People's Daily - October 23, 2026

Commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Held in Beijing

■ Reviewing history is meant to draw wisdom and strength for forging ahead. Ninety years on, as we look back once more at that period of suffering and glory, we have come to understand even more deeply that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, and that it embodies the way of triumph by which the Party and the people's army have marched forward with resounding steps. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on the correct leadership of the Party; the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position had decisive significance for the victory of the Red Army's Long March. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on firm revolutionary will; revolutionary ideals and revolutionary convictions can unleash inexhaustible strength to overcome stubborn enemies and shake mountains, and a contingent with lofty ideals and firm convictions is invincible. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts; only when the basic principles of Marxism are closely integrated with China's concrete realities can they solve China's problems and demonstrate powerful vitality. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on the support of the broad masses of the people; the people will forever be the source of strength and the staunch backing of the Party and the people's army. As long as we take deep root among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be always victorious (无往而不胜, wu wang bu sheng - "no, go, not, win").

■ The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, and it is the new Long March of the Party and the people. To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must hold fast to the Party's ideals, convictions, and purposes, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, bear in mind the original aspiration and founding mission, and closely rely on the people to create new historic achievements. We must unswervingly promote high-quality development and continuously meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, make coordinated progress in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, make coordinated efforts to advance the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, promote effective improvement in the quality of the economy and reasonable growth in its quantity, and promote common prosperity for all the people. We must be courageous in carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and, with a historical initiative spirit, overcome difficulties, combat risks, and meet challenges, ensuring that the great ship of China's rejuvenation sails forward by cleaving through waves and breaking the surf (劈波斩浪, pi bo zhan lang - "split, waves, hack, waves") and making steady progress to achieve long-term goals (行稳致远, xing wen zhi yuan - "walk, steady, reach, far"). We must accelerate the building of the people's army into a world-class military, always uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the people's army, achieve the centenary goal of the people's army on schedule, and advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces with high quality. We must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building, persevere in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, continuously realize the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement, and ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) The meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was solemnly held on the morning of October 22 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the country, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech, emphasizing that only by remembering history can we create the future. The entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country must unite even more closely around the Party Central Committee, vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit, continue the struggle and forge ahead through hardships (砥砺前行, di li qian xing - "grind, whet, front, walk"), continuously advance the great cause created by the revolutionary predecessors, and strive with all our might to create new brilliance on the new Long March road.

Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Han Zheng, Vice President of the country, attended the meeting.

The atmosphere in the grand auditorium of the Great Hall of the People was solemn and warm. Above the rostrum hung the meeting banner reading "Meeting Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army"; at the center of the rear backdrop was the gleaming emblem of the Communist Party of China, below which was the lettering "1936—2026," with ten red flags arrayed on both sides. A slogan hung on the second-floor balcony: "Closely unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carry forward the great Long March spirit, walk well the new Long March road, and strive unremittingly to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization!"

At 10 a.m., Zhao Leji announced the opening of the commemorative meeting, and all present stood and sang the national anthem.

Amid warm applause, Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. On behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, and on behalf of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, he paid high tribute to the older-generation revolutionaries such as Comrades Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De, who led the Red Army in creating the historic feat of the Long March; to the Red Army commanders and fighters who fought bloody battles during the Long March and persisted in revolutionary struggle in various places; to the people of all ethnic groups who supported the Red Army's Long March at the time, especially the people of the various revolutionary base areas; and to all surviving Red Army veterans. He proposed that all present stand and observe a moment of silence in memory of the revolutionary martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives during the Long March and in revolutionary struggles in various places.

Xi Jinping pointed out that from October 1934 to October 1936, our Party led the Red Army's First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies and the Twenty-Fifth Army in a great Long March that shook the world and is recorded in the annals of history. The Red Army's Long March traversed more than ten provinces, covered 25,000 li, shattered the encirclement, pursuit, interception, and blockade of over a million enemy troops, proclaimed the complete failure of the Kuomintang reactionaries' plot to eliminate the Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army, victoriously realized the strategic shift of marching north to resist Japan, and successfully opened up a new situation in the Chinese revolution. This earth-shaking revolutionary feat has great significance in the history of our Party, our country, and our military, and has had a profound impact on the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This heroic epic of magnificent spirit will forever be engraved on the monument of the Chinese revolution and forever remembered in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.

Xi Jinping emphasized that reviewing history is meant to draw wisdom and strength for forging ahead. Ninety years on, as we look back once more at that period of suffering and glory, we have come to understand even more deeply that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, and that it embodies the way of triumph by which the Party and the people's army have marched forward with resounding steps. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on the correct leadership of the Party; the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position had decisive significance for the victory of the Red Army's Long March. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on firm revolutionary will; revolutionary ideals and revolutionary convictions can unleash inexhaustible strength to overcome stubborn enemies and shake mountains, and a contingent with lofty ideals and firm convictions is invincible. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts; only when the basic principles of Marxism are closely integrated with China's concrete realities can they solve China's problems and demonstrate powerful vitality. This road of great victory was walked out by relying on the support of the broad masses of the people; the people will forever be the source of strength and the staunch backing of the Party and the people's army. As long as we take deep root among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be always victorious.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the Red Army's Long March created an extraordinary miracle in the human world and forged the great Long March spirit. Where the spirit lies, there lies the strength. The great Long March spirit fully manifests the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity. As an important component of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists, it transcends time and space and has been becoming renewed with the passage of time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "long, time, even, new"), forever serving as a precious asset and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and advance bravely.

Xi Jinping emphasized that the history of the Long March has never receded into the distance, and the road of the Long March is continuously extending. In the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another and seizing one great victory after another in the various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the new era. Through the joint efforts of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule, historic achievements have been made and historic changes have occurred in the cause of the Party and the state. We are now committed, on the new journey, to building a great modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the Second Centenary Goal, comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, and it is the new Long March of the Party and the people. To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must hold fast to the Party's ideals, convictions, and purposes, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, bear in mind the original aspiration and founding mission, and closely rely on the people to create new historic achievements. We must unswervingly promote high-quality development and continuously meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, make coordinated progress in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, make coordinated efforts to advance the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, promote effective improvement in the quality of the economy and reasonable growth in its quantity, and promote common prosperity for all the people. We must be courageous in carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and, with a historical initiative spirit, overcome difficulties, combat risks, and meet challenges, ensuring that the great ship of China's rejuvenation sails forward by cleaving through waves and breaking the surf and making steady progress to achieve long-term goals. We must accelerate the building of the people's army into a world-class military, always uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the people's army, achieve the centenary goal of the people's army on schedule, and advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces with high quality. We must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building, persevere in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, continuously realize the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement, and ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. (Full text of the speech on page 2)

Zhao Leji pointed out while presiding over the meeting that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech reviewed the great course of our Party leading the Red Army in the Long March, summarized the great significance of the victory of the Long March, revealed the way of triumph by which the Party and the people's army marched forward with resounding steps embodied in the victory of the Long March, expounded the historical value of the great Long March spirit, and put forward the clear requirements of the "five musts" for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and walking well the new Long March road. The speech has strong political, ideological, and guiding significance, and we must earnestly study and understand it and do a good job of implementing it. The entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country must unite even more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), enhance the Four Consciousnesses (四个意识), strengthen the Four Confidences (四个自信), and achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护), carry forward the great Long March spirit, walk well the new Long March road, and strive unremittingly to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

The meeting concluded with the stirring strains of "The Internationale."

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission, Vice Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee, State Councilors, the President of the Supreme People's Court, and Vice Chairpersons of the CPPCC National Committee attended the meeting.

Approximately 3,000 people attended the meeting, including principal leading comrades of central Party, government, military, and mass organization departments and of Beijing; leading members of the central committees of the democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and representatives of non-party personages; representatives of veteran comrades; representatives of officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police Force; and representatives of the masses from all walks of life in the capital.

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Striving to Create New Splendor on the New Long March

By: 本报评论员

The Long March of the Red Army was an earth-shaking (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "shock heaven, move earth") revolutionary feat and a magnificent (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, strengthen, mountain, river") heroic epic.

On October 22, a grand gathering commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was solemnly held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the gathering and delivered an important speech. Remembering revolutionary history and carrying forward the great spirit — this is a powerful mobilization for hundreds of millions of people advancing on the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country.

Proceeding from the overall situation of the development of the Party and the country's undertakings, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the way to victory embodied in the triumphant advance of the Party and the people's army contained in the victory of the Long March, put forward the clear requirements of the "Five Musts" for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading the new Long March road, and called on us to "keep pushing forward the great cause pioneered by our revolutionary predecessors and strive to create new splendor on the new Long March road," fully demonstrating the high consciousness and historical initiative of Communists of the new era in keeping in mind the original aspiration and founding mission and bravely shouldering the heavy responsibilities of the times.

The Red Army feared not the trials of the distant march; countless mountains and rivers (万水千山, wan shui qian shan - "ten thousand, water, thousand, mountain") were treated as nothing.

Ninety years ago, our Party led the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to successfully complete the Long March, which shocked the world and is recorded in the annals of history. This great victory realized the great turn of the Communist Party of China and the cause of the Chinese revolution from setback to victory, launched a new great advance of the Communist Party of China in its struggle for national independence and the liberation of the people, and stands as a towering monument in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Over the past 90 years, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another and seizing one great victory after another. Today, we are closer to, more confident in, and more capable of achieving the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than at any time in history, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an unstoppable trend.

From the ten-thousand-li Long March to the great rejuvenation, "the Party's leadership is the foundation and lifeline of the Party and the country, and the interests and destiny of the people of all ethnic groups across the country."

The Zunyi Meeting held during the Long March became "a matter of life and death (生死攸关, sheng si you guan - "life, death, have, relate") turning point" in the Party's history precisely because the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position saved the Party, saved the Red Army, and saved the Chinese revolution at the most critical moment.

The years of the new era have been extremely unusual and extraordinary.

Holding high the banner and setting the direction amid rapidly changing (风云变幻, feng yun bian huan - "wind, cloud, change, transform") circumstances, and strategizing (运筹帷幄, yun chou wei wo - "plan, strategy, curtain, tent") amid major tests and great challenges, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united and led the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country in overcoming one difficulty and danger after another and writing a new chapter of the two miracles.

Today, our Party has developed into the world's largest governing party with significant global influence, and the Chinese nation is advancing toward the great rejuvenation with unstoppable steps. We have come to understand more deeply that the Two Establishments (两个确立) are of decisive significance to the development of the Party and the country's undertakings in the new era and to advancing the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

From the ten-thousand-li Long March to the great rejuvenation, "having the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is the fundamental basis for our Party's firm beliefs and convictions and its grasp of historical initiative."

Relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts, the Long March "surmounted the erroneous ideological obstacle of treating Marxism as an unchanging (一成不变, yi cheng bu bian - "one, become, not, change") dogma" and found the correct path for the Chinese revolution and the correct theory guiding this path.

Creatively putting forward the new development philosophy of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, leading the continuous realization of development that is of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer;

Putting forward the theory of new quality productive forces and making major arrangements, leading the shaping of new drivers and new advantages for development, "enabling our country to always maintain the role of a trendsetter in the tide of the modern economy"...

Adhering to the Two Integrations and scientifically answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has achieved a new leap in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.

Grasping historical initiative with theoretical initiative, and stirring the strength to strive with the power of thought, hundreds of millions of people under the Party's leadership firmly hold the destiny of the country's development and progress in their own hands.

From the ten-thousand-li Long March to the great rejuvenation, "the masses of the people are forever the source of strength and the strong backing of the Party and the people's army. As long as we are deeply rooted in the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses of the people, the Party's cause will be invincible."

The Red Army won battles because the people were its mountain of support. It was precisely because the Party and the Red Army won over the masses and won the hearts of the people through concrete actions that the masses of the people "believed in the Communist Party and believed in the Red Army" and unswervingly followed the Party.

The story of the apple reflects the political character of Communists of the new era. At the Memorial Hall of the Liaoshen Campaign, he admonished that "such apples, we cannot eat even now"; during an inspection in Yan'an, Shaanxi, he pointed out that "vigorously developing the apple planting industry can be said to enjoy favorable timing, geographical advantage, and popular support"; in Tianshui, Gansu, he wished "the villagers' lives to be as flourishing (红红火火, hong hong huo huo - "red, red, fire, fire") as apples." One apple reveals work style and reveals action.

Since the advent of the new era, we have won the battle against poverty, lifting nearly 100 million rural poor people out of poverty; we have continued to deepen the concentrated rectification of unhealthy practices and corruption problems around the masses, so that the masses can truly feel that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is right by their side and that fairness and justice are right by their side...

I will have no self, and I will not fail the people. Traveling ten thousand li, the people come first.

"The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, and it is the new Long March of the Party and the people."

We must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, resolutely achieve the Two Upholds, vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit, and work together with one heart and mind (同心协力, tong xin xie li - "same, heart, cooperate, strength") and charge forward without hesitation (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one, go, no, front") on the new Long March road.

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Li Qiang returns to Beijing after concluding visit

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) On the morning of October 22, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang returned to Beijing by special plane after concluding the 31st regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government. State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Wu Zhenglong and other accompanying personnel arrived on the same flight.

Upon departure from St. Petersburg, senior Russian government officials and Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui were present at the airport to see them off.

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Zhao Leji Chairs 74th Chairmen's Meeting of 14th NPC Standing Committee

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Peng Bo) The 74th Chairmen's Meeting of the 14th NPC Standing Committee was held on the afternoon of the 22nd at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Zhao Leji, chairman of the committee, presided over the meeting. The meeting decided that the 25th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee will be held in Beijing from November 2 to 6.

The Chairmen's Meeting proposed that the 25th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee deliberate the draft Procuratorial Public Interest Litigation Law, the draft Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law, the draft revised Water Law, the draft Anti-Cross-Border Corruption Law, the draft State-Owned Assets Law, and the draft Financial Law; deliberate the proposal submitted by the Chairmen's Meeting of the NPC Standing Committee on requesting deliberation of the draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law; deliberate the proposal submitted by the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee on requesting deliberation of the draft revised Renewable Energy Law; deliberate the proposals submitted by the State Council on requesting deliberation of the draft revised Tax Collection Administration Law and on requesting deliberation of the draft amendments to 15 laws including the Emergency Response Law; and deliberate the proposal submitted by the State Council on requesting deliberation of the approval of the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.

The agenda for the 25th session of the Standing Committee proposed by the Chairmen's Meeting also includes: deliberating the State Council's report on financial work, the comprehensive report on the management of state-owned assets in 2025, and the special report on the management of state-owned natural resource assets in 2025; deliberating the report of the Supreme People's Court on the work of people's assessors in the people's courts; deliberating the report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate on the work of procuratorial organs regarding intellectual property prosecution; deliberating the reports of the law enforcement inspection teams of the NPC Standing Committee on inspecting the implementation of the Food Security Guarantee Law, on inspecting the implementation of the Hainan Free Trade Port Law, and on inspecting the implementation of the Barrier-Free Environment Construction Law; deliberating the reports on the results of the deliberation of proposals submitted by deputies and referred for deliberation by the Presidium of the Fourth Session of the 14th NPC, submitted respectively by the NPC Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee, the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and the Social Development Affairs Committee; deliberating the report of the Credentials Committee of the NPC Standing Committee on the credentials of individual deputies; and deliberating relevant appointment and dismissal matters, among others.

The Chairmen's Meeting deliberated the report of the Representative Work Committee of the NPC Standing Committee on the handling of opinions and suggestions put forward by deputies during the Fourth Session of the 14th NPC on strengthening and improving the work of the people's congresses.

At the Chairmen's Meeting, Liu Qi, secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, reported on the draft agenda and schedule for the 25th session of the Standing Committee. Relevant deputy secretaries-general of the NPC Standing Committee, and heads of relevant special committees of the NPC and relevant working committees of the Standing Committee reported on relevant agenda items.

Vice chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee Li Hongzhong, Wang Dongming, Xiao Jie, Zheng Jianbang, Ding Zhongli, Hao Mingjin, Cai Dafeng, He Wei, Wu Weihua, Tie Ning, Peng Qinghua, Zhang Qingwei, Losang Jamcan, and Shohrat Zakir attended the meeting.

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Speech at the Ceremony Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China

By: 习近平

Comrades:

Today, we gather solemnly to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China.

More than 90 years ago, our country and nation were facing both domestic and international challenges (内忧外患, nei you wai huan - "inside, trouble; outside, distress"), as the Japanese aggressors intensified their invasion of China and the reactionary Kuomintang clique launched successive large-scale "encirclement and suppression" campaigns against the revolutionary base areas led by the Communist Party of China. Due to the erroneous leadership of "Left" dogmatism within the Party, the fifth counter-encirclement and suppression campaign in the Central Revolutionary Base Area failed, and other revolutionary base areas also suffered setbacks. The Party and the Red Army reached a critical juncture of a matter of life and death (生死存亡, sheng si cun wang - "live, die; exist, perish").

Under such grave circumstances, from October 1934 to October 1936, our Party led the Red Army's First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies and the Twenty-Fifth Army in a great Long March that shook the world and is recorded with distinction in the annals of history. The Red Army's Long March traversed more than ten provinces, covered 25,000 li, crossed nearly one hundred rivers, climbed snow-capped mountains, and passed through vast grasslands, fighting more than 600 battles and campaigns, smashing the encirclement, pursuit, blocking, and interception of over one million enemy troops, proclaiming the complete failure of the reactionary Kuomintang clique's plot to eliminate the Communist Party of China and the Red Army, successfully realizing the strategic shift of marching north to resist Japan, and successfully opening up a new situation in the Chinese revolution.

After the main forces of the Red Army set out on the Long March, the Red Army units and guerrilla forces left behind in the revolutionary base areas, the Red Army in the Northwest, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, Party organizations in Kuomintang-ruled areas, and other forces under the Party's leadership persisted in struggle under extremely difficult circumstances, all making indelible contributions to the victory of the Long March.

The Red Army's Long March, this earth-shaking or sensational (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "shock, heaven; move, earth") revolutionary feat, holds great significance in the history of our Party, our country, and our military, and has exerted a profound influence on the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This magnificent and heroic in spirit (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, mighty; mountains, rivers") heroic epic will forever be engraved on the monument of the Chinese revolution and forever remembered in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.

Here, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission, on behalf of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, I extend high respect to Comrades Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, and other older-generation revolutionaries who led the Red Army in creating this historic feat, to the Red Army commanders and fighters who fighting bravely amidst bloodshed (浴血奋战, yu xue fen zhan - "bathe, blood; struggle, fight") and persisted in revolutionary struggle in various places, to the people of all ethnic groups who supported the Red Army's Long March, especially the people of the revolutionary base areas, and to all surviving Red Army veterans!

I propose that we all stand and observe a moment of silence in memory of the revolutionary martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives during the Long March and in revolutionary struggles in various places!

Comrades!

We review history in order to draw wisdom and strength for forging ahead. Today, 90 years later, as we look back once again on that period of suffering and glory, we have come to understand more deeply that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, and that it embodies the way to victory by which the Party and the people's army advanced with resounding steps.

— The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was paved by relying on the correct leadership of the Party. In the early period of the Long March, the errors of the "Left" line caused enormous losses to the Party and the Red Army. In January 1935, the Political Bureau held the Zunyi Meeting, which in fact established Comrade Mao Zedong's leadership position in the Party Central Committee and the Red Army, began to establish the leadership position of the correct Marxist line mainly represented by Comrade Mao Zedong in the Party Central Committee, began to form the Party's first generation of central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core, opened a new stage in which the Party independently and autonomously solved the practical problems of the Chinese revolution, and at the most critical moment saved the Party, saved the Red Army, and saved the Chinese revolution. After the Zunyi Meeting, the Party and the Red Army gained new life, broke through one barrier after another and defeated Zhang Guotao's splittism, ultimately achieving victory in the Long March. History has eloquently proven that the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position were of decisive significance to the victory of the Red Army's Long March.

— The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was paved by relying on firm revolutionary will. During the Long March, in the face of extraordinary difficulties and twists and turns, the Party and the Red Army held unwavering convictions, facing death in the hail of bullets, surviving against all odds at the limits of survival, and being reborn from fire through tempered through many trials and tribulations (千锤百炼, qian chui bai lian - "thousand, hammer; hundred, refine"), displaying the lofty revolutionary spirit of being indomitable and unyielding despite setbacks (百折不挠, bai zhe bu nao - "hundred, break; not, yield"), advancing courageously without hesitation (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one, go; no, forward"), fighting bravely, and treating death as returning home (视死如归, shi si ru gui - "regard, death; as, return"). Communist Party members and Red Army officers and soldiers armed with iron will, suffering hunger and cold yet never taking a single needle or thread from the masses, vowing to crawl to northern Shaanxi even after having a wounded leg amputated, sounded one heroic paean after another that moved heaven and earth. History has eloquently proven that revolutionary ideals and revolutionary convictions can unleash inexhaustible strength capable of overcoming formidable enemies and shaking mountains, and that a contingent with lofty ideals and firm convictions is invincible.

— The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was paved by relying on independence and autonomy and seeking truth from facts. The process of the Long March was also a process of our Party's arduous exploration of the revolutionary path. In the face of the erroneous tendency within the Party of dogmatizing Marxism, in the face of the agony and confusion of "fierce crossing of the Xiang River with blood like a torrent, where will the three armies head today," our Party, through the lessons learned in blood, deeply came to understand the laws of the Chinese revolution, gradually shook off the shackles of dogmatism, and began to independently and autonomously and in a truth-seeking manner solve major issues such as which path to take and how to fight battles. It was precisely under the guidance of the Party's correct line that the Red Army's operational command adopted a series of strategic and tactical approaches that were suited to reality and flexible and mobile, thereby successfully breaking through the enemy's layer upon layer of blockades and continuously moving toward new life and new victory.History has eloquently proven that only when the basic principles of Marxism are closely integrated with China's concrete reality can they solve China's problems and demonstrate powerful vitality.

— The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was paved by relying on the support of the broad masses of the people. Along the way, the Party and the Red Army, wherever they went, not committing even the slightest theft or transgression (秋毫无犯, qiu hao wu fan - "autumn, hair; none, violate"), fighting local tyrants, distributing land, opening granaries to distribute grain, and relieving the poor, won over the masses and won popular support through concrete actions. The masses along the way deeply felt that "the Red Army is the people's own army of the workers and peasants," and one after another they made military uniforms, raised grain and funds, risked their lives to rescue the wounded and deliver intelligence, and many enthusiastically joined the army and followed through life and death. From the reluctance of "seeing off the Red Army ten times," the protection of the night crossing at Yudu, to the warmth of the "half a quilt" and the oath of the "Yi Sea Alliance," all vividly embody the deep bond between the military and the people. Along the entire Long March, the Party's propositions were publicized, revolutionary seeds were sown, and the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the Party and the Red Army were greatly enhanced. History has eloquently proven that the masses of the people are forever the source of strength and the strong backing of the Party and the people's army, and that as long as we are deeply rooted among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be invincible.

Comrades!

The Red Army's Long March created an extraordinary miracle on earth and forged the great Long March spirit. The great Long March spirit is the spirit of placing the fundamental interests of the people of the whole country and the Chinese nation above all else, firmly believing in revolutionary ideals and convictions, and firmly believing that the just cause is bound to triumph; it is the spirit of fearing no difficulties or obstacles and sparing no sacrifice for the sake of saving the country and the people; it is the spirit of adhering to independence and autonomy, seeking truth from facts, and proceeding from reality in everything; it is the spirit of taking the overall situation into account, strictly observing discipline, and maintaining close unity; it is the spirit of closely relying on the masses of the people, sharing life and death, sharing weal and woe, and working hard with them.

Where the spirit lies, there lies the strength. The great Long March spirit fully manifests the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity. As an important component of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists, it transcends time and space, remains ever fresh through the ages, and will forever be a precious asset and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and advance courageously.

Comrades!

The history of the Long March has never receded into the distance, and the road of the Long March is constantly extending. In the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and in winning one great victory after another.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the new era. Through the joint efforts of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule, historic achievements have been made and historic changes have taken place in the cause of the Party and the state. We are now committed on the new journey to building a great modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the Second Centenary Goal, and to comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.

The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, and it is a new Long March for the Party and the people. Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we must vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit and work together in unity to walk well the new Long March road.

— To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must adhere to the Party's ideals, convictions, and purposes. Ideals, convictions, and purposes are the "soul" of Communists, always guiding the direction of our advance. On the new journey, we must fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, strengthen our belief in Marxism and our conviction in socialism and communism, strengthen our confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture, bear in mind our original aspiration and founding mission, adhere to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, and closely rely on the people to create new historic achievements.

— To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must unswervingly promote high-quality development and continuously meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life. Our Party is committed to the eternal cause of the Chinese nation, and first of all must accomplish the Party's missions and tasks in the new era and on the new journey. On the new journey, we must coordinate the advancement of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan (五位一体) overall layout, coordinate the advancement of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面) strategic layout, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of the new development pattern, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, promote the effective improvement of quality and reasonable growth of quantity in the economy, promote all-round social progress, adhere to development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people, and promote common prosperity for all the people.

— To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must be courageous in carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features. The road to ideals has never been smooth, and great victories are all achieved through tenacious struggle. On the new journey, in the face of complex and ever-changing international and domestic situations, we must dare to struggle and be good at struggling, continuously enhance the ambition, backbone, and confidence of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, better coordinate development and security, be prepared at all times to withstand major tests of high winds and rough waves or even violent storms, and with the spirit of historical initiative overcome difficulties, confront risks, and meet challenges, ensuring that the great ship of China's rejuvenation cleaves through waves and sails steadily and far.

— To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must accelerate the building of the people's military into a world-class military. The people's military will forever be the great wall of steel defending the cause of the Party and the state. On the new journey, we must fully implement the Party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era, always adhere to the Party's absolute leadership over the people's military, comprehensively advance political building of the military, strengthening the military through reform, strengthening the military through science and technology, strengthening the military through talent, and running the military in accordance with the law, promote the people's military to carry forward its red lineage and forever maintain its pure character, realize the centenary goal of military building on schedule, promote the modernization of national defense and the military with high quality, and write a new chapter of strengthening the military and rejuvenating the military that is worthy of the revolutionary predecessors, worthy of the century-old foundation, and worthy of the new era.

