 1956, Comrade Chen Yun made a special trip to Shanghai to convey Comrade Mao Zedong’s instructions that ‘Shanghai has a future and must develop’ and gave guidance to Shanghai’s industrial development. From 1955 to 1961, Comrade Chen Yun returned to Qingpu four times to conduct in-depth rural surveys and put forward opinions on rural grain issues and production development, which provided a basis for decision-making for the central authorities to formulate and adjust rural policies. In 1979, Comrade Chen Yun went to Shanghai for in-depth research on whether Baosteel should continue to ‘get started’ or be ‘dismounted’, and put forward eight opinions, including ‘doing it to the end’, buying equipment and buying technology and patents, which made important contributions to the smooth development of Baosteel’s construction. In the early 90s of the last century, the CPC Central Committee made a major decision to develop and open up Pudong. Comrade Chen Yun gave full support and pointed out that ‘there is great hope in Shanghai,’ which greatly encouraged the cadres and masses in Shanghai. From 1990 to 1994, Comrade Chen Yun came to Shanghai every year. When he saw the achievements of his hometown in the ‘three years of great changes,’ Comrade Chen Yun was very pleased and encouraged Shanghai to do a better job.”
The following article was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency. We also reproduce the full text of Comrade Xi Jinping’s speech as well as summaries of the other speeches. These were published in People’s Daily in Chinese. They have been machine translated and lightly edited by us.
Xi urges hard work to build strong China as CPC marks 120th birth anniversary of veteran leader Chen Yun
BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for learning from veteran leader Chen Yun and carrying forward his legacy with an enterprising spirit and hard work to build China into a strong country.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a meeting held in the Great Hall of the People to mark the 120th anniversary of Chen’s birth.
Chen was recognized as a great proletarian revolutionary and statesman, and as one of the founding figures of the country’s socialist economy. He was a key member of both the Party’s first generation of central collective leadership with Mao Zedong at the core and the second generation of central collective leadership with Deng Xiaoping at the core, according to Xi.
At the meeting, Xi recalled Chen’s glorious life, hailing him as “a tested, distinguished Party and state leader,” who had made significant contributions to the cause of the Party and the people.
Xi encouraged Party members to learn from Chen’s lofty spirit and qualities, urging them to remain steadfast in their ideals and convictions, bolster their confidence in success, and maintain political resolve in a complex environment full of turbulence and change.
Xi further underlined the significance of learning from Chen’s wealth of leadership expertise and striving to enhance the Party’s capacity for leading economic and social development as well as its self-building competence.
He emphasized the importance of enhancing the Party’s leadership over economic work and deepening the understanding of the laws governing socialist economic development.
“It is important to comprehensively deepen reform at a swift and steady pace, and to remain steadfast in pursuing higher-standard opening up,” he said.
Xi also praised Chen for his adherence to the principle of seeking truth from facts and for viewing research and studies as a vital prerequisite for decision-making.
He urged CPC members to adopt this scientific methodology in thinking and working, make sound assessments of situations, plan effectively for the future, and improve their research and studies, so they can make decisions that better reflect reality and meet the people’s expectations.
Chen was born in 1905 and joined the Party in 1925. He died of illness in 1995 at the age of 90.
Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting.
Zhao Leji, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.
Speech at a symposium to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth
(13 June 2025)
Xi Jinping
Comrades and friends,
Today, we are solemnly gathered here to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth.
Comrade Chen Yun was a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, and outstanding Marxist, one of the founders and builders of China’s socialist economic construction, an outstanding leader of the party and the country who had been tested for a long time, and an important member of the party’s first-generation central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at the core and the party’s second-generation central leadership collective with Comrade Deng Xiaoping at the core, who had made major contributions to the development of the cause of the party and the people.
Comrade Chen Yun joined the Communist Party of China in 1925, and in his 70-year revolutionary career, he experienced many major events in which our party led the people in revolution, construction, and reform, participated in the formulation and organization of a series of major policy decisions made by the party Central Committee in different historical periods, and devoted his whole life to the development and victory of the new democratic revolution, the establishment and consolidation of China’s socialist system, and the pioneering and development of China’s reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.