— To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must adhere to the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building. The Party's leadership and Party building are the fundamental guarantees for the development of the cause. On the new journey, we must thoroughly implement the Party building thought for the new era, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, adhere to the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, persistently advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, continuously realize the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement, continuously strengthen the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal, and ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Comrades!

Only by bearing history in mind can we create the future. The entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee, vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit, continue to strive and forge ahead, continuously advance the great cause pioneered by the revolutionary predecessors, and strive to create new brilliance on the new Long March road!

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22)

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Carry Forward the Great Long March Spirit and Strive to Create New Splendor

By: 新华社记者

This is an earth-shaking or tremendous (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "shock the heaven, move the earth") revolutionary feat; this is a magnificent or heroic (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, strengthen, mountain, river") heroic epic.

On October 22, a grand gathering commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was solemnly held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech, reviewing the great course in which our Party led the Red Army in the Long March, summarizing the great significance of the victory of the Long March, revealing the way to victory embodied in the Long March victory by which the Party and the people's army advanced with resounding steps, expounding the contemporary value of the great Long March spirit, and putting forward the clear requirements of the "five musts" for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading well the new Long March road.

General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech aroused strong resonance throughout the Party, the military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, and gathered the mighty force of united as one (万众一心, wan zhong yi xin - "ten thousand, masses, one, heart") in striving to forge ahead on the new journey of rejuvenation. Everyone unanimously expressed that they should unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carry forward the great Long March spirit, not forget history, strengthen confidence, continue the struggle, forge ahead through hardships (砥砺前行, di li qian xing - "grind, whet, forward, walk"), and strive to create new brilliance on the new Long March road.

Forever remember the glorious course recorded in history

Ninety years of time flies by (时光荏苒, shi guang ren ran - "time, light, slip, slip"), and the "red ribbon" remains as bright as ever. The resounding steps of the Red Army on its journey still echo across the land of China.

"The Red Army's Long March traversed more than ten provinces, advanced 25,000 li, crossed nearly a hundred rivers, climbed snow-capped mountains, and passed through vast grasslands." General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech stirred deep and lasting echoes in the heart of Wang Huiqun, a descendant of the Red Army and a resident of Yudu, Jiangxi.

"Back then, my father Wang Zhixian set out on the journey from the Yudu ferry crossing. Before he passed away, he told me that what was most unforgettable or deeply etched in one's heart (刻骨铭心, ke gu jin xin - "carve, bone, engrave, heart") was crossing the grassland; a comrade-in-arms who was still talking a moment before stepped into the mire and was gone in an instant. My father remembered that scene for his whole life," Wang Huiqun said.

"Over the years, as an extra, I have taken part in red-themed stage plays. Every performance is like retracing my father's generation's road," Wang Huiqun said. "I will continue to do so, telling audiences the stories of the Red Army, so that more people can learn about the ferry crossings on the Yudu River and understand the sacrifices and perseverance along the Long March."

At Jiangtaibao in Xiji County, Ningxia, within the Memorial Park of the Red Army Long March Rendezvous stands a stone sundial, with "1936.10.22" engraved on the surrounding floor tiles, recording the historic moment of the victorious rendezvous.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has made me deeply realize that the Red Army's Long March successfully opened up a new situation for the Chinese revolution, and following the Party was the most steadfast choice Red Army soldiers made in the face of difficulties," said Xie Yaji, director of the Service Center of the Jiangtaibao Red Army Long March Rendezvous Memorial Park. "We will rely on red resources to make the history of the Long March more tangible and touching, and guide more people to carry forward the glorious traditions and continue the red bloodline."

"Listening on site to General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, I have gained a deeper understanding of the great significance of the Long March in the history of our Party, our country, and our military," said Wang Canguo, deputy director of the Publicity and Education Division of the Publicity Department of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee. "The victory of the Long March fully demonstrated the power of the nature and purpose of the Chinese Communist Party and consolidated the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses. We should guide Party members, cadres, and the masses through diverse and rich forms to remember history, not forget the martyrs, uphold the original aspiration and founding mission, and bear in mind that the Long March is always on the road."

Years record meritorious deeds; lofty spirit forges monuments.

"In his important speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. The Red Army's Long March, the march north to resist Japan, and the bloody battles of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army are all revolutionary epics written by the Party leading the people." In Harbin, Heilongjiang, Yu Wensheng, deputy curator of the Northeast Martyrs Memorial Hall, earnestly studied General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and was filled with emotion. He said that efforts should be made to deeply explore the inner connection between the great Long March spirit and the spirit of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and to spread the lofty spirit of the revolutionary martyrs who were loyal to the Party, worked hard, and fought to the end.

At Xulai Street School in Xinfu District, Xinzhou, Shanxi, Zhang Lihua, a teacher of the ethics and rule of law subject, recently specially played clips of Long March-themed films in class. The children watched intently, thinking as they watched.

"Today, our living conditions have undergone earth-shattering or profound changes (翻天覆地, fan tian fu di - "overturn, heaven, overturn, earth") compared with the Long March period. As a people's teacher, I want to let the children understand the profound impact the Long March has had on the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Zhang Lihua said. She said she would deeply cultivate the ideological and political classroom, so that the great Long March becomes spiritual nourishment for young people to temper their will and character, and let the children understand the great journey and cultivate deep feelings for the family and the country.

Deeply understand the way to victory by which the Party and the people's army advance with resounding steps

General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "When we review history, it is to draw the wisdom and strength for forging ahead."

Today, as we look back once again at that period of suffering and glory, we understand even more deeply that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, and that it contains the way to victory by which the Party and the people's army advance with resounding steps.

On Ziyin Road in the old city of Zunyi, Guizhou, the site of the Zunyi Conference stands solemnly. Large numbers of visitors come here to understand the historical significance of the Zunyi Conference and draw spiritual nourishment from red culture.

"The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the correct leadership of the Party." Studying General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, Wang Xianyu, director of the Party History Research Office of the Zunyi Municipal Party Committee, said: "At critical moments of high winds and rough waves, with a strong leadership core and scientific theoretical guidance, we can overcome difficulties and dangers and create new historical achievements. On the road ahead, we must deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立) and resolutely achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护), and contribute our own strength to the cause of the Party and the country continuously moving from victory to new victory."

More than 90 years ago, the Party and the Red Army had convictions as firm as rock, facing death in the hail of bullets, surviving against all odds at the limits of survival, and being reborn through countless trials. Today, generation after generation of railway workers fight on the roof of the world, building the "steel sky road" and turning one "impossible" after another into "possible."

"General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly elaborated on the lofty revolutionary spirit displayed by the great Long March of being indomitable or unyielding (百折不挠, bai zhe bu nao - "hundred, bend, not, yield"), unswerving or advancing without hesitation (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one, go, no, forward"), fighting bravely, and becoming death as returning home or being fearless of death (视死如归, shi si ru gui - "regard, death, as, return")," said Zhang Cheng, Party Committee Secretary of the Golmud Locomotive Depot of China Railway Qinghai-Tibet Group Co., Ltd. "Building the sky road required tackling difficulties; guarding the sky road requires perseverance. We must integrate the great Long March spirit into every duty shift and every inspection, and bravely be strivers and contributors rooted on the snow-covered plateau."

"Studying and comprehending Chairman Xi's important speech and looking back at the touching stories along the Long March, I feel even more truly that the stability and strength of our motherland today were won by generation after generation of martyrs with firm will and sacrifice and dedication. I will uphold the original aspiration of loving the motherland and loving Macao, start from small things around me, be brave in taking responsibility and willing to contribute, and let the younger generation of Macao understand the selflessness and perseverance of the martyrs," said He Kailing, vice president of the Women's General Association of Macao.

The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on independence, self-reliance, and seeking truth from facts. The process of the Long March was also the process of our Party's arduous exploration of the revolutionary road.

Gu Linhui, a professor at the National Defense University's College of Political Science, said: "General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has made me realize even more that the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was precisely the victory of direction and road. Only when the basic principles of Marxism are closely combined with China's concrete reality can they solve China's problems and demonstrate strong vitality. By unswervingly taking our own road, we will surely continue to achieve new results."

A history of the Red Army's Long March is a history of deep affection between the army and the people, as close as fish and water.

At the "Warmth of Half a Quilt" special exhibition hall in Shazhou Village, Rucheng County, Hunan, visitors come in an endless stream. In the village Party-mass service center, Cao Duanxiu, director of the village committee, had just finished handling matters for villagers and was hurrying off to coordinate the village's new project.

"The General Secretary's speech fondly recalled stories of the army-people bond as close as fish and water, such as 'Half a Quilt' and the 'Yihai Alliance,' which deeply moved us." Cao Duanxiu has set a new goal for herself: "When the Red Army won battles, the people were the mountain of support. We must integrate the gene of Party-mass unity into the daily affairs of the village, pool the village's development strength, take root at the grassroots with heart and soul, and handle the villagers' affairs to their satisfaction."

"As a former Long March site, in recent years we have vigorously advanced the construction of the Long March National Cultural Park (Lianzhou section, Guangdong) project, making the history of the Long March visible and tangible. Looking to the future, we must accelerate the coordinated protection and utilization of red resources, rural revitalization, and eco-tourism, use red resources to forge the soul and red culture and tourism to empower, and lead the masses in the old revolutionary base areas to blaze new paths on the new era's Long March road," said Li Yan, head of the Publicity Department of the Lianzhou Municipal Party Committee in Qingyuan, Guangdong.

Work together with one heart to tread well the new Long March road

The history of the Long March has never gone away; the road of the Long March is constantly extending.

"The great Long March spirit fully manifests the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity. As an important component of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists, it transcends time and space, remains ever fresh, and will forever be a precious treasure and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and advance bravely," General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out.

In late autumn, the campus of China Medical University in Shenyang, Liaoning, is full of vitality. For more than 90 years, this red medical school that walked the Long March has not forgotten its original aspiration and founding mission, and has trod well the Long March road of generation after generation.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that ideals, convictions, and purposes are the 'soul' of Communists, always guiding the direction of our progress. This requires our young generation to firmly establish faith and conviction and continuously enhance the consciousness of listening to the Party and following the Party," said Sun Maoling, a master's student at China Medical University. "I will keep in mind the 'greatest concerns of the nation,' write my thesis on the front line of clinical practice, bloom with youthful brilliance on the journey of safeguarding people's health, and tread well the Long March road that belongs to our generation."

As a Party member cadre long rooted at the grassroots, Maimaitijiang Wumaer, recipient of the "July 1 Medal," was deeply touched by the words in General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech about "adhering to development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people, and promoting common prosperity for all the people."

"To carry forward the great Long March spirit, we must not only remember the sacrifices and contributions of the revolutionary forebears, but also transform spiritual strength into practical actions for undertaking work and serving the masses," Maimaitijiang Wumaer said. He expressed that he would unite the masses of all ethnic groups in active struggle, promote the high-quality development of the village's breeding and fruit industries, broaden channels for increasing people's incomes, and work together with everyone to build a better homeland and make life better and better.

At the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, launch pads spread out one after another, with towering lightning towers pointing straight into the sky. Not long ago, the Long March-12 carrier rocket successfully launched 27 low-orbit satellite internet satellites into space from here.

"'Long March' is not only the name of the rocket, but also a continuous relay of inheritance. The road toward ideals has never been smooth. The General Secretary requires us to 'overcome difficulties, withstand risks, and meet challenges with historical initiative.' We must strengthen our ambition, backbone, and confidence, dare to struggle and be good at struggling, and contribute our strength to building a space power and a science and technology power through tackling difficulties time and again and one successful launch after another," said Yan Liqing, chief commander of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site.

"The people's army will forever be the great wall of steel defending the cause of the Party and the country." Earnestly studying General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, Yang Shixin, company commander of the "Dadu River Company" of a brigade of the 74th Group Army, copied this sentence into his notebook.

"Looking back at the heroic deeds of the forced crossing of the Dadu River during the Long March, we can better appreciate the blood and spirit of the forebears who were loyal in faith, brave and fearless, and daring to fight and sure to win," Yang Shixin said. "Facing the real barriers on the new Long March road, such as transformation and construction, combat method research and training, and actual combat training, we must tackle difficulties, dare to be the first, actively devote ourselves to the great practice of strengthening the military and rejuvenating the military, and welcome the centenary of the People's Liberation Army with a new political outlook."

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "To carry forward the great Long March spirit and tread well the new Long March road, we must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building." These words, weighty as a thousand jun, made Ning Yun, Party Secretary of Anji County, Huzhou, Zhejiang, feel the heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

"History and practice have fully proven that the Party's leadership and Party building are the fundamental guarantees for the development of the cause. At the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the more arduous and heavy the tasks of Chinese modernization are, the more we must uphold the Party's overall leadership," Ning Yun said. Anji will build grassroots Party organizations on the front lines of ecological transformation, rural revitalization, and grassroots governance, calibrate the direction of work with a correct view of political achievements, and transform Party building advantages into governance effectiveness and development momentum.

The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams; it is the new Long March of the Party and the people.

"Chairman Xi's important speech has made me deeply feel that only by remembering history can we create the future," said Hu Xiaoming, founding president of the Hong Kong Soong Ching Ling Foundation. He said that the great Long March spirit should be transformed into a powerful driving force for development, the first five-year plan of Hong Kong should be implemented with high quality, Hong Kong should deeply integrate into the overall national development, and important support should be provided for high-level opening up.

"As a Hakka descendant, I have visited Long March landmarks such as Changting and Ninghua in Fujian more than once. The stories of the Red Army have deeply moved me and infected me," said Fan Jiangfeng, vice president of the Xiamen Association of Taiwan Compatriots in Fujian. "Our generation of Taiwanese youth should take pride in being upright Chinese, guard the common homeland of the Chinese nation, and use the strength of youth to jointly build a better future for both sides of the strait."

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22)

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Striving to Create New Splendor on the New Long March

By: 本报评论员

The Long March of the Red Army was an earth-shaking (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "shock heaven, move earth") revolutionary feat and a magnificent (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, strengthen, mountain, river") heroic epic.

On October 22, a grand gathering commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was solemnly held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the gathering and delivered an important speech. Remembering revolutionary history and carrying forward the great spirit — this is a powerful mobilization for hundreds of millions of people advancing on the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country.

Proceeding from the overall situation of the development of the Party and the country's undertakings, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the way to victory embodied in the triumphant advance of the Party and the people's army contained in the victory of the Long March, put forward the clear requirements of the "Five Musts" for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading the new Long March road, and called on us to "keep pushing forward the great cause pioneered by our revolutionary predecessors and strive to create new splendor on the new Long March road," fully demonstrating the high consciousness and historical initiative of Communists of the new era in keeping in mind the original aspiration and founding mission and bravely shouldering the heavy responsibilities of the times.

The Red Army feared not the trials of the distant march; countless mountains and rivers (万水千山, wan shui qian shan - "ten thousand, water, thousand, mountain") were treated as nothing.

Ninety years ago, our Party led the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army to successfully complete the Long March, which shocked the world and is recorded in the annals of history. This great victory realized the great turn of the Communist Party of China and the cause of the Chinese revolution from setback to victory, launched a new great advance of the Communist Party of China in its struggle for national independence and the liberation of the people, and stands as a towering monument in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Over the past 90 years, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another and seizing one great victory after another. Today, we are closer to, more confident in, and more capable of achieving the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than at any time in history, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an unstoppable trend.

From the ten-thousand-li Long March to the great rejuvenation, "the Party's leadership is the foundation and lifeline of the Party and the country, and the interests and destiny of the people of all ethnic groups across the country."

The Zunyi Meeting held during the Long March became "a matter of life and death (生死攸关, sheng si you guan - "life, death, have, relate") turning point" in the Party's history precisely because the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position saved the Party, saved the Red Army, and saved the Chinese revolution at the most critical moment.

The years of the new era have been extremely unusual and extraordinary.

Holding high the banner and setting the direction amid rapidly changing (风云变幻, feng yun bian huan - "wind, cloud, change, transform") circumstances, and strategizing (运筹帷幄, yun chou wei wo - "plan, strategy, curtain, tent") amid major tests and great challenges, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united and led the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country in overcoming one difficulty and danger after another and writing a new chapter of the two miracles.

Today, our Party has developed into the world's largest governing party with significant global influence, and the Chinese nation is advancing toward the great rejuvenation with unstoppable steps. We have come to understand more deeply that the Two Establishments (两个确立) are of decisive significance to the development of the Party and the country's undertakings in the new era and to advancing the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

From the ten-thousand-li Long March to the great rejuvenation, "having the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is the fundamental basis for our Party's firm beliefs and convictions and its grasp of historical initiative."

Relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts, the Long March "surmounted the erroneous ideological obstacle of treating Marxism as an unchanging (一成不变, yi cheng bu bian - "one, become, not, change") dogma" and found the correct path for the Chinese revolution and the correct theory guiding this path.

Creatively putting forward the new development philosophy of innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, leading the continuous realization of development that is of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer;

Putting forward the theory of new quality productive forces and making major arrangements, leading the shaping of new drivers and new advantages for development, "enabling our country to always maintain the role of a trendsetter in the tide of the modern economy"...

Adhering to the Two Integrations and scientifically answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has achieved a new leap in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.

Grasping historical initiative with theoretical initiative, and stirring the strength to strive with the power of thought, hundreds of millions of people under the Party's leadership firmly hold the destiny of the country's development and progress in their own hands.

From the ten-thousand-li Long March to the great rejuvenation, "the masses of the people are forever the source of strength and the strong backing of the Party and the people's army. As long as we are deeply rooted in the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses of the people, the Party's cause will be invincible."

The Red Army won battles because the people were its mountain of support. It was precisely because the Party and the Red Army won over the masses and won the hearts of the people through concrete actions that the masses of the people "believed in the Communist Party and believed in the Red Army" and unswervingly followed the Party.

The story of the apple reflects the political character of Communists of the new era. At the Memorial Hall of the Liaoshen Campaign, he admonished that "such apples, we cannot eat even now"; during an inspection in Yan'an, Shaanxi, he pointed out that "vigorously developing the apple planting industry can be said to enjoy favorable timing, geographical advantage, and popular support"; in Tianshui, Gansu, he wished "the villagers' lives to be as flourishing (红红火火, hong hong huo huo - "red, red, fire, fire") as apples." One apple reveals work style and reveals action.

Since the advent of the new era, we have won the battle against poverty, lifting nearly 100 million rural poor people out of poverty; we have continued to deepen the concentrated rectification of unhealthy practices and corruption problems around the masses, so that the masses can truly feel that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is right by their side and that fairness and justice are right by their side...

I will have no self, and I will not fail the people. Traveling ten thousand li, the people come first.

"The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, and it is the new Long March of the Party and the people."

We must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, resolutely achieve the Two Upholds, vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit, and work together with one heart and mind (同心协力, tong xin xie li - "same, heart, cooperate, strength") and charge forward without hesitation (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one, go, no, front") on the new Long March road.

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"China's Economic Resilience and Vitality Continue to Shine, Bringing More Opportunities to the World"

Data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics on October 19 show that, according to preliminary calculations, China's gross domestic product in the first three quarters totaled 107.1071 trillion yuan, up 4.6 percent year on year at constant prices. Facing complex changes in the external environment, China's economy has withstood pressure and maintained stable operation, presenting a development trend of new drivers of growth, optimized structure, and improved quality and efficiency, with new achievements made in high-quality development. International figures interviewed by People's Daily reporters said that the resilience and vitality of China's economic development have continued to be demonstrated in the first three quarters. China's super-large market provides broad space for goods from all countries, the upgrading of China's industrial and supply chains provides strong support for the world's industrialization, intelligentization, and green transformation, and a resilient and dynamic China will inject more momentum into world economic growth.

"China's economy is steadily advancing toward achieving its annual growth target"

In terms of overall performance, the 4.6 percent growth rate in the first three quarters is in line with the annual economic growth expectation target, maintaining a leading position among major global economies, with an economic increment of 5.7 trillion yuan, the largest increment for the same period in the past five years. In specific terms, in the first three quarters, the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 5.3 percent year on year, total retail sales of consumer goods and services increased by 2.6 percent year on year, and the national consumer price index rose by 0.9 percent year on year... International figures believe that the positive factors for the stable operation and high-quality development of China's economy are continuously accumulating and increasing, that there is solid support for achieving the annual economic growth expectation target, and that China is a stabilizing anchor for global economic growth.

"Facing a turbulent and volatile international situation, China's economy has operated steadily, injecting valuable stability and growth momentum into the world economy." Janusz Piechociński, former Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, said that China has obvious advantages in industrial foundation, talent reserves, infrastructure, and scientific and technological innovation. With the continuous deepening of reform and the continuous advancement of high-quality development, the endogenous driving force of China's economic development will continue to strengthen.

"The resilience of China's economy is reflected not only in maintaining stable growth in the face of external shocks, but also in continuously optimizing the industrial structure and cultivating new growth drivers." Tang Zhimin, director of the China-ASEAN Studies Center at Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Thailand, said that in the first three quarters of this year, the added value of high-tech manufacturing industries above designated size in China increased by 14.3 percent year on year. The deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with the real economy injects a steady stream of momentum into the high-quality development of China's economy.

Dennis Munene, executive director of the Africa Policy Institute's China-Africa Center in Kenya, said that China's long-term stable economic development is inseparable from its huge domestic demand market of more than 1.4 billion people and its strong scientific and technological innovation capabilities. China does not rely on a single growth driver, but continuously cultivates new industries and new consumption growth points, and diversified growth has effectively withstood the impact of fluctuations in external markets.

"The economic data for the first three quarters show that China's economy is steadily advancing toward achieving its annual growth target." Carlos Aquino, director of the Center for Asian Studies at the National University of San Marcos in Peru, believes that in recent years, China has demonstrated strong innovation capabilities and technological competitiveness, injecting new momentum into economic growth. The further release of China's domestic consumption potential will lay a more solid foundation for the long-term stable growth of China's economy.

"New technologies, new products, and new business forms in China's high-tech fields are constantly emerging, the development speed of new quality productive forces has accelerated markedly, and new urbanization and coordinated regional development have been continuously advanced in depth, releasing huge demand." Diaa Helmy, secretary-general of the Egyptian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said, "The resilience and vitality of China's economic development continue to be demonstrated, bringing more opportunities to the world."

"Let regional countries share more of the dividends of China's economic development"

Data show that in the first three quarters, China achieved two-way growth in imports and exports with more than 120 countries and regions, with import growth generally faster than export growth. International figures believe that China is both a "super seller" and a "super buyer," and an increasingly open China brings more new opportunities to the world.

"In the first three quarters of this year, China's imports of goods increased by 22.3 percent year on year, providing a broad market for agricultural products, raw materials, and manufactured goods from other countries around the world." Tang Zhimin said that ASEAN countries not only hope to share in the fruits of China's economic growth through trade exchanges, but also look forward to jointly exploring new technologies, new industries, and new markets through deepening cooperation. It is believed that with the high-quality development of China's economy, world economic growth will also usher in greater space.

Aquino believes that China's continuous expansion of imports and outbound investment not only provides broader market space for high-quality products from Latin American countries, but also helps promote Latin American economic growth. Taking Peru's Chancay Port as an example, this project has greatly shortened the cargo transportation time between South America and Asia, and is becoming an important logistics hub connecting the two regions, bringing new vitality to local economic growth. "We look forward to the continuous deepening of cooperation between Latin America and China in the economic and trade field, so that regional countries can share more of the dividends of China's economic development," Aquino said.

The ninth China International Import Expo is about to open in Shanghai. John Seronei, founder and CEO of Kenya's Samceron Coffee and Tea Company Limited, who participated in last year's CIIE, said: "At last year's CIIE, we connected with many Chinese roasters and purchasing clients on site, allowing more people to learn about Kenya's specialty coffee. With the continuous optimization of Africa-China trade policies, especially the implementation of China's zero-tariff policy on African goods, Kenyan specialty coffee can more easily enter the Chinese market. This market dividend will benefit more Kenyan coffee-growing farmers. China is both a huge consumer market and a reliable trading partner. An increasingly open China provides us with important market opportunities."

"Providing more space for economic cooperation for countries around the world"

According to statistics, in the first three quarters, new growth drivers represented by high-end manufacturing, digital economy, and modern services continued to contribute more than 40 percent to China's economic growth. The "baton" of China's economic growth has further been passed to new growth drivers, adding new momentum and opening new space for China to expand economic cooperation with other countries.

"China's economic transformation brings opportunities to ASEAN countries, and ASEAN and China are expanding from traditional trade in goods to deeper levels such as industrial investment, technological cooperation, and supply chain integration." Tang Zhimin said that taking Thailand as an example, Chinese enterprises have invested in building factories locally, employed local workers, carried out local procurement, and expanded overseas markets, helping Thai enterprises enhance their competitiveness, expand product exports, and bringing new opportunities for economic development.

Helmi said that in Egypt, Chinese enterprises actively participate in the local industrialization process, and the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone has attracted many enterprises to settle in, creating a large number of jobs. China promotes industrial transformation and upgrading through scientific and technological innovation, cultivates new economic growth points, and opens up space for other countries to deepen cooperation with China.

"China has a complete industrial system, a huge market scale, and continuously enhanced scientific and technological innovation capabilities, providing important support for global industrial upgrading and green transformation." Piechociński said that by continuously expanding opening up and maintaining the stability of industrial and supply chains, "China not only promotes its own development, but also provides more space for economic cooperation for countries around the world."

"China's investment and international cooperation in new energy, infrastructure, digital technology, and other fields help developing countries make up for infrastructure shortcomings, enhance local production capacity, and consolidate the foundation for long-term development." Munene said that China advocates a model of mutually beneficial cooperation (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual benefit, win together"), promoting the joint participation of all countries in the global industrial chain and sharing more development achievements. For African countries, this means gaining more opportunities for practical cooperation, advancing their own economic diversification, and achieving win-win outcomes at a higher level and with greater sustainability.