During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Comrade Chen Yun threw himself into the workers’ movement in the torrent of the Great Revolution and grew up to become a leader of the workers’ movement in the course of practical struggles. He took part in the Red Army’s Long March, firmly supported Comrade Mao Zedong’s correct propositions at the Zunyi Conference and supported the conference in establishing the correct leadership represented by Comrade Mao Zedong. His “Experiences and Lessonss of the Army’s Journey to the West” was published in France, the Soviet Union, and China, and for the first time publicized the Long March of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army to the world. He served as head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee for seven years, resolutely implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and Comrade Mao Zedong, led the formulation of policies and principles for the selection and appointment of cadres, and specifically organized the training and selection of a large number of outstanding cadres with both ability and political integrity, thus making important contributions to the continuous development and growth of the party’s contingent and the party’s cause, and to the party’s formation of a fine tradition of selecting and appointing people. He participated in the leadership of the liberation of Northeast China and led the Northeast Base Area to take the lead in restoring the economy and supporting the national liberation war. He instructed cadres to “always pay attention to the new situation, new tasks, and new work methods in the new areas” and not to “mechanically apply the old experience of the old liberated areas to the new areas,” thus exploring useful experiences for our party to shift from war to peaceful construction.
During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Comrade Chen Yun was appointed to preside over and lead the nation’s financial and economic work at the beginning of the founding of New China, and under the leadership of the party Central Committee, he coordinated the forces from all quarters to win the “economic war” in the fields of grain, cotton, cotton cloth, and coal, and achieved national financial and economic unification in less than a year, stabilized financial prices, and economically consolidated the nascent people’s political power. He opposed impatient and reckless progress in disregard of the actual conditions and the rush to achieve results, discovered the problems brought about by the “Great Leap Forward” at an early stage, participated in the deployment and leadership of the readjustment of the national economy, and paid special attention to solving the problems of agricultural difficulties and food shortages, thus playing an important role in extricating the national economy and the people’s livelihood from their predicament. He actively explored the laws governing socialist economic construction, did a great deal of fruitful work in establishing a socialist economic system, and established an independent and relatively complete industrial system and a national economic system, and made outstanding contributions to exploring the road of socialist construction in our country.
In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, Comrade Chen Yun pointed out with the courage and conviction of Marxism that in order to shift the focus of the work of the party and the state to socialist construction, it is necessary to properly resolve a number of major problems left over from history, and this played an important role in breaking through the ideological shackles of the “two whatevers” and realizing a great historical turning point. At a major historical juncture, he resolutely supported the reform and opening up advocated by Comrade Deng Xiaoping and resolutely upheld Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s position as the core of the central leadership collective and the authority of the party Central Committee. He actively promoted the peaceful reversal of unjust, false and wrongly decided cases, put forward important opinions on the drafting of the “Resolution on Several Historical Issues of the Party Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China,” and supported Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s correct proposition on scientifically establishing Comrade Mao Zedong’s historical status and upholding and developing Mao Zedong Thought. He attached great importance to the party’s ideological construction, work style construction, discipline building, system building, and socialist spiritual civilization building under the conditions of reform and opening up and presided over the formulation of the “Several Guidelines on Political Life within the Party.” He supported the exploration of a new socialist economic system that is in line with reality and full of vitality, stressed the need to practice, explore, and sum up experience at the same time, and made outstanding contributions to our party’s pioneering of the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Comrades and friends!
Comrade Chen Yun’s life was a great and glorious life. The lofty spiritual demeanour he has established, the rich leadership experience he has created, and the scientific thinking methods and working methods he has summed up will always be our precious wealth. We must conscientiously study and apply it and carry it forward in the light of reality.
— We should learn from Comrade Chen Yun’s lofty spiritual demeanour. Comrade Chen Yun has established and adhered to firm ideals and convictions, strong party spirit and principles, truth-seeking and pragmatic style, simple public servant feelings, and the diligent study spirit that he established and adhered to in his long revolutionary career, embodying the noble qualities of communists. He said: “The most pleasant thing for a person is to participate in the revolution and fight for the interests of the people. Anyone who leaves the people and the party cannot accomplish anything.” At critical moments, he always adhered to the correct political position and clearly showed his attitude. When the development of the party’s cause encountered difficulties, he was always able to keep a clear head, put forward unique views on the basis of careful consideration, and came up with effective ways to solve problems.