(People's Daily, Beijing, Warsaw, Bangkok, Nairobi, Mexico City, Cairo, October 22, by reporters Jiang Bo, Yu Limin, Zhang Jinruo, Huang Weixin, Cheng Shijie, Shen Xiaoxiao)

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Uphold the UN Ideal and Jointly Create a Better Future for Humanity

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's lawful seat in the United Nations. President Xi Jinping pointed out: "The restoration of New China's lawful seat in the United Nations was a major event for the world and a major event for the United Nations."

After more than half a century of undergoing many hardships during a journey (风雨兼程, feng yu jian cheng - "wind, rain, endure, journey"), the historical weight and contemporary significance of this event have been continuously confirmed in the journey of China and the United Nations working hand in hand. China has grown step by step from a participant in the international system into a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. This is not only a path of endeavor for a major country to integrate into global governance, but also a vivid testimony to the spirit of the UN Charter taking root and bearing fruit in the contemporary world.

(1)

On October 25, 1971, the 26th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, deciding to restore all rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and recognizing that the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China are the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations. This historic moment has major and far-reaching significance for China, for the United Nations, and for the entire world.

For China, this is a glorious milestone in the history of New China's diplomacy. As a founding member of the United Nations and the first country to sign the UN Charter, China's return to the UN family eliminated falsehoods and returned to the original truth (正本清源, zheng ben qing yuan - "correct, root, clear, source"), effectively safeguarding national sovereignty and national dignity, and firmly consolidating the international community's adherence to the one-China principle. UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 completely resolved the question of China's representation in the United Nations politically, legally, and procedurally, providing authoritative legal basis for the UN system and its agencies to properly handle Taiwan-related issues. With the restoration of New China's lawful seat in the United Nations, the pattern of China's foreign exchanges suddenly became clear and open (豁然打开, huo ran da kai - "suddenly, open, wide"), ushering in a second wave of establishing diplomatic relations and laying a crucial international foundation for the subsequent reform and opening up and socialist modernization.

For the United Nations, Resolution 2758 was by no means an ordinary seat adjustment, but an important improvement in the legitimacy of an international organization. The largest developing country, possessing nearly one-quarter of the world's population and representing the world's progressive forces, returned to the United Nations, filling the biggest gap in the UN's representativeness, significantly enhancing the universality, representativeness, and authority of this international organization, consolidating the UN's central position in the global governance system, and opening a new chapter of China and the United Nations working hand in hand.

For the world, this was an unprecedented gathering of forces for global fairness and justice. Behind the vote was the common will of the vast number of developing countries to speak out side by side and break through the shackles of power politics. As Salim Ahmed Salim, then Tanzania's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said: "This is a declaration to the whole world that Third World countries and small and medium-sized countries can feel relieved and proud after being oppressed (扬眉吐气, yang mei tu qi - "lift, eyebrows, spit, air") in expressing their opinions at the UN forum." This history profoundly proves that peace and development are the trend of the times, fairness and justice are what people aspire to, and any scheme that goes against the tide of history and disregards the will of the majority of countries will ultimately fail to last.

Siddharth Chatterjee, former UN Resident Coordinator in China, wrote in "Renewing Multilateralism: China and the United Nations in the 21st Century" that 55 years have passed, and the decision to restore New China's lawful seat in the United Nations remains a decisive milestone in the evolution of the international order.

(2)

"No major international issue can be resolved without the participation of the People's Republic of China." In July 1971, the permanent representatives of 17 countries, including Albania and Algeria, to the United Nations made this statement in a letter to the UN Secretary-General.

Over the past 55 years, from integrating into global rules to contributing governance solutions, China has always firmly supported the cause of the United Nations, abided by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, actively assumed responsibility and taken action within the UN framework, promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and made significant contributions to world peace and development. "China has injected a unique Global South perspective into the United Nations, effectively balancing the global governance landscape. Now, China has grown into a global builder that proactively takes responsibility and actively leads." The observation of Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, confirms China's "UN footprint" over more than half a century.

China has always been a builder of world peace. Carrying forward the peace-loving gene of the Chinese nation, China has abandoned the old path of aggression and expansion taken by traditional major powers, made the strategic choice to adhere to the path of peaceful development, and has the best peace and security record among major countries. As the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations and the largest troop contributor among the permanent members of the Security Council, China has to date dispatched more than 50,000 peacekeeping personnel and participated in 29 UN peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council. At a time when international conflicts are frequent, China insists on promoting peace and facilitating talks, from the Ukraine crisis to the Palestinian-Israeli issue, forming a distinctive Chinese approach to resolving hotspot issues and playing a constructive role in easing tensions and resolving disputes.

China has always been a contributor to global development. China achieved the poverty reduction goal of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, has maintained a contribution rate of around 30 percent to global economic growth, has become a major trading partner of more than 160 countries and regions, and has signed 24 free trade agreements with 31 countries and regions. China has signed Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations, injecting strong momentum into common global development. Facing the dilemma of imbalanced global development, China actively promotes the return of development issues to the center of the international agenda, helps the vast number of developing countries enhance their capacity for self-development, and ensures that the fruits of development benefit people of all countries more and more equitably.

China has always been a defender of the international order. Over the past 55 years, China has firmly upheld the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, advocated and practiced true multilateralism, and firmly acted as an active leader and strong promoter of multilateral cooperation. To date, China has joined nearly all universal intergovernmental international organizations, acceded to more than 600 international conventions and amendments, and actively put forward Chinese solutions in emerging fields such as climate change and artificial intelligence governance. China has successively proposed and taken the lead in practicing four major global initiatives, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to eliminating the "four deficits."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres commented: "Under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, no matter how difficult and complex the international situation, China has always firmly supported multilateralism, supported the cause of the United Nations, and promoted international cooperation, setting an example for the world." Looking to the future, China will continue to play the role of a responsible major country, actively promote the alignment of its own concepts and initiatives with the UN agenda, and provide new opportunities for world development with new achievements in Chinese modernization.

(3)

At present, the intertwining of change and turbulence in the world is becoming more pronounced, and global challenges are emerging in an endless stream (层出不穷, ceng chu bu qiong - "layer, emerge, not, exhausted"). Looking back at Resolution 2758, the values and concepts it carries have not faded with time; on the contrary, they are showing ever more profound practical significance today. The international community should draw on this historical wisdom, build consensus and act in concert to jointly meet the tests of the times.

Uphold fairness and justice, and consolidate the foundation of sovereign equality. Sovereign equality is inscribed at the very beginning of the UN Charter. All countries, regardless of size, strength, or wealth, are equal members of the international community, and the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and legitimate rights and interests of all countries should be fully respected. Power cannot replace justice, and strength cannot override the rule of law. The international community must resolutely resist hegemonic acts of bullying the weak by relying on one's strength (恃强凌弱, shi qiang ling ruo - "rely on, strength, bully, weak"), and must never allow the world to return to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak (弱肉强食, ruo rou qiang shi - "weak, meat, strong, eat"). International affairs should be discussed and decided by all countries together, and the legitimate demands of the vast number of developing countries should be heard and valued. Only in this way can the cornerstone of the multilateral order remain as solid and stable as a rock (坚如磐石, jian ru pan shi - "firm, like, rock, stone").

Uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, and activate the effectiveness of UN governance. Upholding fundamental principles means abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguarding the international system and basic norms of international relations established after World War II, preserving the foundation of multilateralism, and refraining from overturning everything and starting something new from scratch instead of following established ways (另起炉灶, ling qi lu zao - "another, start, stove, build"). Breaking new ground means following the trend of the times, promoting the United Nations to change with the times and reform itself, continuously optimizing its internal governance mechanisms, improving its performance and effectiveness, more fully reflecting the demands of developing countries, and enabling the United Nations to play a more active role in the noble cause of promoting human peace and development.

Shoulder common responsibilities and practice the concept of multilateralism. In the 55 years that China and the United Nations have worked hand in hand with one heart, an important lesson is to consistently adhere to the ideals of the United Nations, unswervingly follow the path of multilateralism, and sincerely contribute to world peace and development. More than 190 countries in the world are aboard a great ship with a shared destiny; only by working together through difficulties in the same boat (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same, boat, together, cross") can we ride through the wind and waves. All parties should uphold the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, explore ideas for cooperation, innovate cooperation models, continuously enrich the practice of multilateralism under new circumstances, and work together to address global challenges such as climate change, food security, and digital governance.

Standing at a new historical coordinate, China will continue to be a firm supporter of the cause of the United Nations and a faithful practitioner of multilateralism, work hand in hand to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly build a better world.

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The history of the Long March has never faded away; the spirit of the Long March is right beside us

By: 本报记者 谢佳宁

"I have read many books about the Long March and have also visited many places along its route." William N. Brown, recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award and an American professor at Xiamen University, said in a recent interview with our reporter that he has read perhaps dozens of books about the Long March. Time and again, the words in those books brought him closer to that period of magnificent and grand (波澜壮阔, bo lan zhuang kuo - "wave, surge, magnificent, vast") history. When he walked along the roads the Red Army once traveled, he found that only by measuring this land with his own two feet could he truly understand what happened on this land, and what is happening on it now.

Between 1993 and 1994, in order to understand the intensity of reform in China's remote regions, Brown drove a van for nearly four months, covering 50,000 kilometers, with his footprints spanning many provinces, including quite a few places the Red Army had reached during the Long March. The mountain roads of Guizhou left a particularly deep impression on him — the roads were winding, with few bridges and tunnels, and the vehicle jolted constantly along the mountain paths. Brown recalled: "I thought to myself at the time, even today these roads are not easy to travel. What must it have been like back then when the Red Army crossed these mountains on foot?"

This year, Brown followed the production crew of the documentary The Great Road — The Eternal Long March to retrace the Long March route, gaining a more vivid and deeper understanding of this history. Climbing great mountains, crossing great rivers, visiting historic sites... "What moved me was not only the hardship of the Red Army's march back then, but also the stories told to me by the people I met along the way." Brown said that descendants of Red Army soldiers and villagers along the route still tell these stories to this day: some families lost every son they had, some people only found their relatives' graves decades later. "The things they tell about the Long March seem as if they happened yesterday."

At Jiangtaibao, Xiji County, Guyuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a story about potatoes left him feeling deeply moved or full of emotion (感慨不已, gan kai bu yi - "feel, sigh, not, stop"). At that time, the local people lived in poverty, and the barren land could only grow potatoes — yet potatoes that were not eaten in time spoiled easily. When the Red Army troops arrived, several wounded soldiers lodged with local families to recover, and they taught the local people to turn potatoes into starch noodles, sifting them through nine-hole wooden ladles and boiling them in pots, producing what people later called "Red Army noodles." This craft has been passed down from generation to generation (代代相传, dai dai xiang chuan - "generation, generation, mutually, pass down"), and it not only solved the local people's problem of food and clothing, but also drove them toward relieving poverty and becoming prosperous (脱贫致富, tuo pin zhi fu - "shed, poverty, reach, wealth").

"How is the Long March spirit embodied? Here, the word I heard most often was: struggle. The Long March was the most extreme form of struggle — facing unusual or extraordinary (异乎寻常, yi hu xun chang - "different, than, seek, ordinary") hardship and twists and turns, yet still choosing to keep going." Brown said that after walking the Long March route, he also sees the Long March spirit in the Chinese people of today. In a remote mountainous area of China, he met a man who had been teaching there for a long time. When there were no roads, he carried baskets of books on his back, entering the mountains along narrow paths, bringing knowledge to the children in the mountains. Later, a road was built in the mountains, and the man rode a motorcycle into the mountains to deliver knowledge. "About 70 local children were admitted to universities. He carried the future up the mountain on his back," Brown said.

In Brown's view, another significance of retracing the Long March route is that it allowed him to see the tremendous changes that have taken place across the land of China. When he visited in 1994, the poverty in some remote areas of China left a deep impression on Brown. "Now, when I revisit the places I went to in 1994, I find that they all already have good roads, electricity, running water, and high-speed internet, and the schools and hospitals are not in bad condition either," Brown said.

During this year's Spring Festival, in a village in Shangri-La, Yunnan, with a population of only four to five hundred people, Brown found that a cement road about two meters wide had been built there, running all the way up the mountain to "the fields at the very top." "I was puzzled. Why would such a small village go to great effort to build such a road?" Brown said. "Later I understood: once the road was built, even in bad weather the villagers could still go up and down the mountain safely, making it convenient for them to plant crops, harvest crops, tend bees, and so on. Few governments would expend so much effort for a few hundred people. The local government is considering not only today, but also the lives of the next several generations."

Since 1988, Brown has driven a cumulative total of 200,000 kilometers in China. Some people call him a "China hand," but he shakes his head: "China is too big, and changes too fast. I have been to the same place many times, and every time I may see something different. The more I understand, the more I realize how much I still do not know." Today, Brown has written nearly 30 books related to China. "I want to keep learning, keep researching, and keep writing, because I hope to help more people understand China from different perspectives."

Brown said that the road of the Long March is constantly extending. "Challenges will never end; we must always keep moving forward." In his view, walking the new Long March well is reflected in the choices of ordinary Chinese people one by one. In some relatively underdeveloped regions of Africa and Latin America, many Chinese teachers, doctors, and engineers who could otherwise be living comfortable lives use their professional knowledge to help local people solve one problem after another. Such actions — being down-to-earth and practical (脚踏实地, jiao ta shi di - "foot, step, solid, earth") and facing difficulties head-on (迎难而上, ying nan er shang - "face, difficulty, instead, go up") — are also a way of carrying forward the Long March spirit. "The history of the Long March has never faded away; the Long March spirit is right here beside us," Brown said.

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Wang Yi Holds Talks with Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Congo

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22) Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held talks in Beijing on the 22nd with Jean-Claude Gakosso, Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Congo.

Wang Yi stated that President Xi Jinping and President Denis Sassou Nguesso have established firm mutual trust and friendship, providing important political guarantees for the development of China-Congo relations. China is willing, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, to plan the next phase of high-level exchanges with the Congolese side, strengthen strategic alignment, and steadily advance practical cooperation. China is also willing to work with the African side to build a more just and equitable global governance system that conforms to the common aspirations of the countries of the Global South.

Gakosso stated that the Congolese side supports the series of global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping and reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle. China's zero-tariff policy has brought broad benefits to African countries. The Congolese side appreciates China's attention to Africa's health and wellness undertakings.

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Enhance Mutual Understanding, Build Broad Consensus

By: 本报记者 刘仲华

"At a time when international cooperation and economic and trade exchanges are encountering headwinds, the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiong'an) brings together representatives from around the world, providing a valuable opportunity for jointly addressing global challenges and building consensus." Gerhard Stahl, former Secretary-General of the European Committee of the Regions and visiting professor at Peking University HSBC Business School, said this in a recent exclusive interview with a People's Daily reporter.

Stahl said that after World War II, the international economic order was gradually established on the basis of multilateral cooperation and common rules. The process of economic globalization has broadly benefited both developed and developing economies, but it has also brought increasingly prominent problems such as uneven distribution of dividends, intensified competition, and regional disparities. "Today, economic globalization is encountering headwinds, with economic competition intertwined with geopolitical confrontation." Stahl stressed that the prospect of a world increasingly dominated by power politics should be firmly rejected, and that defending multilateralism and the international system centered on the United Nations cannot remain at the level of declaratory principles. "Against this backdrop, the forum has invited representatives from diverse fields around the world to discuss many key issues of global governance through thematic seminars and roundtable sessions. This will play an important role in enhancing mutual understanding and building broad consensus."

In Stahl's view, China's role is particularly critical in building a more just and equitable global governance system. "China's firm support for multilateralism, international cooperation, and the international system centered on the United Nations is of particular significance; at the same time, China's understanding of the priorities of developing countries also helps promote the necessary reforms and adjustments of international institutions." He said that in areas such as addressing climate change, maintaining the stability of the international economic and financial order, jointly safeguarding the stable and unimpeded operation of global industrial and supply chains, deepening international cooperation in the digital economy, and promoting the beneficial and sound development of artificial intelligence, China's participation and contribution are absolutely essential (不可或缺, bu ke huo que - "not can, not lack"). In these areas, the decisions of any single country will have impacts that far exceed its national borders; without genuine multilateral cooperation, the risks of fragmentation and instability in global governance will further intensify.

Stahl pays close attention to the venue of this forum. "The explorations of Xiong'an New Area in urban planning, regional coordination, and ecological development are of great significance." Stahl said that the planning of Xiong'an New Area aims to guide urban development with ecological concepts, linking environmental planning with infrastructure construction, water resource management, digital systems, and other elements, and coordinating the layout across multiple levels of geographic spatial scale. Stahl said: "Only by examining this project within the larger regional strategy can its significance be better understood."

Stahl believes that the development approach of Xiong'an New Area can provide important inspiration for other regions, namely incorporating ecological planning into urban development from the very beginning and coordinating transportation planning with land use. "Achieving these goals requires close coordination and concerted efforts among all relevant parties, including central and local governments, development and construction entities, and enterprises." In his view, although national conditions and objective circumstances differ across countries and experience cannot be directly copied, the practice of Xiong'an New Area in multi-level governance and in mobilizing both public-sector and market forces demonstrates that multi-party collaboration based on comprehensive planning is crucial to modern urban and regional development.

As a cross-cultural scholar teaching at both the European College of Parma in Italy and Peking University HSBC Business School, Stahl hopes to further strengthen the ties between Europe and China and promote exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. He said that Europe and China face many common issues in areas such as public transportation, waste management, higher education, and industrial development. "Living together on this planet with limited resources, we need to enhance mutual understanding and jointly seek solutions to economic, technological, and environmental challenges," Stahl said.

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Chen Wenqing Meets with President of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation Krasnov

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22) Chen Wenqing, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, met in Beijing on the 22nd with Vyacheslav Krasnov, President of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.

Chen Wenqing noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership, and that the heads of state of the two countries have reached a consensus on deepening cooperation in various fields under the new circumstances. He expressed the hope that both sides will implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as judge education and training and the judicial application of artificial intelligence, enhance the quality and efficiency of cross-border judicial assistance, and intensify collaboration on multilateral platforms for the rule of law, so as to provide legal safeguards for the development of both countries.

Krasnov expressed his willingness to deepen judicial exchanges and cooperation between the two countries and to serve the high-level development of Russia-China relations.

Zhang Jun attended the meeting.

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National Premiere of Documentary Film *Elephant Journey* Held in Beijing

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Li Zhuo'er) The national premiere of the documentary film Elephant Journey was held in Beijing on the 21st. The film was produced under the guidance of the State Council Information Office and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (National Park Administration), and supervised by the China International Publishing Group, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Yunnan Provincial Committee, and the China Film Co-Production Corporation.

Elephant Journey is China's first original IMAX documentary film on the theme of Asian elephants, co-produced by production teams from China, Canada, Singapore, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Over a period of three years, the production team made multiple trips deep into Yunnan's tropical rainforests to objectively document the Chinese government's comprehensive measures to protect Asian elephants, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to promoting biodiversity conservation and jointly building a community of life on Earth.

It is reported that Elephant Journey will hit major theaters nationwide starting October 23, and will successively be shown to audiences in IMAX theaters globally, as well as at major theaters and new media platforms at home and abroad.

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Publishing Industry Releases Outstanding Themed Books Commemorating 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22) This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. With a high sense of political responsibility and historical mission, the national publishing community has closely centered on the theme of "carrying forward the great spirit of the Long March and treading well the Long March road of the new era," strengthened organizational leadership, coordinated publishing resources, intensified topic selection and argumentation, clarified goals and tasks, and made efforts to blaze new trails and create fine works, collectively launching a batch of themed books with distinct and prominent themes, authoritative and precious historical materials, and rich and profound connotations. These books are grounded in the latest achievements of Party history and military history research in the new era, integrating historical textual research, theoretical interpretation, literary narrative, and education through history, providing rich spiritual nourishment for the whole Party and the whole society to review revolutionary history, continue the red bloodline, and draw the strength to strive forward, helping the broad readership, especially young people, to perceive the power of faith and gain historical enlightenment from them.

Upholding a correct view of history and delving deeply into archives and documents, the publishing community has launched a batch of general-history and special-topic works that restore the magnificent journey of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, interpret the power of conviction behind this feat, and achieve the verification of history through objects and the carrying of history through writing, consolidating the documentary foundation for the transmission of red history. The Great Expedition: A Record of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army records the complete course of the Red Army's Long March traversing more than ten provinces, advancing 25,000 li, breaking through the encirclement, pursuit, blocking, and interception of a million troops of the Kuomintang, overcoming erroneous thinking within the Party, and surmounting extreme natural obstacles, reproducing the great turning point by which the Communist Party of China and the cause of the Chinese revolution moved from setbacks to victory. Selected Archival Materials on the Long March of the Red Army systematically compiles original documents such as wartime telegrams, battlefield manuscripts, and handwritten notes of Red Army veterans from the Long March period, carrying out systematic sorting and textual research on the historical facts of the strategic transfer of the various Red Army routes, providing precious original documents for academic research on Long March history. A Special Bibliography on the Long March (1936–2026) comprehensively sorts out the publishing achievements on the Long March theme over the past 90 years, reflecting, in the form of a special bibliography, the publishing lineage of the Long March theme, and providing documentary support for the textual research of red editions and the deepening of Long March history research. Works such as 25,000 Li (Collector's Edition), The Long March in Pictures, A Study of the Telegrams of the Central Red Army in the Early Period of the Long March, and The Red Star Newspaper during the Long March make use of a large number of archival documents, oral historical materials, and historical images, combined with on-the-spot investigations along the route of the Red Army's Long March, to precisely analyze the strategic decisions, key turning points, and the logic of marching and fighting of the Central Red Army, restoring a true and three-dimensional history of the Long March through multiple historical materials and graphic evidence. Looking Back at the Long March and A Brief History of the Red Army's Long March use plain and concise writing to briefly yet vividly sort out the historical background, causes, routes, key battles, and important meetings of the Long March, combining academic rigor with readability.

Closely adhering to the spirit of the Long March and highlighting the value of the times, the publishing community has launched a batch of academic research works and theoretical interpretation works that combine history and theory, stand at a high level of vision, and profoundly decode the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic of the spirit of the Long March. Why the Long March Is Eternal is grounded in the striving journey of the century-old major Party, interpreting from multiple dimensions the eternal value of the spirit of the Long March in remaining strong and fresh after a long time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "pass, long time, stay, new") across time and space. Long March Culture and Chinese Modernization explains the basic theoretical and practical issues of Long March culture and explores the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic of Long March culture and Chinese modernization. Inheritance and Carrying Forward — From the Great Founding Spirit of the Party to the Spirit of the Long March explains the internal logic of the source and flow of the great founding spirit of the Party and the spirit of the Long March, interpreting how the great founding spirit of the Party was inherited, tempered, and sublimated through the life-and-death trials of the Long March. The Long March: A Heroic Movement of the Chinese Cultural Vein interprets the Long March from the perspective of the Chinese cultural vein, narrating the magnificent course of the Red Army's Long March, excavating the core of the national spirit carried by the Long March, and displaying the cultural value of the Long March as a heroic epic. Bloody Battle at the Xiang River relies on field research and archival collections to restore in panoramic fashion the tragic historical facts of the Battle of the Xiang River, profoundly highlighting the power of faith of the Red Army officers and soldiers in rising from desperate situations and seeking life in the face of death. Understanding the Long March relies on cultural relics and historical materials in collections, using mutual verification of pictures and text to explain profound things in a simple, easy-to-understand way (深入浅出, shen ru qian chu - "deep, enter; shallow, go out") the strategic wisdom, fighting spirit, and original aspiration contained in the Long March, promoting the popularization and dissemination of red theory among the masses.

Excavating moving stories and reproducing the epic expedition, the publishing community has launched a batch of fine literary and artistic works that follow in the footsteps of revolutionary forebears and narrate from multiple dimensions the magnificent epic of Long March officers and soldiers who, with the faith of "seeking life in the face of death," fought bloody battles and broke out of desperate encirclements, possessing the power to warm people's hearts and inspire fighting spirit. Records of the Red Army's Long March, A History of the Red Army's Long March, and Red Star Over China continue to be reprinted and distributed, shaping vivid heroic portraits of the Red Army through grand narratives and delicate brushwork. My Long March: Oral Accounts of Red Army Veterans restores, from the first-person perspective of ordinary Red Army commanders and fighters, the arduous journey of the Long March — breaking through encirclements, fighting bloody battles, crossing snow mountains, and trekking through grasslands — portraying moving details of comrades-in-arms entrusting life and death to each other and of soldiers and civilians helping each other in times of need (守望相助, shou wang xiang zhu - "guard, watch, mutually, help"). Rise Up tells, from the perspective of a mother, the story of a family struggling to survive and awakening in faith amid turmoil when the Red Army passed through Guizhou during the Long March, interpreting how the red spark took root and spread among the people, vividly displaying the deep mass foundation of the spirit of the Long March. The Long March of the Commander-in-Chief, in the form of reportage, vividly reproduces the historical scenes of Comrade Zhu De directing military operations, upholding principles, waging resolute struggle, and maintaining unity, displaying his boundless loyalty to the Party and the revolutionary cause. The Long March Trilogy adheres to forging history with painting and erecting monuments for heroes, artistically reproducing through the form of comic strips the lofty aspirations and heroic spirit of the Red Army in defying natural perils and charging forward courageously (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "brave, go forward, straight, ahead"). The Long March: A Grand Symphonic Suite vividly reproduces iconic historical scenes such as the Zunyi Conference, the Four Crossings of the Chishui River, and the Seizure of the Luding Bridge, profoundly highlighting the rock-solid ideals and convictions of the Red Army officers and soldiers and the deep bond of fish-and-water affection between the army and the people.

Cultivating the roots and soul, enlightening wisdom and increasing intelligence, the publishing community has launched a batch of popular red reading materials for young people, promoting the transmission of the red gene from generation to generation. Long March Stories for Young People selects 24 Long March cultural relics from the National Museum, starting from each old object, moving from objects to people, reproducing breathtaking major battles such as the Bloody Battle at the Xiang River, the Four Crossings of the Chishui River, and the Seizure of the Luding Bridge, as well as everyday scenes of comrades cherishing one another and finding joy amid hardship, slowly revealing the true past hidden behind the cultural relics. The Great Long March — A History of the Long March for Young People, in a question-and-answer format, displays the heroic spirit of the Red Army officers and soldiers fighting bloody battles. Punching In on the Long March Road, Witnessing the New Mountains and Rivers combines real-scene photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and text, using the form of a dialogue across time between a young Red Army soldier and a youth of the new era, allowing young people to appreciate the contemporary connotation of the spirit of the Long March through a comparison of past and present. The Red Army Feared Not the Hardships of the Expedition uses an entertaining question-and-answer format to let young readers understand that arduous yet glorious period through interaction with history. The Campfire of the Long March starts from objects and stories, innovates in expression, balances ideological content and narrative appeal, transforms grand history into narratives easily understood by young readers, and helps young people understand the Long March and remember its heroes.

It is understood that across the country, in conjunction with national reading activities, a series of themed book exhibitions, reading-sharing sessions, expert guided readings, red recitation events, and other reading-promotion activities have been held, and the themed reading activity "Retracing the Long March Road, Books Recalling the Glorious Years" has been widely carried out, promoting the widespread dissemination of Long March stories and giving full play to the function of themed books in cultivating souls and educating people. Long March-themed poems such as "Three Sixteen-Character Lyrics," "Recalling Qin'e · Loushan Pass," "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March," and "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain," as well as classic red stories such as "Half a Quilt," "The Golden Fishhook," and "The Quartermaster," continue to be recited and passed on, guiding the broad readership to understand the historical enlightenment of the Long March, to appreciate the revolutionary heroism of fearing no sacrifice and fighting bravely, to inspire the whole society to inherit the great spirit of the Long March, and to overcome great difficulties and hardships (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack, tough task, overcome, difficulty") and advance courageously on the new journey.

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Striving to Achieve New Progress in High-Quality Development of Commerce (Authoritative Release: A Strong Start for the 15th Five-Year Plan)

By: 本报记者 王 珂

On October 22, the State Council Information Office held a series of press conferences under the theme "A Strong Start for the 15th Five-Year Plan," introducing the situation concerning the advancement of high-quality development of commerce during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

Jiang Chenghua, Vice Minister of Commerce, stated that commercial work links urban and rural areas, connects domestic and international markets, and bridges production and sales, playing an important role in the overall economic and social development. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the ministry will, based on the "three important" positioning of commercial work, focus on strengthening the domestic major circulation and smoothing the domestic and international dual circulation, making every effort to promote continuous new achievements in high-quality development of commerce.

Focusing on "greater vitality," the ministry will cultivate new momentum for consumption development. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it will adopt comprehensive and targeted measures, making greater efforts in optimizing supply, innovating scenarios, and improving facilities, so as to continuously unleash the consumption potential of urban and rural residents.

Focusing on "higher quality," the ministry will expand new space for high-level opening up. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it will actively expand independent opening up and steadily and orderly expand the fields and regions of opening up. It will implement the strategy of upgrading pilot free trade zones, giving full play to their role as comprehensive experimental platforms for reform and opening up.

Focusing on "broader consensus," the ministry will make new contributions to global economic governance. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it will firmly uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, continue to deepen multilateral and bilateral economic and trade cooperation, expand the high-standard free trade area network facing the world, actively lead the formulation of international rules in emerging fields such as digital and green development, promote the building of an open artificial intelligence ecosystem, and work with countries around the world to jointly establish international economic and trade rules for artificial intelligence.

Focusing on "stronger capacity," the ministry will build new safeguards for open development. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it will thoroughly implement the holistic approach to national security, better coordinate development and security, and improve the risk prevention system in the commercial field. It will continuously optimize the mechanism for responding to trade frictions and make good use of trade remedy investigations. It will improve export control and security review mechanisms, and improve the legal and regulatory system against sanctions, interference, and "long-arm jurisdiction."

The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes expanding the high-standard free trade area network facing the world. Jiang Chenghua said that in the next step, the ministry will promote the early entry into force of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 and the Protocol on Upgrading the China-Peru Free Trade Agreement, accelerate the free trade negotiations or upgrading processes with South Korea, New Zealand, and Central Asian countries, and promote positive progress in the expansion and upgrading of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership); further raise the level of liberalization of trade in goods, services, and investment, and actively incorporate rules in emerging fields such as the digital and intelligent economy, green development, and government procurement.

Yang Mu, Director of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion of the Ministry of Commerce, introduced that the ministry will continue to strengthen the "Shop in China" brand, and while optimizing the shopping experience for foreign friends, actively respond to the diversified and quality-oriented needs of domestic consumers to promote the upgrading of consumption. It will enrich high-quality supply, create fine domestic products and bring together international famous brands to better meet the purchasing needs of domestic and foreign consumers; deepen the construction of international consumption center cities and an internationalized consumption environment, creating consumption scenarios with Chinese characteristics and cultural appeal; expand the coverage of departure tax refunds, improve supporting services such as foreign card payment, and further enhance the consumption experience.

Yang Tao, Director of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, said that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the quality of China's foreign trade development will continue to improve, with newer export momentum, greater import potential, and stronger development resilience, providing solid support for building a strong trading nation. The ministry will further expand high-level opening up, follow the development trend of digitalization, intelligence, and green development, promote the in-depth development of the "three pillars" of trade in goods, trade in services, and digital trade, and strive to open up a new situation in building a strong trading nation.

The 15th Five-Year Plan period is an important period for strengthening the foundation and consolidating the basics (强基固本, qiang ji gu ben - "strengthen, foundation; solidify, root") and improving quality and efficiency in foreign investment and cooperation. Zhao Chunfeng, Director of the Department of Outward Investment and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, said that the "high quality" of foreign investment and cooperation must first be reflected in four aspects: management in place, services keeping up, high development quality and efficiency, and good protection of interests. The ministry will adhere to coordinating development and security, promote management and services in an integrated manner, guide enterprises to "go global" safely and orderly, and promote high-quality development of foreign investment and cooperation.

Pilot free trade zones are comprehensive experimental platforms for China's reform and opening up. Wu Di, an official in charge of the Department of Foreign Investment Administration of the Ministry of Commerce, said that the ministry will closely focus on the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, continuously enhance the capacity of pilot free trade zones to lead development through innovation, and contribute to further deepening reform and opening up and striving to open up a new situation in Chinese modernization.

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A Way to Live, and a Way Forward (People's Forum)

By: 魏春树

"Urgent beyond measure!"

In December 1934, the Central Red Army issued its highest-level telegraphic order at Tongdao in Hunan. The "Tongdao Route Change" during the Long March adopted Comrade Mao Zedong's proposal to advance westward into Guizhou, altering the Red Army's direction of march and creating important conditions for the subsequent Zunyi Conference.

In March 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping, during his inspection tours of Guizhou and Yunnan, remarked with deep feeling: "From the Tongdao Route Change to the Liping Conference, from the Houchang Conference to the Zunyi Conference, this was a road of survival for the Red Army, a road of survival for the Communist Party."

A road of survival is forged by seeking truth from facts, blazed by acting independently and with autonomy (独立自主, du li zi zhu - "stand, alone, self, master"), and stepped out step by step through the steadfastness of following along.

Crossing the Chishui River four times, finding a way to survive in a desperate situation (绝处逢生, jue chu feng sheng - "desperate, place, encounter, life"). Over more than three months, 30,000 against 400,000, dozens of battles, the Red Army successfully leapt out of the "iron-barrel encirclement" and shook off the enemy's surrounding, pursuing, and intercepting (围追堵截, wei zhui du jie - "surround, pursue, block, intercept").

The military breakout was, in the final analysis, a breakthrough in thinking. "After the Long March, the Party and the Red Army were not weaker but stronger, because our Party found the correct path for the Chinese revolution and found the correct theory guiding that path."

With the guidance of the correct line, the young Communist Party of China turned passivity into initiative. In the words of Liu Bocheng, then Chief of Staff of the Red Army: "The entire army was elated, as if a heavy fog had been parted and sunlight seen; all feelings of doubt and discontent were completely swept away (一扫而光, yi sao er guang - "one, sweep, and, clear")."

The reason the Long March could, amid a period of violent struggle or bloodshed (腥风血雨, xing feng xue yu - "fishy, wind, blood, rain"), be reborn time and again from desperate straits, and could continuously advance from victory to victory in overcoming great difficulties and tackling tough problems (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack, key, overcome, difficulty"), lay precisely in finding and adhering to the correct direction, the correct theory, and the correct path, and in firmly moving forward step by step.

From crossing the river to protecting the river, the Chishui River is a "hero river" that witnessed the breathtaking (惊心动魄, jing xin dong po - "startle, heart, move, soul") Long March, and it is also an "ecological river" that has experienced the leaps of development in the new era.

For a period of time, the Chishui River was gravely "ill." Small hydropower stations were densely developed, causing reduced flow or dry riverbeds during dry seasons; the liquor industry expanded rapidly, and wastewater treatment could not keep pace with production capacity...

Relying on local resources for livelihood (靠水吃水, kao shui chi shui - "rely, water, eat, water") could no longer be sustained; fragmented management by multiple authorities (九龙治水, jiu long zhi shui - "nine, dragons, govern, water") yielded poor results. "High-quality development and high-level protection" became the new proposition of the era for the Chishui River.

Thinking determines the way out. From 2017, the Chishui River was placed under a complete fishing ban; in 2021, the three provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan pioneered joint legislation for local river basins nationwide; this year, seven cities in the three provinces signed the "Framework Agreement on Cooperation for the Protection of Rare and Endangered Aquatic Species in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River"...

Looking beyond "river governance" to govern the river, with coordinated action across levels, collaborative advancement, and bold experimentation, Yunnan's loquats, Guizhou's liquor, and Sichuan's lychees now share the fine reputation of the Chishui River.

Recently, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection tour of Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia: "On the new journey, all regions must, in accordance with the Party Central Committee's strategic decisions and planning arrangements, establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, keep pace with the trends of the times, seize development opportunities, base themselves on their own conditions, leverage comparative advantages, and promote high-quality development in light of local conditions."

Look at Yudu in Jiangxi, the assembly and departure point of the Central Red Army's Long March. More than 3,800 textile and garment enterprises have gathered there, intelligent sewing production lines are running at full speed, and in 2025 revenue exceeded 100 billion yuan, turning the "red soil" into a "fashion city."

Observe Luquan in Yunnan, the site of the ferry where the Red Army "skillfully crossed the Jinsha River." The Wudongde Hydropower Station was built on the original site, and together with Baihetan, Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Three Gorges, and Gezhouba, it forms the world's largest clean energy corridor.

Anchoring direction amid rapid and unpredictable changes (风云变幻, feng yun bian huan - "wind, cloud, change, transform"), breaking out of encirclement at the brink of desperation, and rising resolutely from hardship and adversity... What guided that force wearing straw sandals across mountains and rivers was the power of thought; what leads hundreds of millions of people to press forward with determination on the new journey of the new era is the radiance of thought.

"The history of the Long March has never receded into the distance; the road of the Long March is constantly extending."

On the new Long March, the "bottleneck" problems in scientific and technological research, the deep-seated contradictions in reform and development, and the uncertainties of the external environment — are these not new "Chishui Rivers" and "Jiajin Mountains"?

Thought is the banner. Opening a road of survival and blazing a way forward, just like that great expedition, step after step, stage after stage.

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At Yudu's East Gate Ferry Crossing, Feeling the Deep Bond Between Soldiers and Civilians (Long March Stories in Cultural Relics)

By: 本报记者 杨颜菲

Upon receiving the performance notice, Wang Huiqun, 70 years old, immediately rushed to the East Gate Ferry Crossing in Yudu County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, to prepare for an open-air performance on the banks of the Yudu River.

The East Gate Ferry Crossing in Yudu is the former site where the Central Red Army assembled and departed on the Long March. In the autumn of 1934, more than 86,000 Red Army soldiers, under cover of night, crossed the Yudu River at separate ferry crossings and set out on the long and arduous Long March. At that time, the Yudu River averaged more than 600 meters in width, with water depths of 1 to 3 meters and swift currents. There were no bridges over the river, so the Red Army chose to cross at eight ferry crossings, including the East Gate and South Gate of the county seat. At crossings where the water was shallower, soldiers waded across or were ferried over by fishermen in boats; at crossings where the water was deeper, pontoon bridges were erected on the spot.

To erect a pontoon bridge, iron anchors were first used to fix small boats to the riverbed, then ropes were used to string them together, and wooden planks were laid on top. Due to time constraints, it was difficult to raise enough wooden planks in a short period. The people of Yudu donated their own tables, door panels, fishing boats... On the nights of October 17 to 20, 1934, by the banks of the Yudu River, countless people of the Soviet areas bid farewell with tears in their eyes.

Today, the Yudu River flows gently. Beside the East Gate Ferry Crossing, there is a short restored section of pontoon bridge, telling of the urgency of the night march of those years.

As the performance began, mothers seeing off sons, wives seeing off husbands, elders seeing off the young... multi-threaded scenes unfolded one after another. Actors stood face to face in pairs, gazing at each other in silence; some trembled as they held out their hands, some were hesitating to speak due to uncertainty or emotion (欲言又止, yu yan you zhi - "desire, speak, yet, stop"). A young actor called out "Mom," and Wang Huiqun, playing the mother, could not hold back her tears.

Wang Huiqun is not a professional actress, but the memory in her blood is the best accumulation — her father, Wang Zhixian, was a Red Army soldier who set out on the Long March from the Yu'ongbu Ferry Crossing on the Yudu River, and successively took part in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. Wang Huiqun grew up listening to her elders at home tell of the events at the ferry crossing, and her understanding of parting is especially profound.

In 2021, the red-themed situational drama Farewell began regular performances at the East Gate Ferry Crossing. There is no stage, no lighting — the river beach itself is the theater. When Wang Huiqun heard about it, she took the initiative to sign up. Someone asked her: "You've never acted before, why are you joining in the fun?" She said: "I am a descendant of a Red Army soldier; it is having a responsibility that cannot be shirked (责无旁贷, ze wu pang lai - "duty, no, beside, evade")."

Joining Wang Huiqun on stage are more than a hundred other descendants of Red Army soldiers, ranging in age from their thirties and forties to their seventies and eighties. Many of their fathers and grandfathers assembled on the banks of the Yudu River and set out on the Long March.

"In recent years, the performance format has been constantly innovated, with many experiential scenes added, and more and more tourists are coming to watch," Wang Huiqun said. Tourists need no rehearsal and no lines — they simply change into costumes and can join the farewell procession, standing on the river beach where the people of those days once stood, feeling the weight and solemnity of seeing off the Red Army on its long expedition.

It is not just the regular open-air performance. In recent years, Yudu has cultivated a contingent of red-themed volunteer teams rooted in the local soil. Students from the Changzheng Yuan Red Army Primary School tell tourists stories such as "A Sheepskin Coat" and "The Embroidered Ball Grass Shoes" at red heritage sites; more than a hundred primary and secondary schools across the county have incorporated experiential immersion into required off-campus ideological and political courses, and more than 2,000 primary and secondary school students have formed the "Little Red Star Docents' Group," giving volunteer lectures year-round...

Moving from one-way lecturing to multi-dimensional interaction and immersive experiences, Yudu County, with the East Gate Ferry Crossing open-air performance as its link, has connected multiple practices including intangible cultural heritage inheritance, ideological and political education, and mass literary and artistic creation. The steady stream of tourists has driven the development of cultural and creative products, study tours, homestays, and other industries, and the locality has forged an integrated development path of "red performance attracting visitors, cultural tourism industry enriching the people." In 2025, Yudu County received 18.6468 million tourist visits, achieving total tourism revenue of 17.998 billion yuan.

"Each generation has its own responsibility and mission," Wang Huiqun said. "My father's generation's mission was to set out from this ferry crossing and head to the battlefield for family and country; my mission is to guard the ferry crossing, continue to tell the story of the Long March well, and keep the Long March spirit shining brightly."

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A Ferry Crossing's Cultural Tourism Insights (Expert Commentary)

By: 赵振中

Yudu County in Jiangxi Province, drawing on its endowment of red cultural resources at the ferry crossing, has broken through the single model of performance-based dissemination, and has advanced the protection of former revolutionary sites, cultural inheritance, and value transformation, providing a useful reference for the activation and utilization of red cultural resources in the old revolutionary base areas.

This practice has not stopped at the level of repairing former sites, restoring scenes, and displaying activities, but has gradually formed a complete chain of "protecting the historical entity, excavating the spiritual connotation, innovating dissemination methods, and driving local development." Taking authentic historical narrative as the premise for cultural innovation, enhancing the perceptibility of red culture through digital technology, and strengthening the social benefits of red culture through the integration of culture and tourism, it has achieved the unity of political value, cultural value, educational value, and economic value.

The vitality of red culture is rooted in upholding integrity, emphasized in innovation, and valued in long-term effectiveness. By consolidating the foundation through protection, renewing vitality through innovation, and empowering through integration, and by telling the red stories well, the red gene will continue to permeate people's hearts and nourish the times.

(The author is a specially appointed researcher at the School of Tourism of Nanchang University; compiled and organized by Yang Yanfei, reporter for People's Daily)

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“Everyone Reads the Party’s Innovative Theory” Series (First Volume) Published and Distributed

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22) To further advance the study, dissemination, research, and interpretation of the Party's innovative theory, and to better promote the deeply grasping and internalizing of ideas (入脑入心, ru nao ru xin - "enter, brain; enter, heart") of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Theoretical Bureau of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has organized a group of well-known experts and scholars to write popular academic works on the iconic concepts of the Party's innovative theory, compiling them into the "Everyone Reads the Party's Innovative Theory" book series. Recently, the first volume of the series has been jointly published and distributed by the People's Publishing House and the Learning Publishing House.

The first volume of the series includes five books: "Understanding the New Era," "Understanding Chinese Modernization," "Promoting High-Quality Development," "Building the New Development Pattern," and "Developing Whole-Process People's Democracy." The series closely centers on the new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions of the Party's innovative theory in its explanations, striving to explain clearly and vividly the principles, theories, and philosophies contained therein, while also reflecting individual academic accumulation and research styles, helping readers further deepen their understanding and grasp of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

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Leung Chun-ying Attends and Addresses Opening Ceremony of Fourth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development and Business Conference

(Xinhua News Agency, Macao, October 22) The Fourth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development and Business Conference opened in Macao on October 22. Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Leung Chun-ying stated that building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a major national strategy personally planned, personally deployed, and personally promoted by President Xi Jinping, and is a new platform for enriching the great practice of One Country, Two Systems. In the seven years since the release of the "Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," the three regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have been working together with one heart and mind (同心协力, tong xin xie li - "same heart, cooperate together") and forging ahead through hardships (砥砺前行, di li qian xing - "grind and polish, move forward"), jointly driving the construction of the Greater Bay Area to transform step by step from a grand blueprint into vivid reality. It is hoped that all parties attending will seize this rare opportunity, engage in in-depth exchanges and discussions, broadly build consensus, and inject new momentum into accelerating the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The conference, themed "Connecting the Bay Area, Linking the World," is hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region. More than 1,000 representatives from government agencies and business communities at home and abroad attended.

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Commemorative Stamps Issued for 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Han Xin) On the 22nd, China Post officially issued a set of 6 commemorative stamps marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. The stamp designs are titled respectively: Embarking on the Journey, Bloody Battle at the Xiang River, Zunyi Conference, Fierce Battle at Lazikou, Victorious Joining of Forces, and Carrying Forward the Great Long March Spirit.

The first five stamps in this set adopt a historical realist oil painting style, while the sixth uses a symbolic and freehand visual language. The stamps are printed using a high-precision offset printing process.

This set of stamps will be sold at designated postal outlets nationwide, the philatelic online hall, the China Post mobile client, the China Post Micro Post Office philatelic WeChat mall, and the China Post Mall WeChat mini-program, with a sales period of six months. In conjunction with the issuance of this set of stamps, China Philatelic Corporation Limited has simultaneously launched supporting products such as first-day covers, commemorative covers, stamp protection cards, postmark cards, and commemorative bronze medal collector's sets for the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, covering different needs including first-day real-mailing, collection appreciation, and thematic commemoration.

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Zhao Leji Chairs 74th Chairmen's Meeting of 14th NPC Standing Committee

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Peng Bo) The 74th Chairmen's Meeting of the 14th NPC Standing Committee was held on the afternoon of the 22nd at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Zhao Leji, chairman of the committee, presided over the meeting. The meeting decided that the 25th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee will be held in Beijing from November 2 to 6.

The Chairmen's Meeting proposed that the 25th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee deliberate the draft Procuratorial Public Interest Litigation Law, the draft Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law, the draft revised Water Law, the draft Anti-Cross-Border Corruption Law, the draft State-Owned Assets Law, and the draft Financial Law; deliberate the proposal submitted by the Chairmen's Meeting of the NPC Standing Committee on requesting deliberation of the draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law; deliberate the proposal submitted by the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee on requesting deliberation of the draft revised Renewable Energy Law; deliberate the proposals submitted by the State Council on requesting deliberation of the draft revised Tax Collection Administration Law and on requesting deliberation of the draft amendments to 15 laws including the Emergency Response Law; and deliberate the proposal submitted by the State Council on requesting deliberation of the approval of the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.

The agenda for the 25th session of the Standing Committee proposed by the Chairmen's Meeting also includes: deliberating the State Council's report on financial work, the comprehensive report on the management of state-owned assets in 2025, and the special report on the management of state-owned natural resource assets in 2025; deliberating the report of the Supreme People's Court on the work of people's assessors in the people's courts; deliberating the report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate on the work of procuratorial organs regarding intellectual property prosecution; deliberating the reports of the law enforcement inspection teams of the NPC Standing Committee on inspecting the implementation of the Food Security Guarantee Law, on inspecting the implementation of the Hainan Free Trade Port Law, and on inspecting the implementation of the Barrier-Free Environment Construction Law; deliberating the reports on the results of the deliberation of proposals submitted by deputies and referred for deliberation by the Presidium of the Fourth Session of the 14th NPC, submitted respectively by the NPC Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee, the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and the Social Development Affairs Committee; deliberating the report of the Credentials Committee of the NPC Standing Committee on the credentials of individual deputies; and deliberating relevant appointment and dismissal matters, among others.

The Chairmen's Meeting deliberated the report of the Representative Work Committee of the NPC Standing Committee on the handling of opinions and suggestions put forward by deputies during the Fourth Session of the 14th NPC on strengthening and improving the work of the people's congresses.

At the Chairmen's Meeting, Liu Qi, secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, reported on the draft agenda and schedule for the 25th session of the Standing Committee. Relevant deputy secretaries-general of the NPC Standing Committee, and heads of relevant special committees of the NPC and relevant working committees of the Standing Committee reported on relevant agenda items.

Vice chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee Li Hongzhong, Wang Dongming, Xiao Jie, Zheng Jianbang, Ding Zhongli, Hao Mingjin, Cai Dafeng, He Wei, Wu Weihua, Tie Ning, Peng Qinghua, Zhang Qingwei, Losang Jamcan, and Shohrat Zakir attended the meeting.

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Wang Dongfeng Attends "Eastern Scholarship" Senior Visiting Scholars "Entering the CPPCC" Event

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Wang Huihui) Wang Dongfeng, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the CPPCC National Committee, attended and delivered a speech at the "Eastern Scholarship" senior visiting scholars "Entering the CPPCC" event in Beijing on the 22nd, presenting Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and introducing the building of Chinese modernization and the system of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Senior visiting scholars from 54 countries participated.

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Page 1 editors: Yang Xu, Zhang Shuaizhen, Zhao Zheng; Page 2 editors: Lin Lin, Qi Jiarun, Zhang Anyu; Page 3 editors: Wu Gang, Zhou Zhou, Xie Jianing; Page 4 editors: Yuan Zhenxi, Han Chunyao, Liu Jingwen

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Key Quotes from General Secretary Xi Jinping's Speech at the Meeting Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March

The Red Army's Long March, an earth-shaking (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "startle heaven, shake earth") revolutionary feat, holds great significance in the history of our Party, our country, and our military, and has exerted a profound influence on the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This magnificent (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, magnify, mountains, rivers") heroic epic will forever be engraved on the monument of the Chinese revolution and forever remembered in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.

We revisit history in order to draw wisdom and strength for forging ahead. Today, 90 years later, as we once again look back on that period of suffering and glory, we understand even more deeply that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, and that it contains the way of triumph by which the Party and the people's military marched forward with resounding steps.

The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the correct leadership of the Party

History has eloquently proven that the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position were of decisive significance to the victory of the Red Army's Long March.

The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on firm revolutionary will

History has eloquently proven that revolutionary ideals and revolutionary convictions can burst forth with boundless power to overcome stubborn enemies and shake mountains and rivers, and that a contingent with lofty ideals and firm convictions is invincible.

The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on independence, self-reliance, and seeking truth from facts

History has eloquently proven that only when the basic principles of Marxism are closely integrated with China's concrete reality can they solve China's problems and demonstrate their powerful vitality.

The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the support of the broad masses of the people

History has eloquently proven that the masses of the people are forever the source of strength and the strong backing of the Party and the people's military. As long as we take deep root among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses of the people, the Party's cause will be invincible and never fail.

The Red Army's Long March created an extraordinary miracle on earth and forged the great Long March spirit. The great Long March spirit is the spirit of placing the fundamental interests of the people of the whole country and the Chinese nation above all else, firmly believing in revolutionary ideals and convictions, and firmly believing that the just cause is bound to triumph; it is the spirit of fearing no difficulties or obstacles and sparing no sacrifice in order to save the country and the people; it is the spirit of adhering to independence, self-reliance, seeking truth from facts, and proceeding from reality in everything; it is the spirit of considering the overall situation (顾全大局, gu quan da ju - "consider, whole, big, situation"), strictly observing discipline, and maintaining close unity; and it is the spirit of closely relying on the masses of the people, sharing life and death with them, sharing trials and tribulations (患难与共, huan nan yu gong - "hardship, together, with, share"), and working hard through arduous struggle.