In the new era and new journey, we must strengthen our ideals and beliefs, establish confidence in victory, maintain political determination in the face of chaos and complexity, and not be afraid of clouds to cover our eyes. It is necessary to consciously practice the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, stand firmly on the people’s position, cultivate the feelings of the people, take the mass line of the party in the new era, investigate the people’s feelings, listen to the people’s voices, obey the people’s will, solve the people’s worries, and closely rely on the people to create historical achievements. It is necessary to thoroughly implement the spirit of the eight central regulations, cultivate a fine work style with a strong party spirit, always maintain the mental state of forging ahead and facing difficulties, and win the support and trust of the masses of the people with the actual results of improving the work style.
— We should learn from Comrade Chen Yun’s rich leadership experience. Comrade Chen Yun held many important leadership positions. No matter what field he was responsible for or what leadership position he was in, he was diligent in learning, delving deeply, exploring rules, grasping the key points, showing outstanding leadership skills, and creating many leadership experiences that are still relevant today.
For example, in the area of being in charge of economic work, Comrade Chen Yun put forward many important viewpoints and major measures and explored effective ways to creatively solve problems and open up the work situation. In the process of presiding over the formulation and implementation of the first five-year plan, he not only paid attention to learning from the experience of the Soviet Union, but also insisted on proceeding from China’s national conditions, making scientific arrangements, and steadily promoting socialist industrialization. After the socialist transformation was basically completed, he actively explored the socialist economic system and economic system that suited the development of China’s productive forces and put forward the idea of “three main bodies and three supplements,” which provided important enlightenment for overcoming the shortcomings of the Soviet model. After the reform and opening up, he profoundly summed up the positive and negative experiences of socialist economic construction and proposed that “the economic construction that our country is carrying out now is socialist economic construction, and the reform of the economic system is also the reform of the socialist economic system”. He stressed that economic construction must be comprehensive and balanced, that the scale of construction must be commensurate with national conditions and national strength, and that the relationship between accumulation and consumption must be correctly handled. He pointed out that only a plan and proportionality are not enough, there must also be market regulation, and it is necessary to act in accordance with economic laws and carry out necessary state intervention, “only by doing a good job in macroeconomic control can it be conducive to invigorating the micro and achieving a lively and dynamic situation”; He stressed that the ultimate purpose of economic construction is to improve the people’s living standards, and that “if we cannot solve the problem of feeding and clothing for the people, our cause of socialist construction will not be able to stand firmly.”
For example, in terms of being in charge of organizational work, Comrade Chen Yun put forward a series of creative ideas on selecting and employing people. He stressed that in selecting and promoting cadres, it is necessary to “attach equal importance to ability and political integrity and give priority to morality.” He pointed out: “Talent and virtue should be unified. Talent is not empty talent; Virtue is not empty virtue. “When using cadres, we must use cadres from all over, and cadres who are not familiar with them should also be used. Local sources are an important principle. From all areas, plus having both ability and political integrity, this is our general policy for promoting cadres. He stressed that vigorously cultivating and selecting tens of thousands of middle-aged and young cadres with both ability and political integrity is a strategic task that determines the future of the party and the country, and it is necessary to persist in combining the old, middle-aged and young cadres, maintain the continuity and stability of the contingent of cadres, and ensure that the party’s leadership is always in the hands of Marxists. He stressed the need to vigorously promote those cadres who have strong party spirit, upright work style, and the courage to uphold principles, and actively support and implement the policy of making the contingent of cadres more revolutionary, younger, more knowledgeable, and more professional.
For example, in the area of being in charge of discipline inspection, Comrade Chen Yun put forward many forward-looking and strategic ideas on strengthening the building of the ruling party under the conditions of reform and opening up. He pointed out: “The Communist Party must uphold party discipline at all times, whether it is working underground or in power.” In response to erroneous viewpoints such as ‘if you don’t eat or drink, the economy will not live’ and ‘if the economy is invigorated, discipline must be relaxed,’ he stressed: “There is no problem of ‘loosening’ the principles of party spirit and party discipline. Without a good party style, reform will not be successful. While grasping ideological and political work, we should strictly enforce party discipline and government discipline, so that the party’s style can fundamentally improve.” He put forward the important thesis that “the issue of the party style of the ruling party is an issue related to the life and death of the party,” stressing that “the issue of party style must be tackled with great attention and forever.” In order to maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the party and the masses of the people, it is necessary to properly resolve the two key issues of earnestly safeguarding the people’s vital interests and resolutely opposing unhealthy tendencies within the party.