Where the spirit is, there is the strength. The great Long March spirit fully demonstrates the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity. As an important component of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists, it transcends time and space, becoming more even more new with time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "time, long, even more, new"), and will forever be a precious asset and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and forge ahead bravely (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "brave, go, straight, forward").

The history of the Long March has never faded away, and the road of the Long March is constantly extending. In the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and in winning one great victory after another.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the new era. Through the joint efforts of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule, historic achievements have been made and historic changes have occurred in the cause of the Party and the state. We are now committed on the new journey to building a great modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the Second Centenary Goal, and to comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.

The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, and it is a new Long March for the Party and the people. Reflecting on the past by looking at the present (抚今追昔, fu jin zhui xi - "touch, present, pursue, past") and looking to the future, we must vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit and work together with one heart (同心协力, tong xin xie li - "same, heart, cooperate, strength") to walk the new Long March road well.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March road well, we must uphold the Party's ideals, convictions, and purpose

Ideals, convictions, and purpose are the "soul" of Communists and always guide the direction of our advance. On the new journey, we must fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen our belief in Marxism and our conviction in socialism and communism, strengthen our confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, keep in mind our original aspiration and founding mission, adhere to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, and closely rely on the people to create new historic achievements.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March road well, we must unswervingly promote high-quality development and continuously meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life

Our Party is determined to achieve the eternal cause of the Chinese nation, and first of all, it must accomplish the Party's missions and tasks in the new era and on the new journey. On the new journey, we must coordinate the promotion of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan (五位一体) overall layout, coordinate the advancement of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面) strategic layout, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of the new development pattern, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, promote the economy to achieve effective improvement in quality and reasonable growth in quantity, promote all-round social progress, adhere to development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people, and promote common prosperity for all the people.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March road well, we must be brave in carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features

The road to ideals has never been smooth, and great victories are all achieved through tenacious struggle. On the new journey, in the face of the complex and ever-changing domestic and international situation, we must dare to struggle and be good at struggling, continuously enhance the ambition, backbone, and confidence of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country, better coordinate development and security, be ready at all times to withstand major tests of high winds and rough waves or even violent storms, overcome difficulties, confront risks, and meet challenges with the spirit of historical initiative, and ensure that the giant ship of the Chinese nation's rejuvenation cleaves through the waves and sails steadily and far.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March road well, we must accelerate the building of the people's military into a world-class military

The people's military will forever be the great wall of steel defending the cause of the Party and the state. On the new journey, we must fully implement Xi Jinping's thinking on strengthening the military, always adhere to the Party's absolute leadership over the people's military, comprehensively advance political building of the military, reform to strengthen the military, science and technology to strengthen the military, talent to strengthen the military, and rule of law to govern the military, promote the people's military to carry forward the red lineage and forever maintain its pure nature, achieve the goal of building the military by the centenary of the founding of the military on schedule, promote the modernization of national defense and the military with high quality, and write a new chapter in strengthening the military and rejuvenating the military that is worthy of the revolutionary predecessors, worthy of the century-old foundation, and worthy of the new era.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March road well, we must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building

The Party's leadership and Party building are the fundamental guarantees for the development of the cause. On the new journey, we must thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thinking on Party building, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, adhere to the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, persistently advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, continuously realize the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement, continuously enhance the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal, and ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Only by remembering history can we create the future. The entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country must unite even more closely around the Party Central Committee, vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit, continue to strive and forge ahead through hardships (砥砺前行, di li qian xing - "grind, whet, forward, walk"), continuously advance the great cause pioneered by the revolutionary predecessors, and strive to create new brilliance on the new Long March road!

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Carry forward the great cause pioneered by revolutionary forebears

Zhong Min, docent at the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March

Telling the Long March story with contemporary relevance

People's Daily reporter Zhou Huan

On the bank of the Yudu River in Yudu County, Jiangxi, at the Long March ferry crossing, the river surges onward, and a restored wooden pontoon bridge lies quietly on the water. About a hundred meters to the east, inside the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March, many citizens have come to visit.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the clear requirement of the 'five musts' on carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading the new Long March road, which deeply moved me," said Zhong Min, docent at the memorial hall. She said she will bear in mind the earnest entrustment, remain rooted in her own work, continue to tell well the story of the Red Army's muster and departure on the Long March, and strive to lead more visitors to understand the Long March and feel the great Long March spirit.

Having worked in the profession for 26 years, Zhong Min has been constantly active on the front line of interpretation at exhibition halls, ferry crossings, and former sites and residences, telling people again and again the story of the departure of the great Long March — in October 1934, more than 86,000 men of the main force of the Central Red Army mustered on the bank of the Yudu River, and the people of the Soviet area supported them with all they had, donating boats, dismantling door panels, removing roof beams, building pontoon bridges, and seeing the Red Army off on its journey...

"I strive to tell the story well, to explain thoroughly the spirit contained in the story, so that audiences can 'touch' history and feel its power," Zhong Min said. "I must also better connect history with the present, and, in light of the vigorous development practices on the new journey of the new era, tell the Long March story with contemporary relevance, so that the great Long March spirit becomes an inexhaustible driving force for our continued struggle."

What Zhong Min tells is not the story of others, but the story of her own hometown and her own family. Her great-grandfather died in the counter-"encirclement and suppression" battles, and after her husband's grandfather set out on the Long March road, there was never any news of him again.

"This memory is carved into the land of my hometown and fused into the bloodline of my family," Zhong Min said. "From now on, I will, with a more reverent and passionate heart and with more sincere emotion, build a bridge between red history and the audience, so that the power of faith inspires more and more people."

Through years of work practice, Zhong Min has come to understand deeply that vigorously carrying forward the red tradition and passing on the red genes should focus on children and young people. After years of development, the "Little Red Star" interpretation group of the Long March source, organized by the memorial hall, now has more than 2,500 student members.

"Next, we will let the 'Little Red Star' docents enter more revolutionary former sites and residences and communities to carry out volunteer interpretation, and expand forms of presentation such as performances and singing, building an ever-growing distinctive interpretation team," Zhong Min said.

Zhu Xiangqun, Party branch secretary of Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village, Rucheng County, Hunan

Relying closely on the masses to do practical things well

People's Daily reporter Shen Zhilin

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that as long as we take deep root among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be invincible," said Zhu Xiangqun, Party branch secretary of Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village, Rucheng County, Hunan Province. "As grassroots Party members and cadres, to carry forward the great Long March spirit means to bear in mind the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and to contribute strength to meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life."

Recently, on the back hill of Xingfu New Village in Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village, fruit orchards covering the mountains are heavy with fragrant fruit, and pipes deliver gurgling clear water to the foot of the fruit trees, so villagers no longer worry about irrigation during droughts. "Building the orchard irrigation facilities was the call of all villagers at the courtyard meeting, and this project has finally been completed," Zhu Xiangqun said.

Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village is where the story of the "half quilt" during the Long March took place, and Zhu Xiangqun is the great-grandson of Xu Jiexiu, the elderly woman who was the protagonist of the story. "The Communist Party is one that, even if it has only one quilt, will cut half of it to give to the common people. On the new Long March road, we must treat every small matter of the masses as our own top priority," Zhu Xiangqun said.

In recent years, the village Party branch has led Party members and the masses in regularly holding courtyard meetings, bench meetings, and evening talks, going deep among the masses, addressing their urgent needs, and resolving their concerns; by relying on division into groups with household contact and door-to-door visits, it has gradually explored a set of mechanisms for mediating disputes and conflicts, thoroughly untying knots that some villagers had kept in their hearts for years...

In 2014, Zhu Xiangqun, who had been working away from home for many years, returned to the village and successively took on the posts of village committee director and village Party branch secretary. From targeted poverty alleviation in those years to the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas today, he has been fighting on the front line all along. "Wherever the masses have needs, we must direct our efforts there," Zhu Xiangqun said.

Having received the "half quilt" back then, today they are on the "road to happiness." In 2025, the collective income of Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village exceeded 1.1 million yuan, and the per capita annual income of villagers exceeded 26,000 yuan.

"We must not only develop ourselves well, but also drive development in the surrounding areas," Zhu Xiangqun said. Under the overall coordination of the higher-level Party committee, with Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village as the leader, the "ten villages and one community" around Shazhou are developing in a linked and united manner. "Relying closely on the masses and uniting the masses, we must also tread well the Long March road of the new era."

Peng Longfen, director of the village committee of Huamao Village, Fengxiang Town, Zunyi City, Guizhou

Let the smiles of fellow villagers grow ever more numerous

People's Daily reporter Huang Xian

"General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech spoke to the very bottom of our hearts, pointed out the direction for our future work, and filled us with drive. Only by doing better and leading the common people toward better development can we live up to the General Secretary's entrustment," said Peng Longfen, director of the village committee of Huamao Village, Fengxiang Town, Bozhou District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, her heart surging with emotion after studying the General Secretary's speech at the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

In 1935, after the Central Red Army won the great victory at Zunyi, it rested for several days in the area around the village, leaving red marks there. This place was formerly a poor village; its original name was "Huangmaotian" (barren thatch field), and it was later renamed "Huamao," meaning luxuriant flowers and leaves. In June 2015, when General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Huamao Village for an inspection, he pointed out: "Whether the Party Central Committee's policies are good depends on whether the fellow villagers are smiling or crying."

"The great Long March spirit enlightens us that we must rely closely on the masses," Peng Longfen said. On the road of comprehensive rural revitalization, the village's two committees have summarized the "five for the people" working method of "thinking for the masses, teaching the masses to know how, leading the masses to do, promoting the masses to become prosperous, and making the masses smile," and hold well the "monthly meeting between cadres and the masses," handling matters through consultation.

A good life is achieved through hard work. Over the years, Peng Longfen has filled 69 work notebooks with more than 450,000 characters. Opening the notebooks, one can see every step of Huamao Village from the battle against poverty to comprehensive rural revitalization: whose house was renovated, which road was built, which industry was established... She said that from cadres to the masses, everyone carries a sense of honor in their hearts — "Our Huamao is a place the General Secretary has visited and cares about."

With hearts united in one direction and strength exerted in one place, today's Huamao Village is even more "luxuriant in flowers and leaves": the per capita disposable income of villagers has jumped to more than 29,000 yuan, and the village-level collective economy has grown to 14.81 million yuan. In 2025, the village received more than 710,000 tourist visits, with total tourism revenue exceeding 24 million yuan. Fellow villagers are earning a living from the "tourism bowl" at their doorsteps, and their days are increasingly full of promise.

"The smiles of the fellow villagers are growing ever more numerous — this is the best response to good policies," Peng Longfen said, standing at the entrance of the village and looking at the coming and going tourists, her tone even more resolute. "On the new Long March road, we will bear in mind the General Secretary's entrustment, continue to transform the great Long March spirit into motivation for work and entrepreneurship, strive to let everyone live an even better life, and walk steadily and far on the road of common prosperity."

Zhao Fuqian, a resident of Shihao Town, Qijiang District, Chongqing

Three generations guarding the Long March spirit

People's Daily reporter Liu Xinwu

"General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that from the reluctance of 'seeing off the Red Army in ten songs,' the guarding at the night crossing of the Yudu River, to the warmth of the 'half quilt' and the oath of the 'Yihai alliance,' all vividly interpret the deep bond between the army and the people," said Zhao Fuqian, a resident of Shihao Town, Qijiang District, Chongqing, who studied the General Secretary's important speech at the meeting on his mobile phone, his thoughts drifting back to the years of the Long March.

Ninety-one years ago, when the Central Red Army passed through Shihao on the Long March, it borrowed cooking utensils from the restaurant run by Zhao Fuqian's grandfather; when the borrowed pots, bowls, and plates were returned, they were as clean as new, and before leaving, the soldiers also voluntarily filled the water vats and split firewood. "My grandparents said they had seen many armies, but this was the first time they had encountered one that treated the common people so well," Zhao Fuqian said.

The Red Army's small but warm deeds planted the seed of gratitude in Zhao Fuqian's family. After the Red Army left, several soldiers who had died were buried there, and Zhao Fuqian's grandfather voluntarily began to guard the resting place of the martyrs. His father, Zhao Zhihuai, volunteered to join the army, was awarded third-class merits twice, and joined the Party on the battlefield; after being demobilized and returning to the village, he carried on this sentiment, sweeping the graves voluntarily throughout his life. Before his death, his father instructed Zhao Fuqian to be sure to look after the martyrs' graves well and to continue telling the Red Army's stories.

"Although the Red Army's Long March only briefly passed through our home, its influence was great. My father had a strong Party spirit, resolutely obeyed organizational arrangements in his work, and often taught me that the Party's affairs and the masses' affairs, however small, are major matters, while personal affairs and family affairs, however big, are minor matters," Zhao Fuqian recalled.

Taking up the baton, Zhao Fuqian threw himself into red historical materials after retirement. He traveled around to seek out and compile oral historical accounts, organized a red interpretation group, and told visiting masses and young people the stories of the army and the people relying on each other along the Long March road. As seasons passed, the trees and grass in the cemetery flourished and withered, but the sound of interpretation never ceased. In his view, guarding the martyrs' graves is not just guarding a burial mound, but also guarding the red memory.

Zhao Fuqian said that the road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out with the support of the broad masses of the people. Each generation has its own Long March road. Today in Shihao, more and more young people are joining the interpretation team, letting the great Long March spirit move more and more of the masses, and everyone is jointly treading the Long March road of the new era.

The teacher-student team of "a hundred-li hike to pay tribute to the martyrs" of Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, Ningxia

Giving a good "ideological and political lesson on the move"

People's Daily reporter Jiao Siyu

Jiangtaibao in Guyuan, Ningxia, was one of the places where the Red Army units joined forces at the end of the Long March.

At Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, teachers and students gathered together and studied at the first opportunity General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that the history of the Long March has never receded into the distance, and the road of the Long March is constantly extending. The Long March is a spiritual banner. Although the times have changed and conditions have changed, the great Long March spirit is always passed on and carried forward in our hearts," said He Chengjiang, Party secretary of Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, with great excitement.

Following in the footsteps of the revolutionary martyrs' battle traces, Guyuan No. 2 Middle School has persisted for 31 years in the "hundred-li hike to pay tribute to the martyrs," inscribing inheritance and faith in the "ideological and political lesson on the move." Recently, Guyuan No. 2 Middle School has carried out activities commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, such as speeches under the national flag, essay competitions, and writing Long March messages, allowing teachers and students to feel the contemporary connotation of the great Long March spirit in tangible and perceptible scenes and draw the power of faith from it.

Teacher Zhao Rongyan was deeply moved: "The Red Army's Long March back then was an expedition to break through dangers and fight for survival with blood; today the smoke of gunpowder has receded, and the three-foot podium is my battlefield. I am willing to hold fast to the original aspiration of educating people, rely on the school's more than thirty years of hiking practice, give a good this 'ideological and political lesson on the move,' extend the classroom onto the red land, sow the red genes in the hearts of young people, guide young students to bravely shoulder their mission, and tread the new Long March road."

"After studying the General Secretary's important speech, I have come to understand even more that 'where the spirit is, there is the strength,'" said Li Jinpeng, a student at Guyuan No. 2 Middle School. "I once participated in the 'hundred-li hike to pay tribute to the martyrs,' and I still remember that on the hiking road, the wind carried loess, blisters formed on the soles of my feet, and my legs felt as heavy as if filled with lead. At that moment, the images of Red Army soldiers climbing snow mountains and crossing grasslands emerged in my mind, and the spirit of the martyrs in overcoming countless difficulties and dangers inspired us. In my future studies and life, I will carry on the martyrs' last wishes and go to the Long March road of the new era with my youthful self!"

"In studying and implementing the spirit of the General Secretary's important speech, we will continue to carry out well the 'ideological and political lesson on the move,' carry forward the great Long March spirit, work with determination and strive to make progress, and integrate personal ideals into the great cause of national development and national rejuvenation," He Chengjiang said.

Guan Yuantao, squad leader of the "All-Round Model Company" of a brigade of the 82nd Group Army of the Army

The honorary battle flag always flying high

People's Daily reporter Li Longyi

"Studying General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, I feel greatly inspired," said Guan Yuantao, squad leader of the "All-Round Model Company" of a brigade of the 82nd Group Army of the Army, at a training ground in the Central Plains. "The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams. Every one of us officers and soldiers must show the bearing of strivers, stay rooted at our combat posts, and strive to strengthen the military."

Guan Yuantao is a senior infantry fighting vehicle driver in the company. The company's predecessor was the Second Company of the First Battalion of the "Ye Ting Independent Regiment." Back then, in the battle to seize the Luding Bridge, the officers and soldiers of the company climbed along 13 iron chains and charged forward through a hail of bullets. After the victory of the Long March, the First Red Army Corps awarded the company the honorary title of "All-Round Model Company." "The heroic spirit, together with that honorary battle flag, has become the source of our strength in overcoming difficulties," he said.

That year, at the armored professional competition, Guan Yuantao volunteered for the task. During preparation, the sealed cabin of the infantry fighting vehicle exceeded 50 degrees Celsius after exposure to the sun, and he trained at his post 12 hours a day, checking the condition of the vehicle part by part at night as well.

"During training, I pasted a white sheet of paper in my vehicle with the company's soul written on it. When the heat was unbearable, I looked up at it; when I was tired and wanted to slack off, I looked up at it, and I found strength," Guan Yuantao said. "As successors of the 'All-Round Model Company,' we must show the style of seizing the Luding Bridge, daring to endure hardship and daring to tackle tough problems."

In the end, Guan Yuantao successfully completed all the dangerous and difficult subjects and stood out among the many elite competitors.

In Guan Yuantao's view, today's "Loushan Pass" and "Lazikou" are at the combat post. When new equipment is fielded, there are no manuals and no experience; unmanned operations and intelligent coordination are new roads no one has walked before. "When equipment is upgraded, training methods must be upgraded. Roads others have not walked, we walk first; problems others have not solved, we solve first," he said.

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that to carry forward the great Long March spirit and tread the new Long March road, it is necessary to accelerate the building of the people's military into a world-class military. This made Guan Yuantao feel the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders as a revolutionary soldier of the new era.

"As a successor of the 'All-Round Model Company,' I will carve the company soul of 'preferring the bridge to one's life' into my combat post and translate it into winning battles," Guan Yuantao said. "We will surely bear in mind the General Secretary's entrustment, carry on the red bloodline, train hard in skills, bravely shoulder heavy burdens, and contribute all our strength on the road to a strong military!"

(Gong Zeyuan participated in the writing)

Deng Yuping, member of the "Xia Ying Ming Zhu" (Rosy Dawn over the Pearl) publicity group of Pudong New Area, Shanghai

Passing on the red flame

People's Daily reporter Cao Lingjuan

"At the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that all present stand and observe a moment of silence for the revolutionary martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives during the Long March and in revolutionary struggles in various places, and I was moved to tears," said Deng Yuping, member of the "Xia Ying Ming Zhu" publicity group of Pudong New Area, Shanghai.

Deng Yuping is a descendant of a veteran Red Army soldier. From 2004 to the present, following in her father's footsteps, she has retraced the Long March road 16 times, visited more than 300 veteran Red Army soldiers, and given more than 500 related lectures. She says she is also a "Red Army soldier" of the new era.

Retracing the Long March road was a seed planted in her childhood. Deng Yuping recalls that her father joined the Red Army at the age of 12 and said all his life: "Seeing those twinkling stars in the sky is like seeing those comrades-in-arms on the Long March road." Later, Deng Yuping became a history teacher. She said that reading history, studying history, and teaching history also means one should go and seek out and record history.

On every visit to veteran Red Army soldiers, she always carried a red flag with her and asked them to sign their names on it. Today, the red flag is densely covered with the names of more than 300 veteran Red Army soldiers, including Deng Yuping's father.

Now in her seventies, Deng Yuping is still vigorously carrying forward the great Long March spirit. Highland barley from Gaoji Village in Gansu, Gesang flowers from the grasslands of Songpan in Sichuan, a faded Red Army cap, a commemorative medal treasured by a veteran Red Army soldier for a lifetime... From primary school to middle school to university, she brings the first-hand materials and physical teaching aids she has collected along her journeys to the podium, telling students what kind of road the Long March was and what kind of people the Red Army were.

Deng Yuping said that veteran Red Army soldier Wu Jiucheng had a large shell crater on the right side of his abdomen, and she let students touch it with their own hands. "A classmate burst into tears on the spot and said that our beautiful life today was fought for by the revolutionary predecessors." She said that she is not only telling history, but also unfolding a dialogue spanning 90 years — her father measured faith with his feet, and she passes on the flame with her heart.

"Just as General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, the great Long March spirit 'transcends time and space, is enhanced by the passage of time, and will forever be a precious treasure and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and march forward courageously,'" Deng Yuping said. The new generation of young people are treading the Long March road of the new era and will continue to tell well those stories that embody the great Long March spirit, so that this spiritual treasure will remain forever in the hearts of children.

Luo Pinghan, professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance)

Inspiring people with the deeds of heroes

People's Daily reporter Qi Yukun

"At the meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned the story of 'vowing to crawl to northern Shaanxi even after having a wounded leg amputated.'" On this touching detail of the Long March road, Luo Pinghan, professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), spoke with great feeling.

In 1935, when the Battle of Loushan Pass began, Zhong Chibing, then political commissar of the 12th Regiment of the Third Red Army Corps, led his troops in the charge. In the fierce fighting, his right leg was hit by a bullet, and he fell into a coma with severe injuries. Medical conditions at the time were extremely poor, yet Zhong Chibing managed to survive three amputations and miraculously lived. Later, Zhong Chibing refused to stay behind, insisted on following the troops on the Long March, climbed snow mountains, crossed grasslands, broke through countless enemy encirclements and pursuits, and finally reached northern Shaanxi with an iron will.

On the Long March road, there are many such touching stories: Zheng Jinyu said before his death, "I know the Party's cause will surely triumph"; Liu Zhihai, frozen to death on a snow mountain, still clutched his Party membership certificate and a silver dollar for paying Party dues...

Luo Pinghan has long been engaged in teaching the history of the CPC. Speaking of his research on the 25,000-li Long March, he said, "The Red Army's Long March is an epic of heroes. The hardship of the Long March, and the faith the Red Army held when facing desperate situations back then, move me again and again."

"During the Long March, wherever the Party and the Red Army went, they did not take anything that was not their own, and along the way they attacked local tyrants, distributed land, opened granaries to distribute grain, and relieved the poor common people, winning the masses and winning popular support through concrete actions," Luo Pinghan introduced. Along the way, the masses deeply felt that "the Red Army is the common people's own army," and they vied to make army uniforms, raise grain and funds, risk their lives to rescue the wounded and deliver intelligence, and many enthusiastically joined the army and followed through life and death.

"Every generation has its own 'snow mountains and grasslands,' only in different forms," Luo Pinghan wrote in his recently published book Looking Back at the Long March. Today's "Loushan Pass" may be one failure after another in the laboratory, or it may be a teacher in a rural primary school holding on in front of a dozen or so children.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that 'the road to ideals has never been smooth, and great victories are all achieved through tenacious struggle.' We must strengthen our ambition, our backbone, and our confidence, and work together to tread the new Long March road," Luo Pinghan said. He said that one must always be prepared to surmount the "snow mountains and grasslands" on the road ahead and make greater contributions in work.

Jiang Wenbing, power system designer of the Long March 12B carrier rocket

Overcoming difficulties through hard struggle

People's Daily reporter Liu Shiyao

After the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was held, the development team of the Long March 12B carrier rocket quickly organized the study of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed, 'Overcome difficulties, face risks, and meet challenges with the spirit of historical initiative, ensuring that the great ship of the Chinese nation braves the waves and overcomes difficulties and sails steadily and far.'" Jiang Wenbing, power system designer of the Long March 12B carrier rocket, said, "The General Secretary's important speech encourages us to continuously meet challenges and overcome difficulties on the road of scientific and technological innovation."

Ninety years ago, the Red Army predecessors walked the entire Long March road on foot; ninety years later, one after another rocket named "Long March" is heading into the vast universe. As a rocket power system designer, Jiang Wenbing has participated in the development of the Long March 12B carrier rocket for two years.

"The Red Army predecessors tempered their will and strengthened their faith in hardship, gritted their teeth and sought a way out in desperate situations, and after going through difficulties and dangers, completed the great expedition. Their spirit is worth learning from for us scientific and technological workers. In the face of difficulties, we must hold fast to the direction and shoulder the responsibility," Jiang Wenbing said.

In the summer of 2024, the team started from an old building and threw itself into the development of the new rocket. During the initial design, Jiang Wenbing found that if the number of cold helium cylinders were reduced to save weight, the inflation time might become the bottleneck of the full supercooling filling process. He used test data to build a simulation model, repeatedly weighed weight against inflation capacity, and pushed for increasing the number of cylinders. After joint rehearsal and first-flight verification, cold helium inflation no longer constrains the full supercooling filling process.

"This taught me that facing difficulties head-on is not only about actively solving problems after they arise, but also about thinking one step further and eliminating hidden dangers in advance," Jiang Wenbing said. "Facing 'hard bones' with no precedent and no shortcut, the only way is to find solutions through exploration and open up new prospects through persistence."

Engaging in rocket development means overcoming one difficulty after another; there is no shortcut, and the only way is to charge forward.

"I will continue to stay rooted on the front line of rocket development, not avoiding complex problems, not being discouraged by repeated failures, not slacking off in long-term tasks, and together with the team, do the design solidly and complete the tasks well, tempering my skills and will in overcoming difficulties, and tread my own Long March road through hard struggle," Jiang Wenbing said.

Xia Zongchang, deputy secretary of the Party committee of the Shandong Provincial Federation of Social Organizations and a retired military serviceman

Forever preserving the military's nature of serving the people

People's Daily reporter Li Rui

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that 'in the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and winning one great victory after another.' The rivers that the Red Army risked their lives to cross back then now have bridges spanning both banks. Walking the whole way, one understands even better where today's happy life comes from," said Xia Zongchang, deputy secretary of the Party committee of the Shandong Provincial Federation of Social Organizations and a retired military serviceman, speaking with emotion about his experience of retracing the Long March road.