In the new era and new journey, we must adapt to the new situation and tasks and strive to improve the party’s ability to lead economic and social development and its own construction level. It is necessary to strengthen the party’s leadership over economic work, deepen the understanding of the laws governing socialist economic construction, implement the new development concept completely, accurately and comprehensively, adhere to the combination of an effective market and a promising government, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, and solidly promote high-quality development. It is necessary to further deepen reform in an all-round way, unswervingly expand high-level opening-up, and inject more impetus and vitality into Chinese-style modernization. It is necessary to further promote the comprehensive and strict governance of the party, and constantly enhance the party’s ability to self-purify, self-improve, self-innovate and self-rectify, so as to ensure that the party will always become a strong leadership core for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
We should study Comrade Chen Yun’s scientific thinking and work methods. Persisting in seeking truth from facts is a distinctive characteristic of Comrade Chen Yun. He pointed out: “In order to give good leadership over our party and state, the most important thing is to get the ideological methods of leading cadres right.” He extracted the “fifteen-character formula”, which is full of materialist dialectics, “not only the top, not only the book, but only the truth, exchange, comparison, and repetition”. He was good at thinking strategically, emphasizing: “You should stand taller, see farther, go up to the roof, and don’t stay in the basement.” “It is necessary to set aside a certain amount of time to ‘pace’ and think about strategic issues.” He regarded investigation and study as an important prerequisite for policy decision-making, stressing: “Leading organs should devote more than 90 percent of their time to investigation and study in formulating policies.”
In the new era and new journey, we must adhere to the party’s ideological line, study and apply well the worldview, methodology and positions, views and methods of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, correctly judge the situation, scientifically plan for the future, be good at seizing opportunities, have the courage to respond to challenges, and constantly enhance the systematic, predictable and creative nature of our work. It is necessary to improve the quality of investigation and study, and through various channels and methods, accurately grasp the new situation, new problems, and new trends in economic and social development, accurately grasp the needs of the grassroots and the expectations of the masses and make policy decisions more in line with reality and the wishes of the masses.
Comrades and friends!
Today, socialism with Chinese characteristics is full of vitality and shows a bright future, and the grand goal that the revolutionaries of the older generation were determined to strive for is gradually becoming a reality. We must unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee, forge ahead, work hard, and make unremitting efforts to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization!
Highlights of Speeches at the symposium commemorating the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth
Qu Qingshan, President of the Central Academy of Party History and Literature:
Today, with great reverence, we are attending a forum to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth. Throughout his life, Comrade Chen Yun attached great importance to the study of Marxist philosophy and summed up and adhered to the “15-character formula” of “not only the top, not only the book, but only the truth, exchange, comparison, and repetition.” Here, I would like to talk about my understanding and experience of learning this method of thinking.
The “15-character formula” originated from the three conversations between Comrade Chen Yun and Comrade Mao Zedong during the Yan’an period. At that time, Comrade Chen Yun asked Comrade Mao Zedong for advice on “how to make fewer mistakes or not make big mistakes.” Comrade Mao Zedong said that “making mistakes is a matter of ideology and method,” and the reason why he made mistakes was “not because of lack of experience, but because of wrong ideological methods.” He also suggested that he study a little philosophy. Following the guidance of Comrade Mao Zedong, Comrade Chen Yun summed up his practical experience while studying philosophy and gradually synthesized his understanding and experience as a “15-character formula.” He said: “Of these 15 words, the first nine are materialism and the last six are dialectics. For these 15 words, Comrade Chen Yun has realized all his life’s work, talked about it all his life, and used it all his life.
“Not only the top, not only the book, but only the truth” is an incisive summary of the Marxist principle of material unity in the world, and its essence is in the word “real”. Comrade Chen Yun stressed: “Only by proceeding from reality” to study and deal with problems is “the most reliable”; “All work must not rely on pretence or closing our eyes and ears but must proceed from reality.” Comrade Chen Yun thought about problems, made decisions, and did things, always insisting on proceeding from objective reality rather than subjective wishes, and advocated and practiced telling the truth, doing honest things, and being an honest person all his life.