After earnestly studying General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, this veteran soldier with 36 years of military service and 39 years of Party membership became even more steadfast in his conviction to carry forward the great Long March spirit.

After retirement, Xia Zongchang retraced the Long March road twice, visiting a hundred red landmarks. In Luding County, Sichuan, he held the iron chains with his hand and imagined the Red Army warriors charging forward through a hail of bullets; on the Dadu River, he saw the Xingkang Grand Bridge connecting the two banks, with vehicles coming and going without end.

"Retracing the Long March road is about turning the snow mountains the Red Army climbed back then into spiritual steps under the feet of successors. When a country and a nation always converse with history and resonate with spirit, they will, in continuous progress, arrive at their own victory and glory," Xia Zongchang said.

The changes along the way delighted him; the warmth of the people was unforgettable to him. In Yizhang County, Hunan, villagers led him to find Red Army sites; in Shimian County, Sichuan, a couple restarted the fire to cook for him when he arrived late at night...

"The mountains and rivers have changed their appearance, but the people's feelings for the Red Army and the people's military remain as deep as ever. The more I am treated with such kindness, the more I feel that the words 'serve the people' must never be forgotten at any time," Xia Zongchang said. He wrote Chasing the Light for a Hundred Thousand Li and Touching the Long March, and has given nearly a hundred public-interest lectures, turning the emotions of his journey into stories on the podium.

Speaking of his future plans, Xia Zongchang said: "I wore the military uniform for decades, and after retirement I must still have the bearing of a veteran soldier. I will continue to tell these stories to young people, and together with everyone, drive more social organizations to give play to their respective strengths, do more practical things to serve the masses, let more children understand the predecessors, and let more of the masses receive help — this is what keeps me going forward."

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Speaking from the Heart

Looking back today from the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, that contingent trod vast and difficult terrain (万水千山, wan shui qian shan - "ten thousand waters, thousand mountains") beneath their feet, while in their hearts their conviction burned like a torch. Today, the new Long March on the road to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies right beneath our feet, and we need all the more the drive to overwhelm every enemy without being overwhelmed by any enemy, and to conquer every difficulty without being conquered by any difficulty.

As a teacher of ideological and political theory courses, I must not only teach historical facts, but also the warmth of faith and the weight of backbone. I want to tell the Long March into the hearts of young people, so that they will not retreat before setbacks, not be confused before temptations, and not shrink from responsibility. The classroom is my position; use faith to ignite faith, pass on responsibility with responsibility, and let the toughness, valor, and utter sincerity that have been passed down for 90 years continue to surge within the young people of the new era.

— Jing Xingwei (景星维), ideological and political theory course teacher, Southwest Jiaotong University

Having studied General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, I was deeply moved and felt all the more that a mission rests on my shoulders. I work at the Red Army Martyrs' Cemetery that holds the largest number of Red Army martyrs and is the largest in scale in the country, where tens of thousands of Red Army martyrs lie in eternal rest. Every year, many cadres and members of the public come here to review the history of the Long March and remember the revolutionary martyrs.

The heroic song of martyrs transcends time and space. As a martyr narrator in the veterans affairs system, I will be a good disseminator of this heroic history, telling the story of the Long March with heart and feeling, so that visitors are willing to listen and can understand, and pass the red seeds on to more people.

— Xiang Shanshan (向姗姗), narrator at the Red Army Martyrs' Cemetery of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary Base Area

I have been rooted at the Huining Huishi Fire Rescue Station for ten years now. Standing beneath the Huishi Tower, I often recall the stirring years when the Red Army forebears crossed snow-capped mountains and traversed grasslands and triumphantly joined forces here, and I feel with gratitude that the forebears used their blood to defend this land, in exchange for the stable and good life we have today.

The forebears fought to secure peace and tranquility in the country (山河无恙, shan he wu yang - "mountains, rivers, no illness"), and the baton has been passed into our hands. Our younger generation will surely bear in mind the great spirit of the Long March, fear no hardship, dare to tackle tough problems, and train our skills solidly. We must both safeguard the safety of the people on all sides and safeguard the red roots, and walk well the new Long March.

— Wang Xu (王旭), assistant station chief, Huishi Fire Rescue Station, Huining County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province

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Forge Ahead Bravely on the Ever-Extending Long March Road

By: 徐 隽

Only by remembering history can we create the future.

On October 22, a grand meeting was held to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, deeply reviewing the Long March as a great expedition of ideals and convictions, a great expedition of testing truth, a great expedition of awakening the masses, and a great expedition of breaking new ground, injecting mighty spiritual strength into carrying forward the red bloodline and treading well the Long March road of the new era.

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Red Army's Long March, an earth-shaking or sensational (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "startle the heaven, shake the earth") revolutionary feat, has great significance in the history of our Party, our country, and our military, and has exerted a profound influence on the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This magnificent and heroic (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, magnify, mountains, rivers") heroic epic will forever be engraved on the monument of the Chinese revolution and forever remembered in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.

The mountains and rivers are safe, and the torch is passed on forever. In recent days, a surge of deep commemoration and heartfelt tribute has welled up across the sacred land of China, with vivid scenes outlining a spiritual resonance that transcends time and space. In Ruijin, Jiangxi, red flags flutter on the Red Army Square, where the masses revisit the oath of departure and read aloud red family letters, recalling the original aspiration of the 25,000-li Long March; in Zunyi, Guizhou, the memorial hall is a large crowd of people moving about (人头攒动, ren tou zan dong - "people, heads, crowd, move"), as visitors pause to gaze at precious cultural relics and feel the power of truth in historical details; in Luding, Sichuan, activities such as retracing the Long March route, red-themed lectures, and on-site study tours are being carried out with vigor.

Through ninety years of braving all kinds of weather and hardships (风雨兼程, feng yu jian cheng - "wind, rain, simultaneously, travel"), the great Long March spirit has long been embedded in the nation's bones and integrated into the bloodline of the times, becoming a precious asset that inspires generation after generation of Chinese people to overcome difficulties and forge ahead courageously.

"We revisit history in order to draw the wisdom and strength for forging ahead." In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the way to victory embodied in the triumph of the Long March, by which the Party and the people's army advanced with resounding steps: relying on the correct leadership of the Party, relying on firm revolutionary will, relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts, and relying on the broad support of the masses of the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward "five musts" for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading well the new Long March road. These are both the code by which the Red Army broke through countless rivers and mountains back then and the magic weapon that must be firmly grasped in today's new Long March.

The vast number of Party members and leading cadres study deeply and comprehend carefully, reading the suffering and glory of the Long March, and reading the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity.

In the laboratory of the electric propulsion team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, young researchers account for 60 percent of the staff; what they polish is the "space power heart" of satellites, and what they tread is the Long March road of aerospace personnel's scientific and technological innovation; in Huining, Gansu, the place where the Red Army triumphantly joined forces, terraced fields now spread layer upon layer, drip irrigation pipes extend along the field ridges, and village cadres are demonstrating how to use the intelligent integrated water-fertilizer machine that saves water and increases yields, treading the Long March road of comprehensive rural revitalization; on the plateau at an altitude of more than 5,300 meters, border defense soldier Xia Dajian has brushed past death many times yet remains unwavering in his ambition, completing hundreds of observation missions at important mountain passes, treading the Long March road of striving to strengthen the military...

Each generation has its own Long March, and each generation has its own responsibilities. More than 90 years ago, the Red Army officers and soldiers crossed countless mountains and rivers, endured countless difficulties and dangers (千难万险, qian nan wan xian - "thousand, difficulties, ten thousand, perils"), and paved the bright road to national rejuvenation with blood and life, forging the great Long March spirit. Today, the smoke of gunpowder has dissipated and the landscapes are beautiful and magnificent (山河锦绣, shan he jin xiu - "mountains, rivers, beautiful, embroidered"), but the new journey is still full of risks and challenges, the task of strengthening the country and rejuvenating the nation remains arduous and heavy, and we still have many "snowy mountains" and "grasslands" to cross, and many "Loushan Passes" and "Lazikou" to conquer.

The history of the Long March has never faded away, and the road of the Long March is constantly extending. On the new journey, we must firm up our ideals and convictions, forever maintain a posture of striving, transform the great Long March spirit into a powerful driving force for overcoming difficulties and forging ahead courageously, continuously push forward the great cause initiated by our revolutionary predecessors, and strive to create new brilliance on the new Long March road!

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Page editors: Xu Jun, Zhang Cong, Qi Yukun, Li Longyi

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Carry forward the great cause pioneered by revolutionary forebears

Zhong Min, docent at the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March

Telling the Long March story with contemporary relevance

People's Daily reporter Zhou Huan

On the bank of the Yudu River in Yudu County, Jiangxi, at the Long March ferry crossing, the river surges onward, and a restored wooden pontoon bridge lies quietly on the water. About a hundred meters to the east, inside the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March, many citizens have come to visit.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the clear requirement of the 'five musts' on carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading the new Long March road, which deeply moved me," said Zhong Min, docent at the memorial hall. She said she will bear in mind the earnest entrustment, remain rooted in her own work, continue to tell well the story of the Red Army's muster and departure on the Long March, and strive to lead more visitors to understand the Long March and feel the great Long March spirit.

Having worked in the profession for 26 years, Zhong Min has been constantly active on the front line of interpretation at exhibition halls, ferry crossings, and former sites and residences, telling people again and again the story of the departure of the great Long March — in October 1934, more than 86,000 men of the main force of the Central Red Army mustered on the bank of the Yudu River, and the people of the Soviet area supported them with all they had, donating boats, dismantling door panels, removing roof beams, building pontoon bridges, and seeing the Red Army off on its journey...

"I strive to tell the story well, to explain thoroughly the spirit contained in the story, so that audiences can 'touch' history and feel its power," Zhong Min said. "I must also better connect history with the present, and, in light of the vigorous development practices on the new journey of the new era, tell the Long March story with contemporary relevance, so that the great Long March spirit becomes an inexhaustible driving force for our continued struggle."

What Zhong Min tells is not the story of others, but the story of her own hometown and her own family. Her great-grandfather died in the counter-"encirclement and suppression" battles, and after her husband's grandfather set out on the Long March road, there was never any news of him again.

"This memory is carved into the land of my hometown and fused into the bloodline of my family," Zhong Min said. "From now on, I will, with a more reverent and passionate heart and with more sincere emotion, build a bridge between red history and the audience, so that the power of faith inspires more and more people."

Through years of work practice, Zhong Min has come to understand deeply that vigorously carrying forward the red tradition and passing on the red genes should focus on children and young people. After years of development, the "Little Red Star" interpretation group of the Long March source, organized by the memorial hall, now has more than 2,500 student members.

"Next, we will let the 'Little Red Star' docents enter more revolutionary former sites and residences and communities to carry out volunteer interpretation, and expand forms of presentation such as performances and singing, building an ever-growing distinctive interpretation team," Zhong Min said.

Zhu Xiangqun, Party branch secretary of Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village, Rucheng County, Hunan

Relying closely on the masses to do practical things well

People's Daily reporter Shen Zhilin

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that as long as we take deep root among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be invincible," said Zhu Xiangqun, Party branch secretary of Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village, Rucheng County, Hunan Province. "As grassroots Party members and cadres, to carry forward the great Long March spirit means to bear in mind the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and to contribute strength to meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life."

Recently, on the back hill of Xingfu New Village in Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village, fruit orchards covering the mountains are heavy with fragrant fruit, and pipes deliver gurgling clear water to the foot of the fruit trees, so villagers no longer worry about irrigation during droughts. "Building the orchard irrigation facilities was the call of all villagers at the courtyard meeting, and this project has finally been completed," Zhu Xiangqun said.

Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village is where the story of the "half quilt" during the Long March took place, and Zhu Xiangqun is the great-grandson of Xu Jiexiu, the elderly woman who was the protagonist of the story. "The Communist Party is one that, even if it has only one quilt, will cut half of it to give to the common people. On the new Long March road, we must treat every small matter of the masses as our own top priority," Zhu Xiangqun said.

In recent years, the village Party branch has led Party members and the masses in regularly holding courtyard meetings, bench meetings, and evening talks, going deep among the masses, addressing their urgent needs, and resolving their concerns; by relying on division into groups with household contact and door-to-door visits, it has gradually explored a set of mechanisms for mediating disputes and conflicts, thoroughly untying knots that some villagers had kept in their hearts for years...

In 2014, Zhu Xiangqun, who had been working away from home for many years, returned to the village and successively took on the posts of village committee director and village Party branch secretary. From targeted poverty alleviation in those years to the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas today, he has been fighting on the front line all along. "Wherever the masses have needs, we must direct our efforts there," Zhu Xiangqun said.

Having received the "half quilt" back then, today they are on the "road to happiness." In 2025, the collective income of Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village exceeded 1.1 million yuan, and the per capita annual income of villagers exceeded 26,000 yuan.

"We must not only develop ourselves well, but also drive development in the surrounding areas," Zhu Xiangqun said. Under the overall coordination of the higher-level Party committee, with Shazhou Yao Ethnic Village as the leader, the "ten villages and one community" around Shazhou are developing in a linked and united manner. "Relying closely on the masses and uniting the masses, we must also tread well the Long March road of the new era."

Peng Longfen, director of the village committee of Huamao Village, Fengxiang Town, Zunyi City, Guizhou

Let the smiles of fellow villagers grow ever more numerous

People's Daily reporter Huang Xian

"General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech spoke to the very bottom of our hearts, pointed out the direction for our future work, and filled us with drive. Only by doing better and leading the common people toward better development can we live up to the General Secretary's entrustment," said Peng Longfen, director of the village committee of Huamao Village, Fengxiang Town, Bozhou District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, her heart surging with emotion after studying the General Secretary's speech at the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

In 1935, after the Central Red Army won the great victory at Zunyi, it rested for several days in the area around the village, leaving red marks there. This place was formerly a poor village; its original name was "Huangmaotian" (barren thatch field), and it was later renamed "Huamao," meaning luxuriant flowers and leaves. In June 2015, when General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Huamao Village for an inspection, he pointed out: "Whether the Party Central Committee's policies are good depends on whether the fellow villagers are smiling or crying."

"The great Long March spirit enlightens us that we must rely closely on the masses," Peng Longfen said. On the road of comprehensive rural revitalization, the village's two committees have summarized the "five for the people" working method of "thinking for the masses, teaching the masses to know how, leading the masses to do, promoting the masses to become prosperous, and making the masses smile," and hold well the "monthly meeting between cadres and the masses," handling matters through consultation.

A good life is achieved through hard work. Over the years, Peng Longfen has filled 69 work notebooks with more than 450,000 characters. Opening the notebooks, one can see every step of Huamao Village from the battle against poverty to comprehensive rural revitalization: whose house was renovated, which road was built, which industry was established... She said that from cadres to the masses, everyone carries a sense of honor in their hearts — "Our Huamao is a place the General Secretary has visited and cares about."

With hearts united in one direction and strength exerted in one place, today's Huamao Village is even more "luxuriant in flowers and leaves": the per capita disposable income of villagers has jumped to more than 29,000 yuan, and the village-level collective economy has grown to 14.81 million yuan. In 2025, the village received more than 710,000 tourist visits, with total tourism revenue exceeding 24 million yuan. Fellow villagers are earning a living from the "tourism bowl" at their doorsteps, and their days are increasingly full of promise.

"The smiles of the fellow villagers are growing ever more numerous — this is the best response to good policies," Peng Longfen said, standing at the entrance of the village and looking at the coming and going tourists, her tone even more resolute. "On the new Long March road, we will bear in mind the General Secretary's entrustment, continue to transform the great Long March spirit into motivation for work and entrepreneurship, strive to let everyone live an even better life, and walk steadily and far on the road of common prosperity."

Zhao Fuqian, a resident of Shihao Town, Qijiang District, Chongqing

Three generations guarding the Long March spirit

People's Daily reporter Liu Xinwu

"General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that from the reluctance of 'seeing off the Red Army in ten songs,' the guarding at the night crossing of the Yudu River, to the warmth of the 'half quilt' and the oath of the 'Yihai alliance,' all vividly interpret the deep bond between the army and the people," said Zhao Fuqian, a resident of Shihao Town, Qijiang District, Chongqing, who studied the General Secretary's important speech at the meeting on his mobile phone, his thoughts drifting back to the years of the Long March.

Ninety-one years ago, when the Central Red Army passed through Shihao on the Long March, it borrowed cooking utensils from the restaurant run by Zhao Fuqian's grandfather; when the borrowed pots, bowls, and plates were returned, they were as clean as new, and before leaving, the soldiers also voluntarily filled the water vats and split firewood. "My grandparents said they had seen many armies, but this was the first time they had encountered one that treated the common people so well," Zhao Fuqian said.

The Red Army's small but warm deeds planted the seed of gratitude in Zhao Fuqian's family. After the Red Army left, several soldiers who had died were buried there, and Zhao Fuqian's grandfather voluntarily began to guard the resting place of the martyrs. His father, Zhao Zhihuai, volunteered to join the army, was awarded third-class merits twice, and joined the Party on the battlefield; after being demobilized and returning to the village, he carried on this sentiment, sweeping the graves voluntarily throughout his life. Before his death, his father instructed Zhao Fuqian to be sure to look after the martyrs' graves well and to continue telling the Red Army's stories.

"Although the Red Army's Long March only briefly passed through our home, its influence was great. My father had a strong Party spirit, resolutely obeyed organizational arrangements in his work, and often taught me that the Party's affairs and the masses' affairs, however small, are major matters, while personal affairs and family affairs, however big, are minor matters," Zhao Fuqian recalled.

Taking up the baton, Zhao Fuqian threw himself into red historical materials after retirement. He traveled around to seek out and compile oral historical accounts, organized a red interpretation group, and told visiting masses and young people the stories of the army and the people relying on each other along the Long March road. As seasons passed, the trees and grass in the cemetery flourished and withered, but the sound of interpretation never ceased. In his view, guarding the martyrs' graves is not just guarding a burial mound, but also guarding the red memory.

Zhao Fuqian said that the road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out with the support of the broad masses of the people. Each generation has its own Long March road. Today in Shihao, more and more young people are joining the interpretation team, letting the great Long March spirit move more and more of the masses, and everyone is jointly treading the Long March road of the new era.

The teacher-student team of "a hundred-li hike to pay tribute to the martyrs" of Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, Ningxia

Giving a good "ideological and political lesson on the move"

People's Daily reporter Jiao Siyu

Jiangtaibao in Guyuan, Ningxia, was one of the places where the Red Army units joined forces at the end of the Long March.

At Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, teachers and students gathered together and studied at the first opportunity General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that the history of the Long March has never receded into the distance, and the road of the Long March is constantly extending. The Long March is a spiritual banner. Although the times have changed and conditions have changed, the great Long March spirit is always passed on and carried forward in our hearts," said He Chengjiang, Party secretary of Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, with great excitement.

Following in the footsteps of the revolutionary martyrs' battle traces, Guyuan No. 2 Middle School has persisted for 31 years in the "hundred-li hike to pay tribute to the martyrs," inscribing inheritance and faith in the "ideological and political lesson on the move." Recently, Guyuan No. 2 Middle School has carried out activities commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, such as speeches under the national flag, essay competitions, and writing Long March messages, allowing teachers and students to feel the contemporary connotation of the great Long March spirit in tangible and perceptible scenes and draw the power of faith from it.

Teacher Zhao Rongyan was deeply moved: "The Red Army's Long March back then was an expedition to break through dangers and fight for survival with blood; today the smoke of gunpowder has receded, and the three-foot podium is my battlefield. I am willing to hold fast to the original aspiration of educating people, rely on the school's more than thirty years of hiking practice, give a good this 'ideological and political lesson on the move,' extend the classroom onto the red land, sow the red genes in the hearts of young people, guide young students to bravely shoulder their mission, and tread the new Long March road."

"After studying the General Secretary's important speech, I have come to understand even more that 'where the spirit is, there is the strength,'" said Li Jinpeng, a student at Guyuan No. 2 Middle School. "I once participated in the 'hundred-li hike to pay tribute to the martyrs,' and I still remember that on the hiking road, the wind carried loess, blisters formed on the soles of my feet, and my legs felt as heavy as if filled with lead. At that moment, the images of Red Army soldiers climbing snow mountains and crossing grasslands emerged in my mind, and the spirit of the martyrs in overcoming countless difficulties and dangers inspired us. In my future studies and life, I will carry on the martyrs' last wishes and go to the Long March road of the new era with my youthful self!"

"In studying and implementing the spirit of the General Secretary's important speech, we will continue to carry out well the 'ideological and political lesson on the move,' carry forward the great Long March spirit, work with determination and strive to make progress, and integrate personal ideals into the great cause of national development and national rejuvenation," He Chengjiang said.

Guan Yuantao, squad leader of the "All-Round Model Company" of a brigade of the 82nd Group Army of the Army

The honorary battle flag always flying high

People's Daily reporter Li Longyi

"Studying General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, I feel greatly inspired," said Guan Yuantao, squad leader of the "All-Round Model Company" of a brigade of the 82nd Group Army of the Army, at a training ground in the Central Plains. "The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams. Every one of us officers and soldiers must show the bearing of strivers, stay rooted at our combat posts, and strive to strengthen the military."

Guan Yuantao is a senior infantry fighting vehicle driver in the company. The company's predecessor was the Second Company of the First Battalion of the "Ye Ting Independent Regiment." Back then, in the battle to seize the Luding Bridge, the officers and soldiers of the company climbed along 13 iron chains and charged forward through a hail of bullets. After the victory of the Long March, the First Red Army Corps awarded the company the honorary title of "All-Round Model Company." "The heroic spirit, together with that honorary battle flag, has become the source of our strength in overcoming difficulties," he said.

That year, at the armored professional competition, Guan Yuantao volunteered for the task. During preparation, the sealed cabin of the infantry fighting vehicle exceeded 50 degrees Celsius after exposure to the sun, and he trained at his post 12 hours a day, checking the condition of the vehicle part by part at night as well.

"During training, I pasted a white sheet of paper in my vehicle with the company's soul written on it. When the heat was unbearable, I looked up at it; when I was tired and wanted to slack off, I looked up at it, and I found strength," Guan Yuantao said. "As successors of the 'All-Round Model Company,' we must show the style of seizing the Luding Bridge, daring to endure hardship and daring to tackle tough problems."

In the end, Guan Yuantao successfully completed all the dangerous and difficult subjects and stood out among the many elite competitors.

In Guan Yuantao's view, today's "Loushan Pass" and "Lazikou" are at the combat post. When new equipment is fielded, there are no manuals and no experience; unmanned operations and intelligent coordination are new roads no one has walked before. "When equipment is upgraded, training methods must be upgraded. Roads others have not walked, we walk first; problems others have not solved, we solve first," he said.

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that to carry forward the great Long March spirit and tread the new Long March road, it is necessary to accelerate the building of the people's military into a world-class military. This made Guan Yuantao feel the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders as a revolutionary soldier of the new era.

"As a successor of the 'All-Round Model Company,' I will carve the company soul of 'preferring the bridge to one's life' into my combat post and translate it into winning battles," Guan Yuantao said. "We will surely bear in mind the General Secretary's entrustment, carry on the red bloodline, train hard in skills, bravely shoulder heavy burdens, and contribute all our strength on the road to a strong military!"

(Gong Zeyuan participated in the writing)

Deng Yuping, member of the "Xia Ying Ming Zhu" (Rosy Dawn over the Pearl) publicity group of Pudong New Area, Shanghai

Passing on the red flame

People's Daily reporter Cao Lingjuan

"At the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that all present stand and observe a moment of silence for the revolutionary martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives during the Long March and in revolutionary struggles in various places, and I was moved to tears," said Deng Yuping, member of the "Xia Ying Ming Zhu" publicity group of Pudong New Area, Shanghai.

Deng Yuping is a descendant of a veteran Red Army soldier. From 2004 to the present, following in her father's footsteps, she has retraced the Long March road 16 times, visited more than 300 veteran Red Army soldiers, and given more than 500 related lectures. She says she is also a "Red Army soldier" of the new era.

Retracing the Long March road was a seed planted in her childhood. Deng Yuping recalls that her father joined the Red Army at the age of 12 and said all his life: "Seeing those twinkling stars in the sky is like seeing those comrades-in-arms on the Long March road." Later, Deng Yuping became a history teacher. She said that reading history, studying history, and teaching history also means one should go and seek out and record history.

On every visit to veteran Red Army soldiers, she always carried a red flag with her and asked them to sign their names on it. Today, the red flag is densely covered with the names of more than 300 veteran Red Army soldiers, including Deng Yuping's father.

Now in her seventies, Deng Yuping is still vigorously carrying forward the great Long March spirit. Highland barley from Gaoji Village in Gansu, Gesang flowers from the grasslands of Songpan in Sichuan, a faded Red Army cap, a commemorative medal treasured by a veteran Red Army soldier for a lifetime... From primary school to middle school to university, she brings the first-hand materials and physical teaching aids she has collected along her journeys to the podium, telling students what kind of road the Long March was and what kind of people the Red Army were.

Deng Yuping said that veteran Red Army soldier Wu Jiucheng had a large shell crater on the right side of his abdomen, and she let students touch it with their own hands. "A classmate burst into tears on the spot and said that our beautiful life today was fought for by the revolutionary predecessors." She said that she is not only telling history, but also unfolding a dialogue spanning 90 years — her father measured faith with his feet, and she passes on the flame with her heart.

"Just as General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, the great Long March spirit 'transcends time and space, is enhanced by the passage of time, and will forever be a precious treasure and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and march forward courageously,'" Deng Yuping said. The new generation of young people are treading the Long March road of the new era and will continue to tell well those stories that embody the great Long March spirit, so that this spiritual treasure will remain forever in the hearts of children.

Luo Pinghan, professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance)

Inspiring people with the deeds of heroes

People's Daily reporter Qi Yukun

"At the meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned the story of 'vowing to crawl to northern Shaanxi even after having a wounded leg amputated.'" On this touching detail of the Long March road, Luo Pinghan, professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), spoke with great feeling.