“Exchange, comparison, and repetition” is an incisive summary of the Marxist principle of the contradictory movement of things, and its essence is in the word “whole.” Comrade Chen Yun pointed out: “The key to proceeding from reality is to proceed from one-sided reality or from comprehensive reality. It is important to look at reality completely”. Comrade Chen Yun emphasized that it is necessary to spend more than 90 percent of the time to find out the situation and less than 10 percent to decide on policies, and always on the basis of a large amount of investigation and study, to separate the false from the true, and to form a relatively comprehensive understanding that conforms to objective reality from the other and from the surface to the inside, so as to grasp the essence and laws of things.
The “15-character formula” represents a high degree of condensation of materialist dialectics, and its essence is to seek truth from facts. Comrade Chen Yun said that during the Yan’an period, when he “read all the documents and telegrams drafted by Chairman Mao, he felt that there was a basic guiding ideology running through them, that is, seeking truth from facts.” So, how can we be realistic? The main way that Comrade Chen Yun explored and summed up was the “15-character formula.” In the work in several fields in which he was in charge, he always insisted on proceeding from reality and implementing seeking truth from facts in all aspects of the work.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The scientific worldview and methodology are the ‘general key’ for us to study and solve problems. Comrade Chen Yun’s 15-character formula’ is a vivid example of the Chinese Communists’ persistence in studying and solving practical problems with the Marxist world outlook and methodology, and formulating a popular expression of Marxism in China. In the great practice of the new era, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the main representative, founded Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, opened up a new realm of Marxism in China and the times, and provided a powerful ideological weapon and action guide for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Today, the best way for us to commemorate Comrade Chen Yun is to inherit and carry forward his precious ideological wealth and continue to push forward the great cause pioneered by the revolutionaries of the older generation. We must arm the whole party, educate the people, and guide practice with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as the positions, views, and methods that run through it, persist in seeking truth from facts, upholding integrity and innovation, and make unremitting efforts to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization!
Liu Qi, Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Secretary of its Party Leadership Group:
Today, we commemorate the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth with great reverence, deeply cherish the memory of his immortal meritorious service for the party, the country, and the people, and remember and learn from his lofty demeanour and fine work style.
From January 1975 to July 1979, Comrade Chen Yun served as Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fourth and Fifth National People’s Congress. He has always adhered to the work style of seeking truth from facts, being scientific and rigorous, strictly implementing the system of democratic centralism, and making important contributions to the formulation and improvement of China’s constitution, the establishment and development of the people’s congress system, and the promotion of the building of socialist democracy and legal system.
Comrade Chen Yun has made important contributions to the formulation and improvement of China’s Constitution. As a representative of the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, he participated in the formulation of the “Common Program of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference” with provisional constitutional status. He took part in the drafting of the first constitution of the People’s Republic of China and participated in the deliberation and voting of the draft constitution at the first session of the first National People’s Congress. In 1980, he served as a member of the Constitutional Revision Committee, where he participated in the work with a high sense of political responsibility and listened to relevant work reports.
Comrade Chen Yun made positive contributions to the establishment, upholding, and improvement of the people’s congress system. He participated in the discussion of the first draft election law of the People’s Republic of China and promoted the formal establishment of the people’s congress system on the basis of democratic elections. He was successively elected as a deputy to the first to fifth National People’s Congress, participated in the study of important issues in the preparation and convening of the first and second sessions of the National People’s Congress, and participated in the establishment of an inspection system for people’s congress deputies. As a responsible comrade of the State Council, he also spoke at the NPC sessions on many occasions to explain relevant policies. During his tenure as Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, he went to many provinces and municipalities to conduct surveyss and investigations, conscientiously participated in relevant meetings and activities, and made contributions to the restoration and development of the people’s congress system. At the Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress, he participated in the deliberation and adoption of resolutions on amending certain provisions of the Constitution and local organic laws, thus playing an important role in the development of the people’s congress system.