In 1935, when the Battle of Loushan Pass began, Zhong Chibing, then political commissar of the 12th Regiment of the Third Red Army Corps, led his troops in the charge. In the fierce fighting, his right leg was hit by a bullet, and he fell into a coma with severe injuries. Medical conditions at the time were extremely poor, yet Zhong Chibing managed to survive three amputations and miraculously lived. Later, Zhong Chibing refused to stay behind, insisted on following the troops on the Long March, climbed snow mountains, crossed grasslands, broke through countless enemy encirclements and pursuits, and finally reached northern Shaanxi with an iron will.

On the Long March road, there are many such touching stories: Zheng Jinyu said before his death, "I know the Party's cause will surely triumph"; Liu Zhihai, frozen to death on a snow mountain, still clutched his Party membership certificate and a silver dollar for paying Party dues...

Luo Pinghan has long been engaged in teaching the history of the CPC. Speaking of his research on the 25,000-li Long March, he said, "The Red Army's Long March is an epic of heroes. The hardship of the Long March, and the faith the Red Army held when facing desperate situations back then, move me again and again."

"During the Long March, wherever the Party and the Red Army went, they did not take anything that was not their own, and along the way they attacked local tyrants, distributed land, opened granaries to distribute grain, and relieved the poor common people, winning the masses and winning popular support through concrete actions," Luo Pinghan introduced. Along the way, the masses deeply felt that "the Red Army is the common people's own army," and they vied to make army uniforms, raise grain and funds, risk their lives to rescue the wounded and deliver intelligence, and many enthusiastically joined the army and followed through life and death.

"Every generation has its own 'snow mountains and grasslands,' only in different forms," Luo Pinghan wrote in his recently published book Looking Back at the Long March. Today's "Loushan Pass" may be one failure after another in the laboratory, or it may be a teacher in a rural primary school holding on in front of a dozen or so children.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that 'the road to ideals has never been smooth, and great victories are all achieved through tenacious struggle.' We must strengthen our ambition, our backbone, and our confidence, and work together to tread the new Long March road," Luo Pinghan said. He said that one must always be prepared to surmount the "snow mountains and grasslands" on the road ahead and make greater contributions in work.

Jiang Wenbing, power system designer of the Long March 12B carrier rocket

Overcoming difficulties through hard struggle

People's Daily reporter Liu Shiyao

After the meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was held, the development team of the Long March 12B carrier rocket quickly organized the study of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed, 'Overcome difficulties, face risks, and meet challenges with the spirit of historical initiative, ensuring that the great ship of the Chinese nation braves the waves and overcomes difficulties and sails steadily and far.'" Jiang Wenbing, power system designer of the Long March 12B carrier rocket, said, "The General Secretary's important speech encourages us to continuously meet challenges and overcome difficulties on the road of scientific and technological innovation."

Ninety years ago, the Red Army predecessors walked the entire Long March road on foot; ninety years later, one after another rocket named "Long March" is heading into the vast universe. As a rocket power system designer, Jiang Wenbing has participated in the development of the Long March 12B carrier rocket for two years.

"The Red Army predecessors tempered their will and strengthened their faith in hardship, gritted their teeth and sought a way out in desperate situations, and after going through difficulties and dangers, completed the great expedition. Their spirit is worth learning from for us scientific and technological workers. In the face of difficulties, we must hold fast to the direction and shoulder the responsibility," Jiang Wenbing said.

In the summer of 2024, the team started from an old building and threw itself into the development of the new rocket. During the initial design, Jiang Wenbing found that if the number of cold helium cylinders were reduced to save weight, the inflation time might become the bottleneck of the full supercooling filling process. He used test data to build a simulation model, repeatedly weighed weight against inflation capacity, and pushed for increasing the number of cylinders. After joint rehearsal and first-flight verification, cold helium inflation no longer constrains the full supercooling filling process.

"This taught me that facing difficulties head-on is not only about actively solving problems after they arise, but also about thinking one step further and eliminating hidden dangers in advance," Jiang Wenbing said. "Facing 'hard bones' with no precedent and no shortcut, the only way is to find solutions through exploration and open up new prospects through persistence."

Engaging in rocket development means overcoming one difficulty after another; there is no shortcut, and the only way is to charge forward.

"I will continue to stay rooted on the front line of rocket development, not avoiding complex problems, not being discouraged by repeated failures, not slacking off in long-term tasks, and together with the team, do the design solidly and complete the tasks well, tempering my skills and will in overcoming difficulties, and tread my own Long March road through hard struggle," Jiang Wenbing said.

Xia Zongchang, deputy secretary of the Party committee of the Shandong Provincial Federation of Social Organizations and a retired military serviceman

Forever preserving the military's nature of serving the people

People's Daily reporter Li Rui

"General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that 'in the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, the Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great Long March after another in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and winning one great victory after another.' The rivers that the Red Army risked their lives to cross back then now have bridges spanning both banks. Walking the whole way, one understands even better where today's happy life comes from," said Xia Zongchang, deputy secretary of the Party committee of the Shandong Provincial Federation of Social Organizations and a retired military serviceman, speaking with emotion about his experience of retracing the Long March road.

After earnestly studying General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, this veteran soldier with 36 years of military service and 39 years of Party membership became even more steadfast in his conviction to carry forward the great Long March spirit.

After retirement, Xia Zongchang retraced the Long March road twice, visiting a hundred red landmarks. In Luding County, Sichuan, he held the iron chains with his hand and imagined the Red Army warriors charging forward through a hail of bullets; on the Dadu River, he saw the Xingkang Grand Bridge connecting the two banks, with vehicles coming and going without end.

"Retracing the Long March road is about turning the snow mountains the Red Army climbed back then into spiritual steps under the feet of successors. When a country and a nation always converse with history and resonate with spirit, they will, in continuous progress, arrive at their own victory and glory," Xia Zongchang said.

The changes along the way delighted him; the warmth of the people was unforgettable to him. In Yizhang County, Hunan, villagers led him to find Red Army sites; in Shimian County, Sichuan, a couple restarted the fire to cook for him when he arrived late at night...

"The mountains and rivers have changed their appearance, but the people's feelings for the Red Army and the people's military remain as deep as ever. The more I am treated with such kindness, the more I feel that the words 'serve the people' must never be forgotten at any time," Xia Zongchang said. He wrote Chasing the Light for a Hundred Thousand Li and Touching the Long March, and has given nearly a hundred public-interest lectures, turning the emotions of his journey into stories on the podium.

Speaking of his future plans, Xia Zongchang said: "I wore the military uniform for decades, and after retirement I must still have the bearing of a veteran soldier. I will continue to tell these stories to young people, and together with everyone, drive more social organizations to give play to their respective strengths, do more practical things to serve the masses, let more children understand the predecessors, and let more of the masses receive help — this is what keeps me going forward."

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Speaking from the Heart

Looking back today from the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, that contingent trod vast and difficult terrain (万水千山, wan shui qian shan - "ten thousand waters, thousand mountains") beneath their feet, while in their hearts their conviction burned like a torch. Today, the new Long March on the road to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies right beneath our feet, and we need all the more the drive to overwhelm every enemy without being overwhelmed by any enemy, and to conquer every difficulty without being conquered by any difficulty.

As a teacher of ideological and political theory courses, I must not only teach historical facts, but also the warmth of faith and the weight of backbone. I want to tell the Long March into the hearts of young people, so that they will not retreat before setbacks, not be confused before temptations, and not shrink from responsibility. The classroom is my position; use faith to ignite faith, pass on responsibility with responsibility, and let the toughness, valor, and utter sincerity that have been passed down for 90 years continue to surge within the young people of the new era.

— Jing Xingwei (景星维), ideological and political theory course teacher, Southwest Jiaotong University

Having studied General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, I was deeply moved and felt all the more that a mission rests on my shoulders. I work at the Red Army Martyrs' Cemetery that holds the largest number of Red Army martyrs and is the largest in scale in the country, where tens of thousands of Red Army martyrs lie in eternal rest. Every year, many cadres and members of the public come here to review the history of the Long March and remember the revolutionary martyrs.

The heroic song of martyrs transcends time and space. As a martyr narrator in the veterans affairs system, I will be a good disseminator of this heroic history, telling the story of the Long March with heart and feeling, so that visitors are willing to listen and can understand, and pass the red seeds on to more people.

— Xiang Shanshan (向姗姗), narrator at the Red Army Martyrs' Cemetery of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary Base Area

I have been rooted at the Huining Huishi Fire Rescue Station for ten years now. Standing beneath the Huishi Tower, I often recall the stirring years when the Red Army forebears crossed snow-capped mountains and traversed grasslands and triumphantly joined forces here, and I feel with gratitude that the forebears used their blood to defend this land, in exchange for the stable and good life we have today.

The forebears fought to secure peace and tranquility in the country (山河无恙, shan he wu yang - "mountains, rivers, no illness"), and the baton has been passed into our hands. Our younger generation will surely bear in mind the great spirit of the Long March, fear no hardship, dare to tackle tough problems, and train our skills solidly. We must both safeguard the safety of the people on all sides and safeguard the red roots, and walk well the new Long March.

— Wang Xu (王旭), assistant station chief, Huishi Fire Rescue Station, Huining County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province

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Forge Ahead Bravely on the Ever-Extending Long March Road

By: 徐 隽

Only by remembering history can we create the future.

On October 22, a grand meeting was held to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, deeply reviewing the Long March as a great expedition of ideals and convictions, a great expedition of testing truth, a great expedition of awakening the masses, and a great expedition of breaking new ground, injecting mighty spiritual strength into carrying forward the red bloodline and treading well the Long March road of the new era.

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Red Army's Long March, an earth-shaking or sensational (惊天动地, jing tian dong di - "startle the heaven, shake the earth") revolutionary feat, has great significance in the history of our Party, our country, and our military, and has exerted a profound influence on the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This magnificent and heroic (气壮山河, qi zhuang shan he - "spirit, magnify, mountains, rivers") heroic epic will forever be engraved on the monument of the Chinese revolution and forever remembered in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.

The mountains and rivers are safe, and the torch is passed on forever. In recent days, a surge of deep commemoration and heartfelt tribute has welled up across the sacred land of China, with vivid scenes outlining a spiritual resonance that transcends time and space. In Ruijin, Jiangxi, red flags flutter on the Red Army Square, where the masses revisit the oath of departure and read aloud red family letters, recalling the original aspiration of the 25,000-li Long March; in Zunyi, Guizhou, the memorial hall is a large crowd of people moving about (人头攒动, ren tou zan dong - "people, heads, crowd, move"), as visitors pause to gaze at precious cultural relics and feel the power of truth in historical details; in Luding, Sichuan, activities such as retracing the Long March route, red-themed lectures, and on-site study tours are being carried out with vigor.

Through ninety years of braving all kinds of weather and hardships (风雨兼程, feng yu jian cheng - "wind, rain, simultaneously, travel"), the great Long March spirit has long been embedded in the nation's bones and integrated into the bloodline of the times, becoming a precious asset that inspires generation after generation of Chinese people to overcome difficulties and forge ahead courageously.

"We revisit history in order to draw the wisdom and strength for forging ahead." In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the way to victory embodied in the triumph of the Long March, by which the Party and the people's army advanced with resounding steps: relying on the correct leadership of the Party, relying on firm revolutionary will, relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts, and relying on the broad support of the masses of the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward "five musts" for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading well the new Long March road. These are both the code by which the Red Army broke through countless rivers and mountains back then and the magic weapon that must be firmly grasped in today's new Long March.

The vast number of Party members and leading cadres study deeply and comprehend carefully, reading the suffering and glory of the Long March, and reading the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity.

In the laboratory of the electric propulsion team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, young researchers account for 60 percent of the staff; what they polish is the "space power heart" of satellites, and what they tread is the Long March road of aerospace personnel's scientific and technological innovation; in Huining, Gansu, the place where the Red Army triumphantly joined forces, terraced fields now spread layer upon layer, drip irrigation pipes extend along the field ridges, and village cadres are demonstrating how to use the intelligent integrated water-fertilizer machine that saves water and increases yields, treading the Long March road of comprehensive rural revitalization; on the plateau at an altitude of more than 5,300 meters, border defense soldier Xia Dajian has brushed past death many times yet remains unwavering in his ambition, completing hundreds of observation missions at important mountain passes, treading the Long March road of striving to strengthen the military...

Each generation has its own Long March, and each generation has its own responsibilities. More than 90 years ago, the Red Army officers and soldiers crossed countless mountains and rivers, endured countless difficulties and dangers (千难万险, qian nan wan xian - "thousand, difficulties, ten thousand, perils"), and paved the bright road to national rejuvenation with blood and life, forging the great Long March spirit. Today, the smoke of gunpowder has dissipated and the landscapes are beautiful and magnificent (山河锦绣, shan he jin xiu - "mountains, rivers, beautiful, embroidered"), but the new journey is still full of risks and challenges, the task of strengthening the country and rejuvenating the nation remains arduous and heavy, and we still have many "snowy mountains" and "grasslands" to cross, and many "Loushan Passes" and "Lazikou" to conquer.

The history of the Long March has never faded away, and the road of the Long March is constantly extending. On the new journey, we must firm up our ideals and convictions, forever maintain a posture of striving, transform the great Long March spirit into a powerful driving force for overcoming difficulties and forging ahead courageously, continuously push forward the great cause initiated by our revolutionary predecessors, and strive to create new brilliance on the new Long March road!

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Page editors: Xu Jun, Zhang Cong, Qi Yukun, Li Longyi

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Reviewing History to Draw Wisdom and Strength for Endeavor

The Party's leadership and Party building

Ensuring the Party always remains a strong leading core

Ouyang Song

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China: "The Party's leadership and Party building are the fundamental guarantee for the development of the cause." Looking back at that leaving a lasting and glorious mark in history (彪炳史册, biao bing shi ce - "splendid, mark, history, annals") great expedition 90 years ago, and looking ahead to the magnificent prospects of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation in the new era, an irrefutable historical conclusion clearly shows us: to carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March well, we must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building.

The victory of the Long March was, in the final analysis, a victory of the Party's leadership and a victory of Party building. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the correct leadership of the Party." The great expedition of ideals and convictions relied on the Party's political guidance; the great expedition of testing truth relied on the Party's self-correction; the great expedition of awakening the people relied on the Party's mass line; the great expedition of breaking new ground relied on the Party's directional guidance and unity.

From the "new situation" after the victory of the Long March to the "new journey" of realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, every step of historical progress has been inseparable from the Party's strong leadership. Today, as we advance on the new Long March of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and realizing the Second Centenary Goal, we likewise need to uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building.

Comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation requires the Party's leadership to steer the course. The more grand the goal, the more arduous the task, the more the Party needs to command the overall situation and coordinate all parties, the more it is necessary to uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, and to implement the Party's leadership in all fields, all aspects, and all links of the cause of the Party and the state; the more it is necessary to unite the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups in the country into "a piece of hard steel," the more the Party's leadership is needed to unite hearts and forge souls, and the more it is necessary to use common ideals and convictions to rally the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups in the country; the more it is necessary to respond to foreseeable and unforeseeable risks and challenges, the more complex and volatile the situation, the more the Party's leadership is needed to serve as a mainstay in difficult times, and the more it is necessary to uphold, apply well, and develop well this greatest advantage of the Party's leadership.

Whether the Party can truly exercise strong and effective leadership depends on whether the Party itself is strong. Over more than 100 years, Party building has developed from the "great project" of the revolutionary war era to the "new great project" of the new era. The Party has continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, forging a Communist Party of China that always stays at the forefront of the times. This has not only made the Party itself stronger and more capable, but has also continuously provided a very important guarantee for the Party to lead the people in carrying out the great struggle, advancing the great cause, and realizing the great dream.

On the new Long March, we must thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, and uphold the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee. The most fundamental aspect of upholding the Party's leadership is upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, this highest political principle. We must deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), and resolutely achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护); this is the most fundamental political requirement for strengthening the Party's leadership. We must persevere in promoting full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, continuously realize the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement, continuously strengthen the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal, ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and continuously transform the Party's political and organizational advantages into powerful driving force and lasting effectiveness for advancing Chinese modernization.

(The author is former director of the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee)

The great Long March spirit

Carrying forward the great Long March spirit

Xin Xiangyang

In his important speech at the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded the important connotation of the great Long March spirit, pointing out: "The great Long March spirit fully demonstrates the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity" and "it will forever be a precious treasure and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and advance courageously."

To carry forward the great Long March spirit, we must adhere to the Party's ideals, convictions, and purposes. Ideals, convictions, and purposes are the "soul" of Communists, always guiding the direction of our progress. In the great Long March spirit, the spirit of placing the fundamental interests of the people of the whole country and the Chinese nation above everything else, firmly believing in revolutionary ideals and convictions, and firmly believing that the just cause is bound to triumph supported the Red Army officers and soldiers in finding new life through facing death (向死而生, xiang si er sheng - "towards, death, and, live") in desperate situations, never changing their original aspiration through trials and tribulations, and creating extraordinary human miracles with the power of truth and firm revolutionary will. To strive to walk the new Long March well, we must comprehensively implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen our belief in Marxism and our conviction in socialism and communism, strengthen the "Four Confidences" in socialism with Chinese characteristics, bear in mind the original aspiration and founding mission, uphold the Party's fundamental purpose, and closely rely on the people to continue striving and forging ahead.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit, we must carry forward the spirit of struggle and enhance our ability to struggle. The road to ideals has never been smooth, and great victories are all achieved through tenacious struggle. In the great Long March spirit, the spirit of fearing no difficulties or obstacles and sparing no sacrifice to save the country and the people inspired the Red Army officers and soldiers to find new life through facing death amid hail of bullets, to survive against all odds at the limits of survival, and to be reborn through fire after going through many trials and tribulations (千锤百炼, qian chui bai lian - "thousand, hammer, hundred, refine"). On the new Long March, in the face of complex and severe risks and challenges, we must cultivate excellent abilities to struggle and dare to and be good at carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit, we must firmly grasp the initiative in the country's development and progress in our own hands. In the great Long March spirit, the spirit of upholding independence and self-reliance, seeking truth from facts, and proceeding from reality in everything led our Party to deeply understand the laws of the Chinese revolution through bloody lessons, gradually shake off the shackles of dogmatism, and firmly grasp the historical initiative. To vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit and work together to walk the new Long March well, we must face risks and challenges with the spirit of historical initiative, actively identify, respond to, and seek changes based on the general trend of the times, and firmly grasp the initiative in the country's development and progress.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit, we must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building. In the great Long March spirit, the spirit of taking the overall situation into account, strictly observing discipline, and maintaining close unity enabled the entire Party to unite into "a piece of hard steel" with the power of loyalty. To walk the new Long March well, we must thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, uphold the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, and with the tenacity and perseverance that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the way, build the Party to be stronger and more capable.

To carry forward the great Long March spirit, we must maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses of the people. In the great Long March spirit, the spirit of closely relying on the masses of the people, sharing life and death with them, sharing weal and woe, and working hard together supported the Red Army officers and soldiers in trekking through mountains and rivers with the power of unity, and walking out a road of victory rooted in the masses with the original aspiration of serving the people. The new journey is a new Long March for the Party and the people. We must firmly stand on the people's side, always adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, stand with the people, think with the people, and work with the people, and jointly create new historical achievements.

(The author is a researcher at the Institute of Marxism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

Independence and self-reliance, seeking truth from facts

Upholding independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts to walk the new Long March well

Yan Xiaofeng

The great victory of the Long March turned crisis into opportunity for the Chinese revolution and broke new ground. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts." The great victory of the Long March was inevitable, and it contains a key to victory in the sonorous advance of the Party and the people's army: relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts to arduously explore the revolutionary road.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only when the basic principles of Marxism are closely integrated with China's specific realities can they solve China's problems and demonstrate strong vitality." Due to the erroneous leadership of "Left" dogmatism within the Party, the fifth counter-"encirclement and suppression" campaign in the Central Revolutionary Base Area failed, and other revolutionary base areas also suffered setbacks. At the critical juncture of life and death, the Party led the Red Army's First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies and the Twenty-Fifth Army in a forced strategic shift, embarking on the long road of the Long March and beginning a great journey that shook the world and left a lasting and glorious mark in history. The process of the Long March was also a process of our Party arduously exploring the revolutionary road. During the Long March, our Party began to independently and realistically solve major issues such as where the road should lead and how battles should be fought. Why is it said that during the Long March "Chairman Mao's use of troops was truly miraculous"? The miracle lies not in mechanically copying foreign military theories, but in opposing mechanical thinking on the issue of war, proceeding from the reality of the Chinese revolution, actively understanding and grasping the laws of the Chinese revolution, and thereby creating such a "masterstroke" as the Four Crossings of the Chishui River.

The Long March's practical experience of blood and fire eloquently proves that those who do not understand the complexity of the Chinese revolution and the particularity of the Chinese revolutionary war, who only know how to lean on a "foreign crutch" and find ready-made answers from "books," will only bring losses to the revolutionary cause; only by relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts can we firmly grasp the fate of the country's development and progress in our own hands. By relying on independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts to walk our own road, our Party created extraordinary human miracles during the Long March. Inheriting and carrying forward the fine tradition of independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts, Chinese Communists in the new era, on the new Long March, base themselves on national conditions, plan the overall situation from reality, respond to changes, and break new ground, realize the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled, promote historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the state, and enable Sinicized and modernized Marxism to demonstrate strong vitality.

Walking our own road with independence and self-reliance and seeking truth from facts is a precious revelation the Long March has left us. To continue walking the new Long March well, we must uphold independence and self-reliance and seek truth from facts, always place the development of the country and the nation on the basis of our own strength, not blindly believe in books, not blindly follow experience, not blindly copy models, proceed from reality, act according to laws, find the right path to solve development problems, and transform the experience and wisdom verified by blood and fire in the Long March into theoretical and practical consciousness rooted in the realities of contemporary China and responding to the issues of the times, striving to create new brilliance on the new Long March!

(The author is dean of the School of Marxism at Tianjin University)

The people's standpoint

Continuously meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life

Liu Guangming

At the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the support of the broad masses of the people," and emphasized that "to carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March well, we must unswervingly promote high-quality development and continuously meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life." Looking back at the eventful years, one conclusion is resounding: "Our Party was born for the people, thrives because of the people, and all its work is for the happiness of the people." During the Long March, the Party and the Red Army relied on the people to be reborn from desperate situations and create miracles; on the new journey of the new era, the Party unites and leads the people to advance courageously and create the future.

The people are the creators of history and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the state. The 25,000-li Long March is a great miracle in human history and a vivid portrayal of the Party, the Red Army, and the people sharing weal and woe and life and death together. It was precisely because they were always flesh-and-blood connected with the people and closely relied on the people that the Party and the Red Army were able to break through layers of blockades, cross countless mountains and rivers, and rally an invincible and mighty force in desperate situations of extreme material scarcity and encirclement, pursuit, and interception by powerful enemies.

All the Party's struggles, all its sacrifices, and all its creations are for the purpose of enabling the people to live a better life. This is a vivid interpretation of our Party's original aspiration and founding mission and also the value coordinate of the new Long March. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Our Party is committed to the eternal cause of the Chinese nation; first of all, it must accomplish the Party's mission and tasks on the new journey of the new era." Comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization is the central task of the Party and the state on the new journey of the new era and the greatest politics of the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping also emphasized: "Popular support is the greatest politics." It is precisely the people who make these two "greatest politics" share the same meaning and the same essence. The Party's mission and tasks are highly unified with its original aspiration of serving the people. The grand cause of national rejuvenation is, in the final analysis, a cause that benefits the people; all the arduous struggles and all the development breakthroughs in the new era ultimately aim to respond to the people's expectations and enhance the people's well-being. Over 90 years, what has changed is the journey; what has not changed is the original aspiration.

The Communist Party of China is rooted in the people, its blood flows from the people, and its strength comes from the people. To promote high-quality development in the cause of Chinese modernization, we must closely rely on the people. High-quality development is development that embodies the new development philosophy and development that can well meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life. Without high-quality development, the improvement of people's livelihoods would lack material support; without the participation of the people, high-quality development would lose its main force; without sharing the fruits of development, development would deviate from its fundamental direction. To uphold development for the people, we must take the people's needs as the starting point; to uphold development relying on the people, we must stimulate the creative power of hundreds of millions of people; to uphold the fruits of development shared by the people, we must continue to make efforts in doing practical things for people's livelihoods and promote common prosperity for all the people. The road to the victory of the Long March was walked out with the support of the people, and the great cause of national rejuvenation will be accomplished through the concerted efforts of the people.

On the new journey, we must, through high-quality development, make the people's struggle more passionate, make the people's smiles more brilliant, and make the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security more substantial, more guaranteed, and more sustainable.

(The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at the National Defense University)

The great struggle

Courageously carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features

Qi Biao

In his important speech at the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March well, we must courageously carry out the great struggle with many new historical features." This important requirement is an important revelation of history for reality. The Long March is a human epic written with will and courage. The road to the great victory of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on firm revolutionary will. The connotation of the great Long March spirit of "fearing no difficulties or obstacles and sparing no sacrifice" tells us: the road to ideals has never been smooth, and great victories are all achieved through tenacious struggle.

In the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, our Party has united and led the people in carrying out one great struggle after another, one great Long March after another, and winning one great victory after another in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform. All the achievements of the Party and the people did not fall from the sky, were not bestowed by others, but were obtained through continuous struggle. On the new Long March, the Party unites and leads the people in working together to comprehensively advance the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization. Although there is no longer the military encirclement and life-and-death desperation the Red Army faced back then, advancing Chinese modernization, like the Long March, is a pioneering, arduous, and complex undertaking. Only by grasping the historical characteristics of the new great struggle, daring to struggle and being good at struggle, continuously strengthening the ambition, backbone, and confidence of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups in the country, better coordinating development and security, always being prepared to withstand the major tests of fierce winds and high waves (风高浪急, feng gao lang ji - "wind, high, wave, urgent") and even raging storms, and overcoming difficulties, fighting risks, and meeting challenges with the spirit of historical initiative, can we ensure that the great ship of China's rejuvenation cleaves through waves and sails steadily and far.