Comrade Chen Yun has made unique contributions to promoting economic development on the track of the rule of law. In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, he gave in-depth consideration to major issues such as planning and the market, and put forward important opinions on the improvement of the draft government work report submitted to the National People’s Congress for deliberation. In the process of formulating the Law on Sino-Foreign Joint Ventures, he fully listened to the opinions of the departments concerned and gave clear instructions on better attracting foreign investment. After deliberation, the Law on Sino-Foreign Joint Ventures adopted by the Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress deleted the relevant restrictive provisions. He urged the departments concerned to crack down on economic crimes in accordance with the law. After deliberation, the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People’s Congress made corresponding supplementary amendments to the Criminal Law to provide strong legal support for the maintenance of socialist economic order.
Today, we commemorate the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth, and review his important contributions to the people’s congress system and the work of the people’s congress, that is, to inherit and carry forward his noble demeanour and excellent qualities, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, in-depth study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 2nd and 3rd Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, deeply understand the decisive significance of the “two establishments”, enhance the “four consciousnesses”, and strengthen the “four self-confidences”, to achieve the “two safeguards”, upright and innovative responsiblity, adhere to, improve and operate the people’s congress system, and provide a solid institutional guarantee for comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization!
Wang Zhijun, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council:
Today, with great reverence, we are attending a forum to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth. Comrade Chen Yun is an outstanding leader of our party’s economic work, who has made important contributions to China’s socialist economic construction and left behind precious spiritual wealth.
Comrade Chen Yun attached great importance to strengthening the party’s leadership over economic work, especially the centralized and unified leadership of the party Central Committee, stressing that “to realize the four modernizations, we must rely on our party’s leadership” and that socialist economic construction “must strengthen and rely on the party’s leadership, especially the core leadership role of the party Central Committee.” Before and after the founding of New China, he participated in and led the “Silver Dollar War,” the “War of Rice and Cotton,” the unified purchase and marketing of major agricultural products, and the readjustment of the national economy. He profoundly pointed out that in economic activities, the central authorities should concentrate the powers that must be concentrated, and that the political authority of the central authorities should be based on the economic authority of the central authorities, and he particularly stressed the need to safeguard and strengthen the authority of the party Central Committee, saying that “without the authority of the central authorities, great things cannot be accomplished, and society cannot be stable.” Comrade Chen Yun showed a high degree of political consciousness and strong party spirit and principles and set an example for the whole party. We must deeply understand the decisive significance of the “two establishments”, resolutely achieve the “two safeguards”, implement the decision-making and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions with higher standards, and be vigorous and resolute executors, actioners who overcome difficulties, and doers who are good at doing good work.
Comrade Chen Yun insisted that economic construction should be carried out in a down-to-earth manner, in a steady and consistent manner, in accordance with objective laws, and in order to maintain a proportionate and balanced development of the national economy. He pointed out that in a big country like ours, economic stability is extremely important, and when drawing up and implementing five-year plans and annual plans, we must do what we can and give full consideration to the national conditions and national strength to determine the scale of construction. He explicitly pointed out that economic work should be considered in various ways and taken into account in an overall manner, and that it is necessary to properly grasp the balance between fiscal revenue and expenditure, bank credit, material supply and demand, and foreign exchange revenue and expenditure, properly handle the proportional relationship between economic construction and the people’s livelihood, industry and agriculture, and accumulation and consumption, and attach importance to doing a good job in agriculture, water conservancy, and environmental protection. We need to strengthen the overall concept and systematic thinking, implement the new development concept completely, accurately and comprehensively, coordinate and promote the overall layout of the “five-in-one” and the “four comprehensive” strategic layout, and solidly promote the steady and long-term development of China’s economy and achieve high-quality development.
Comrade Chen Yun advocated deepening the reform of the economic system in order to better develop the productive forces and realize the self-improvement and development of the socialist system. In the early days of the founding of New China, he put forward the idea of “three main bodies and three supplements,” which was very commendable at that time. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, he proposed that we should consciously bring into play and expand the role of market regulation and support the exploration of a new socialist economic system that is in line with reality and full of vitality, which has had a broad and profound impact. He advocated the need to independently carry out foreign economic exchanges, pay attention to the use of foreign capital and the introduction of new technologies, and actively support the construction of special economic zones and the development and opening up of Pudong. With a strong determination to carry out reform to the end, we should make overall plans to promote in-depth reform and high-level opening-up and constantly expand the development space for Chinese-style modernization.
Throughout his life, Comrade Chen Yun was firm in his ideals and beliefs, infinitely loyal to the party and the people, and his feelings for the people and lofty demeanour have always inspired and spurred us. On the new journey, we must unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, focus on the central task of economic construction and the primary task of high-quality development, carry forward the spirit of struggle, forge ahead, and make unremitting efforts to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization!
Gong Zheng, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Mayor:
Today, with great reverence, we express the deep nostalgia of the people in our hometown for Comrade Chen Yun, and we are determined to inherit the legacy of Comrade Chen Yun and make new contributions to the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core.
Shanghai is the starting point for Comrade Chen Yun to embark on the revolutionary road, strengthen his ideals and convictions, and establish immortal meritorious deeds. Comrade Chen Yun was born on June 13, 1905 in a poor peasant family in Qingpu. In 1919, he went to Shanghai as an apprentice at the Commercial Press, and then accepted Marxism. In 1925, he participated in the May Day Movement, led the general strike of the Commercial Press, and then joined the Communist Party of China. From 1928 to 1929, he engaged in the revolutionary movement in the suburbs of Shanghai, leading the armed peasant uprisings in Xiaozhen, Fengjing, and Zhuangxing. In 1931, he assisted Comrade Zhou Enlai in decisively handling the emergency incident of Gu Shunzhang’s arrest and betrayal, ensured the safety of the Party Central Committee, and then led the Central Special Branch to continue the struggle against the enemy. After the liberation of Shanghai in 1949, in the face of the chaotic situation of the national economy, the Party Central Committee arranged for Comrade Chen Yun to be based in Shanghai. He grasped the “two whites and one black” of rice, gauze, and coal, and coordinated the forces of all quarters to crack down on financial speculation and curb the sharp rise in prices, thus laying an important foundation for the rapid recovery and development of the national economy after the founding of New China. Whether he was leading the workers’ and peasants’ movement, carrying out underground work, or leading economic construction, Comrade Chen Yun always braved hardships and dangers and bravely shouldered heavy burdens, fully demonstrating his extraordinary courage and ability. The people of my hometown are very proud of Comrade Chen Yun, a great proletarian revolutionary and statesman, who walked out of Shanghai!
Comrade Chen Yun has always been concerned about his hometown and attached great importance to and supported the development of Shanghai. In 1956, Comrade Chen Yun made a special trip to Shanghai to convey Comrade Mao Zedong’s instructions that ‘Shanghai has a future and must develop’ and gave guidance to Shanghai’s industrial development. From 1955 to 1961, Comrade Chen Yun returned to Qingpu four times to conduct in-depth rural surveys and put forward opinions on rural grain issues and production development, which provided a basis for decision-making for the central authorities to formulate and adjust rural policies. In 1979, Comrade Chen Yun went to Shanghai for in-depth research on whether Baosteel should continue to “get started” or be “dismounted”, and put forward eight opinions, including “doing it to the end”, buying equipment and buying technology and patents, which made important contributions to the smooth development of Baosteel’s construction. In the early 90s of the last century, the CPC Central Committee made a major decision to develop and open up Pudong. Comrade Chen Yun gave full support and pointed out that “there is great hope in Shanghai,” which greatly encouraged the cadres and masses in Shanghai. From 1990 to 1994, Comrade Chen Yun came to Shanghai every year. When he saw the achievements of his hometown in the “three years of great changes,” Comrade Chen Yun was very pleased and encouraged Shanghai to do a better job.
The revolutionary footprints and stories of struggle left by Comrade Chen Yun in Shanghai are a vivid epitome of his wholehearted commitment to the party and the people, and have inspired generations of Shanghai’s sons and daughters to continue to forge ahead and work hard. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Shanghai has adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly studied and implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech during his inspection in Shanghai, accelerated the construction of the “five centres”, and the scale of the city’s economy has entered a new stage of more than five trillion yuan.
From April 28 to 30 this year, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Shanghai, he once again entrusted Shanghai with the important mission of taking responsibility for the country and being a brave soldier. We will unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, deeply understand the decisive significance of the “two establishments”, resolutely achieve the “two safeguards”, accelerate the construction of a modern socialist international metropolis with world influence, and never fail to live up to the great trust placed in Shanghai by the CPC Central Committee.