The Party relied on struggle to create a glorious history, and it must rely on struggle to open up a bright future. How to dare to struggle and be good at struggle? First, grasp the direction of struggle. The struggle of Communists has direction, stance, and principles; the general direction is to uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China and China's socialist system without wavering. Second, strengthen the confidence of struggle. Where does confidence come from? It comes from our country's increasingly solid "family foundation," and even more from firm ideals and convictions, persistent pursuit of truth, and unwavering adherence to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission. Third, strengthen the will to struggle. Historical experience tells us that if a political party, a country, or a contingent loses its will to struggle, it is very terrible, and it is not far from peril and extinction. In a long-term peaceful environment, we must all the more preserve the spirit of struggle and the will to struggle. Fourth, pay attention to struggle strategies. Grasp the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction, uphold being reasonable, advantageous, and restrained, reasonably choose the methods of struggle and grasp the timing of struggle, yield not an inch on matters of principle, and be flexible and agile on matters of strategy. According to the needs of the situation, grasp the timing, degree, and effectiveness, and adjust struggle strategies in a timely manner. Fifth, enhance the ability to struggle. We must have the ability to see the signs of things, make scientific predictions about potential risks, know where the risks are, what their manifestations are, and what their development trends will be, and struggle where struggle is needed; we must actively throw ourselves into various struggles, dare to face difficulties head-on in the face of external suppression and containment and deep-seated contradictions and problems in economic and social development, solidly accumulate strategies and measures, promptly and decisively eliminate risks and hidden dangers, and strive to turn unfavorable factors into favorable conditions for defeating the enemy.

Having leveled the bumps into a broad road, we set out again after overcoming hardships. We must courageously carry out the great struggle with many new historical features, overcome all risks and challenges, walk the new Long March well, and win new great victories!

(The author is a professor at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee)

World-class military

Accelerating the building of the People's Army into a world-class military

Fu Wanjuan

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk the new Long March well, we must accelerate the building of the People's Army into a world-class military." Ninety years ago, the Party led the Red Army to successfully complete the great Long March full of suffering and glory. Next year, the People's Liberation Army will usher in the 100th anniversary of its founding. From the starry-night assembly and departure on the banks of the Yudu River to the historical juncture of the centenary of the army's founding, the People's Army that once struggled to survive in desperate situations is now striding forward with a new appearance toward a world-class military.

What is a world-class military? Looking back at the Long March, this earth-shaking revolutionary feat, one can find the most simple and most profound answer. Facing countless blockades and myriad dangers, the Red Army, lacking clothing and food and with backward equipment, not only successfully completed the strategic shift but also grew and strengthened in desperate situations. The truth of army building and army governance tempered by the life-and-death tests of blood and fire in the Long March tells us: the strength of an army does not simply depend on the quality of equipment or the number of personnel, but fundamentally on who leads it and for whom it fights. The Long March was the tempering furnace of the People's Army. At the critical juncture of life and death, the correct leadership of the Party and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position gave the Party and the Red Army new life. The Four Crossings of the Chishui River, the skillful crossing of the Jinsha River, the forced crossing of the Dadu River... every military miracle of turning crisis into opportunity was created under the guidance of the Party's correct line. During the Long March, the warmth of the "half quilt" and the oath of the "Yihai Alliance" vividly interpreted the deep affection between the military and the people, and were also vivid portrayals of the nature, purpose, and true character of the People's Army. Always connected with the people by flesh and blood, sharing weal and woe, carrying guns for the people and fighting for the people, the revolutionary army possessed an invincible and ever-victorious force.

Spanning 90 years of time and space, the great Long March spirit has always been forged into the bloodline of the People's Army and has radiated new vitality in the fiery practice of strengthening the military and rejuvenating the military in the new era. "The People's Army will forever be the Great Wall of steel defending the cause of the Party and the state." Realizing the goal of building the military into a world-class military by the centenary of the army's founding as scheduled, promoting the modernization of national defense and the military with high quality, and accelerating the building of a world-class military are the historical requirements for the People's Army to inherit the red gene, strengthen ideals and convictions, and march from victory to victory, and are also the urgent needs for responding to risks and challenges, seeking strategic initiative, winning development advantages, and supporting a strong country with a strong military. On the new journey of the new era, we must comprehensively implement Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military, always uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the People's Army, consolidate the foundation through political army building, shape the system through reform to strengthen the military, empower with new capabilities through science and technology to strengthen the military, shore up support through talent to strengthen the military, and strictly enforce discipline through law-based governance of the military, promote the People's Army to carry forward the red bloodline and forever maintain its pure character, accelerate the modernization of military theory, military organizational forms, military personnel, weapons and equipment, and military governance, safeguard national security and the people's tranquility with excellent combat capabilities, and escort Chinese modernization to advance steadily and far.

The great Long March that shook the world and left a lasting and glorious mark in history not only wrote a heroic epic of conquering extreme conditions with human will, but also showed the world the spiritual qualities of the People's Army in not fearing power and pursuing truth and light. The People's Army, reborn through fire in the great Long March, in the process of accelerating its march toward world-class status, has become a strong pillar defending the red mountains and rivers and guarding the lights of ten thousand households, and has also become an important force for safeguarding world peace and development and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It will surely write a new chapter of strengthening the military and rejuvenating the military that is worthy of the revolutionary predecessors, worthy of the century-old foundation, and worthy of the new era.

(The author is a professor at the School of Political Fundamentals and Education at the National University of Defense Technology)

Layout design: Wang Zheping

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Where the spirit resides, there lies the strength.

General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "The great spirit of the Long March fully manifests the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity. As an important component of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists, it transcends time and space, becoming more and more new over time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "endure long time, increasingly new"), and will forever be a precious asset and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and forge ahead courageously (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "brave, go, straight, forward")."

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. Ninety years ago, Red Army soldiers measured faith with their feet; today, a series of commemorative activities inscribe our remembrance, tribute, and reverence.

From themed exhibitions to light-and-shadow presentations, from digital interactive experiences to retracing the Long March route, in the 15 provinces through which the Red Army's Long March passed — Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Chongqing, Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Ningxia, and Shaanxi — various commemorative activities have entered communities, villages, schools, and parks, carrying forward the great spirit of the Long March through diverse cultural vehicles and innovative forms of expression, making history more approachable and tangible.

— Editor

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Page editors: Cheng Chen, Tang Tianyi, Bai Zhenzhi, He Yuche, Liu Zihe, Kong Chuibin

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United as One on the New Long March

Leaders in Rural Revitalization

"Making the Lives of Our Fellow Villagers Even Happier and More Beautiful"

Narrator: Lu Weimin

The beautiful Zhaoxing Dong Village is located in Zhaoxing Village in the southeastern part of Liping County, Guizhou, and is one of the largest Dong ethnic villages in the country. This village, which carries a thousand years of Dong culture and is full of ethnic characteristics, is both ancient and fashionable.

In 2016, I chose to return to my hometown to work in the village committee. At that time, more than 3,000 young people from Zhaoxing Village were working away from home. I went door to door, encouraging villagers to open homestays, run restaurants, and develop cultural tourism. More and more young people returned to their hometown, and the village's development reached a new level.

From winning the battle against poverty to advancing comprehensive rural revitalization, the village has undergone tremendous changes (翻天覆地, fan tian fu di - "turn, heaven; overturn, earth"), and the thousand-year-old Dong village has taken on a brand-new look.

In March 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to our area for an inspection and required us to "give full play to the role of Party branches as fighting fortresses and the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members, leading the masses to develop the economy and do a good job in rural governance." Keeping in mind the General Secretary's instructions and expectations, as secretary of the village Party committee, I must continue to strive together with my fellow villagers and walk well the new Long March of comprehensive rural revitalization.

In the Dong village, "no conflict is left unresolved overnight" is the norm. There are five drum towers in the village named "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness," and these are also the places where villagers discuss development, resolve disputes, and handle other matters. When neighbors have a falling out, the village elders sit by the fire pit in the drum tower and can reason things through in a few words; if tourists have any difficulties, we can come up with solutions on the spot.

Relying on its unique ethnic culture and ecological resources, Zhaoxing Dong Village attracts a large number of tourists to come and check in, and rural cultural tourism has taken off. Last year, Zhaoxing Dong Village received more than 1.51 million tourists, with comprehensive tourism revenue exceeding 1.5 billion yuan and village collective economic income exceeding 3 million yuan, allowing more villagers to earn a living from tourism. At the same time, we carry out monthly routine evaluations of safety, hygiene, and civilized business practices, and innovatively implement a points-based management system to mobilize everyone to participate in the construction of the scenic area and jointly protect the Dong village.

To promote comprehensive rural revitalization, we must help more villagers become prosperous. With rural cultural tourism as the starting point, we will continuously improve the mechanism for linking agriculture with farmers' benefits, broaden the channels and methods for villagers to participate in the development of rural industries, attract young people to return to their hometowns and villages to work, and make the lives of our fellow villagers even happier and more beautiful.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Deng Jianyang)

Science and Technology Workers

"Setting Out Anew from Each Successful Deep Dive"

Narrator: Ye Cong

At the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Academicians' Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology in July this year, as a representative of the winners of the 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award Special Prize, I received the certificate from General Secretary Xi Jinping. At that moment, I felt extremely moved and excited (心潮澎湃, xin chao peng pai - "heart, tide; surge, swell"), and also felt that the burden on my shoulders was even heavier.

Going back to November 2020, the "Striver" (Fendouzhe) submersible reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench at a depth of 10,909 meters, setting a record for China's manned deep-diving. As the chief designer of the "Striver" and the chief commander of the 10,000-meter sea trial, I witnessed the birth of this record on site, felt very proud, and also set a new goal to explore more technology.

To further develop the deep-diving cause, we first need deep-diving equipment. A transparent submersible is like mounting glass on a metal frame; the two types of materials deform differently under high pressure in the deep sea, so how to achieve both pressure resistance and sealing is the first hurdle to overcome. The preparation cycle for transparent materials takes several months, and every step must be precisely controlled. Large-area curved transparent cabin walls also produce imaging distortion due to light refraction, which requires correction... These problems all have to be solved one by one.

After the 10,000-meter deep dive, our goal is no longer "deeper" but "stronger." We need to enhance the comprehensive operational capability, adaptability, and intelligence level of our equipment, integrating artificial intelligence into the deep-diving cause. This requires massive amounts of seabed data as a foundation to build a virtual ocean model close to reality, helping equipment operate more intelligently. Transparent submersibles can not only give scientists a broader field of observation but also obtain ocean data more comprehensively.

At the same time, we are joining forces with relevant research and development efforts to tackle underwater communication technology and increase the data transmission rate in the deep sea. Once the relevant technologies mature, scenarios such as underwater charging, high-speed data transmission, and multi-platform collaborative operations will have a more solid foundation for implementation.

As equipment technology continues to mature, we will also think about: can the wind energy and solar energy in the open sea be converted and stored on the seabed? It is precisely such visions that continuously drive us to set out anew from each successful deep dive, so that deep-diving equipment can better serve deep-sea exploration and the development of the marine economy.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wang Weijian)

Educators

"In Pursuing Scholarship, One Must Find Problems from China's Reality"

Narrator: Xie Lunyu

In pursuing scholarship, one must find problems from China's reality; in pursuing education, one must take root in China's land. As a teacher at the School of Applied Economics of Renmin University of China, over the years I have actively participated in the university's "History of the People's Republic of China's Battle Against Poverty" series of research and interview project (abbreviated as the "832 Project"). Together with my team members, we have gone county by county, interviewed person by person, recording the accounts of those who personally experienced the battle against poverty. To date, we have conducted research in 812 former national-level impoverished counties.

Some people wonder: the battle against poverty has already been won, so why are you still running around? I think what we are running is our own Long March.

In April 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Renmin University of China for an inspection and research visit, and expressed the earnest expectation for philosophy and social science workers to "take as their intellectual pursuit the manifestation of China's path, China's governance, and China's principles." I have always kept this in mind.

Xin County in Xinyang, Henan, is the county I have visited the most. The first time I went, we did the basic work of "one history, two exhibitions, three databases": recording oral history interviews, preserving photography and documentary materials, and simultaneously building a database, a case library, and an interview video library. For example, at the e-commerce livestreaming base in Chendian Township and the poverty-alleviation workshop in Jixiang Community, Sidian Township, we not only recorded how the base and workshop operated but also entered data such as employment structure, income sources, and village collective assets into the database.

Every subsequent visit carried the follow-up questions from the previous round: Have the traffic costs of the livestreaming base changed? Are the orders at the poverty-alleviation workshop stable? How is the employment of relocated households? These questions cannot be answered in a single interview; they require long-term tracking.

Similar follow-up questions run through every county we have visited. 2026 is the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan and also the first year of carrying out normalized assistance. For me and the "832" research institute team, the keyword has changed from "recording" to "construction." The work ahead is more specific: select a group of counties from those we have researched to set up long-term monitoring points, observing the path from consolidating and expanding the achievements of the battle against poverty to solidly advancing comprehensive rural revitalization. At the same time, we will continue to open the "832" case library to more developing countries, contributing Chinese solutions to the global cause of poverty reduction.

From recording stories of poverty alleviation to writing good stories of the future, the "832 Project" path answers China's questions and also answers the world's questions.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wu Dan)

Sports Workers

"Chinese Sports People in the New Era Must Advance Even When Facing Greater Difficulties"

Narrator: Sui Wenjing

In 2016, I underwent surgery on both of my feet, and after the operation I even had to relearn how to walk. At that time, I once doubted whether I could ever return to the ice rink. My teammates often came to visit me, doing land-based lift exercises with me in the cramped space between the hospital beds. Those days taught me that to return to the competition arena and win glory for the country, I had to start from taking steps again.

At the first Four Continents Championships after my comeback, we won the championship, and in the same year we also won the World Championships title. But returning to the arena did not mean the difficulties were over. The fatigue of training, the torment of injuries, and the pressure of major competitions have tested me countless times. But I have always firmly believed that Chinese sports people in the new era must advance even when facing greater difficulties.

In January 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the Beijing Erqi Factory Ice and Snow Sports Training Base to learn about our training and competition preparation. The General Secretary's earnest instructions gave us tremendous encouragement, helping my partner and me break through numerous difficulties and stand on the highest podium at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Looking back, every fall and rise on the ice rink and every breakthrough of limits have been the most valuable experiences of my life.

After retiring from competition, I have been teaching at Beijing Sport University, while also serving as a member of the Chinese Olympic Committee and a member of the Athletes' Commission of the International Skating Union. In my new positions, I always keep in mind the General Secretary's instructions, standing firmly on the three-foot podium, focusing on sports research, and deeply cultivating the cause of sports education.

From athlete to teacher, my identity and position have changed, but my commitment to dedicating myself to the country and striving tirelessly has never changed. I transform my training experiences and stories of hard work into teaching content, imparting knowledge of ice and snow sports and conveying the Chinese sports spirit, guiding young students to face difficulties without fear and pursue their dreams with down-to-earth determination, cultivating reserve talents for ice and snow sports for the country, and passing on the spirit of hard work from generation to generation. At the same time, I continue to delve into the field of sports technology, using my own experience and an attitude of continuous learning to explore paths for empowering ice and snow sports with technology, using data and science to help improve training quality and bridge the gap between theory and the competition arena.

The Long March of the new era has no smoke of gunpowder or flames of war, but it equally requires the courage for overcoming difficult problems and challenges (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack, key; overcome, difficulty") and the persistence of sustained, long-term effort. I will continue to use the strength of youth and the action of practical work to continuously write new answers for Chinese sports people in the new era.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Ji Fang)

Medical Workers

"Go Wherever the Herdsmen Need Us Most"

Narrator: Wuhasi Sulaiman

I am a doctor in a pastoral area. What I have done all my life is ride horses, carry a medical kit, and enter felt yurts. In July this year, when General Secretary Xi Jinping hung the heavy "July 1 Medal" around my neck, my hands trembled a little. I think this honor does not belong to me alone; it belongs even more to the millions of Party members and medical workers rooted at the grassroots level.

When I was a child visiting relatives in the pastoral areas, I already knew that herdsmen had difficulty seeing doctors. After graduating from Tacheng Health School in Xinjiang in 1975, I could have stayed in the county seat, but I applied to go to the pastoral area because that was where doctors were needed more. In winter, when it was minus 40 degrees Celsius, I would ride out on horseback to make house calls, tucking my stethoscope inside my chest to warm it before using it on patients. In spring, when the snow melted, I once fell with my horse into an icy river; I climbed out, wrung out my clothes, and had to continue on my way. What I can never forget is a heavy snow day when a herdsman named Alege was having a difficult labor, and I rode more than ten li on horseback to get there. The baby was born blue all over and did not cry. I bent down and used my mouth to suck out the foreign matter blocking the baby's throat. Finally, the baby cried, and that loud cry I will remember for the rest of my life. Over the decades, I have delivered more than 3,200 babies, and the herdsmen all call me "Father Umbilical Cord."

After retiring in 2015, my family urged me to rest, but the villagers still needed a doctor, so I picked up my old cowhide medical kit again. Later, I established the "Wuhasi Health Service Room" in the community, where I hold clinic hours every week and provide free medical consultations for residents. In 2023, I took the lead in launching a volunteer service project, and the team now has more than 350 people. One person's footsteps are limited, but if everyone walks together, we can take care of more people.

Now the pastoral areas have standardized health clinics and mobile medical vehicles, and remote consultations are also possible. I am too old to ride horses now, but there are still people in the community who need me. Taking blood pressure and listening to heart and lungs — as long as I can still do these things, I will continue to do them conscientiously.

I also want to train young doctors well. The Yumin County Animal Husbandry Hospital has more than 20 young medical workers who travel year-round through the pastoral areas delivering medical services and medicine. I often tell them that our cause lies on every herding trail of the Barleik Mountains, in every felt yurt, and in those few seconds each time we warm the stethoscope before pressing it to a herdsman's chest. That spirit of "go wherever the herdsmen need us most" must be passed on.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Li Yanan)

Master Craftsmen of the Nation

"The Workshop Is a Vast World for Striving and Working Hard"

Narrator: Zheng Zhiming

I am a fitter at Guangxi Automobile Group. For nearly 30 years, day after day, marking out, filing, and drilling holes, I have been wrestling with steel all year round.

In October 2022, when General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, he said with deep feeling: "You cannot look down on industrial workers; you must look at actual contributions!" When I recall the scene of reporting to the General Secretary at that time, I am still deeply moved. I am even more convinced: the workshop is a vast world for striving and working hard.

In 1997, I graduated from a vocational high school and entered the factory as an apprentice. In my cabinet, I have always kept a metal marking compass that my master passed on to me. My master said to me back then: "A compass draws a circle without leaving its center; in the fitting trade, never forget your original intention."

When I first started as an apprentice, my master kept a strict watch over me. Once, when processing a hydraulic manifold block, my drilling technique was not up to standard, and my master directly scrapped the workpiece and made me redo it from scratch. I settled down and practiced hard, and in the end I was able to stabilize the machining precision of parts at 0.002 millimeters, which is equivalent to one-fortieth of the thickness of an ordinary human hair.

I remember that year when the factory's rear axle assembly had excessive noise when installed on vehicles, and after much effort no solution could be found. Later, I led a task force, borrowed instruments, and conducted disassembly and testing. After more than a thousand rounds of repeated debugging, we manufactured a reducer noise detection device, reducing the noise occurrence rate from 3% to below 0.007% and recovering losses of more than 500,000 yuan. This also convinced me: technology cannot be waited for or begged for; it must rely on self-reliance and be firmly grasped in our own hands.

From apprentice to where I am today, I am now the company's chief skills expert and the head of a national-level master craftsman studio. I also know that this is not a journey for me alone; the baton must be passed on. Now, the studio has more than 100 members and has trained more than 200 highly skilled personnel. In the past three years, I have led the team to continuously overcome technical difficulties, and the team has jointly developed key technology for brain-like machine vision inspection, further improving product quality and production efficiency.

Keeping in mind the General Secretary's instruction that we are "truly people who add bricks and tiles to the building of the great edifice of a modern socialist China," we stand firm at our workbenches and walk on the new Long March of industrial workers serving the country with skills, and we remain steadfast in our determination (矢志不渝, shi zhi bu yu - "aim, will; not, change").

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Zhang Yunhe)

Winners of the "China Good Person" Award

"Guarding Every Plant and Stone of Huangshan Is My Greatest Wish"

Narrator: Li Peisheng

A set of climbing ropes, a safety helmet, a yellow vest... At 6 o'clock in the morning, I arrive at my post on time with my dedicated equipment. As the sanitation team leader of the Yuping Sanitation Office in the Huangshan Scenic Area of Anhui, in addition to coordinating cleaning tasks in the area, I also have to rappel down ropes several times a day into the cliffs and precipices to pick up scattered litter. I have been doing this kind of rope-descent cleaning work for nearly 30 years.

People often ask: this job is both hard and dangerous, what are you doing it for? I always respond by smiling without giving an answer (笑而不答, xiao er bu da - "smile, and; not, answer"), because I know that someone has to do the sanitation and cleaning work among these magnificent and precipitous mountains.

In August 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back to me and my colleague Hu Xiaochun, affirming that we "have been cleaning the environment among the cliffs for many years, caring for the thousand-year-old Greeting Pine day after day." The General Secretary's praise made my colleagues and me even more aware that we must guard the beautiful Huangshan with heart and feeling, and use practical actions to create extraordinary achievements in ordinary work.

Working at heights allows no room for the slightest negligence. During operations, rocks often tumble down, or sudden strong winds arise, the ropes sway back and forth, rubbing against protruding parts of the rock face, with dangers lurking everywhere. In addition, being separated from family for most of the year is a perennial regret. Our team operates on a rotation system, and during holidays and major events, we must hold our posts even more firmly. A rough calculation shows that we stay on the mountain more than 300 days a year, making it very difficult to take care of family. In the early years, my wife and child were still in our hometown. When the child was sick and needed medical treatment, I was far away on the mountain and could only worry helplessly, with the heavy burden of caring for the family falling entirely on my wife. For staff working in the scenic area, the greatest debt of gratitude owed is to family. Fortunately, the situation has changed. My wife and child have now moved to the urban area of Huangshan City, and with improved transportation conditions, it is now much more convenient to go home from the mountain than before.

As conditions continue to improve, we have more confidence in our work. Guarding this beautiful landscape of lucid waters and lush mountains, and protecting every plant and stone of Huangshan, is my greatest wish.

Now, with the care and support of the Party organization, I have taken the lead in establishing the "China Good Person" studio and the "Model Worker Innovation" studio, receiving more than 20,000 visitors for study and exchange, and practicing the General Secretary's emphasis in his reply letter on "driving more people around us to strive for goodness and virtue." I hope to inspire more people to do their own jobs well in ordinary positions.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Tian Xianjin)

Ecological Protectors

"Let These Plants and Trees Reproduce and Thrive on Both Banks of the Yangtze River"

Narrator: Huang Guiyun

Protecting the endangered and rare plants of the Three Gorges is both my work and my responsibility. After the Three Gorges Project began, I plunged headlong into (一头扎进, yi tou zha jin - "one, head; plunge, into") the deep mountains and valleys on both banks of the Yangtze River. I have been at it for more than 30 years.

In April 2018, when General Secretary Xi Jinping came to inspect the left bank dam head of the Three Gorges Dam, he said: "Your work is very meaningful; it is something that benefits future generations."

The General Secretary's affirmation deeply moved and greatly encouraged me, and I resolved to achieve even greater results in ecological protection. Completing the basic botanical survey of the Three Gorges reservoir area, and relocating and protecting more than 2,100 species of endemic rare and endangered plants... Over the years, the Yangtze River Biodiversity Research Center of the China Three Gorges Corporation's National Engineering Center, where I work, has made positive progress, and my team and I are determined to bring more rare plants of the Yangtze River basin back "home."

But this is not easy. Like the Long March of our predecessors, we must cross high mountains and overcome difficulties. Take the dove tree (Davidia involucrata), for example. Its natural distribution is all above 1,500 meters in altitude, and people in the industry all say that introducing the dove tree to low altitudes is harder than "climbing a ladder to heaven." To understand its native environment, we camped in the wild for a full month — at night listening to the howling mountain wind, and during the day lying on the slopes recording data such as temperature, humidity, and soil composition. In the end, we worked out a "graded transplanting" method: transplanting step by step from 1,500 meters to 1,000 meters, and then to 500 meters. Now, the offspring dove tree plants have bloomed in large numbers in the Three Gorges dam area.

To better protect rare plants in the Yangtze River basin, the China Three Gorges Corporation supports the planning and construction of a rare plant seed bank. We plan to expand the protected plants to 3,000 species by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan, build a modern germplasm resource bank capable of preserving 90,000 seed samples for more than 30 years, and continuously improve the technical system for propagation and reintroduction, so that these plants and trees can reproduce and thrive on both banks of the Yangtze River. Now, more and more versatile young talents are taking up the heavy responsibility. From laboratories to rural fields, from delving into hard-core technology to doing good public science education, the force of ecological protection continues to gather and surge.

Ecological protection has no end point, and guarding the lucid waters and lush mountains is our common wish. In the future, we will take a long-term perspective, work diligently and meticulously, paint an even more magnificent ecological picture with practical work and tangible results, and walk our own Long March.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Deng Jianyang)

New Employment Groups

"A Heavy Sense of Responsibility Has Been Added to My Heart"

Narrator: Wu Jing

I am a female courier born in the 1980s. I often tell myself that doing my own job well means putting it into the wheels of my vehicle and into every single package. In my view, what I hold in my hands is not just a delivery, but also something others are waiting to use — from clothes to books, from food to flowers. Delivering items is delivering happiness.

The longer I work, the more familiar I become with my area. We know very well which households have elderly people living alone and which residents have difficulty moving around. When passing by, I take an extra look, and if there are difficulties, I lend a hand. Later, when the subdistrict organized a team of grid patrol officers, I volunteered on my own initiative. On my delivery routes, if I see a broken road surface or a knocked-over shared bicycle, I report it on the spot. It is not for any particular gain; I just feel that this area, which I travel through every day, is like my own home, and I would feel uneasy if I saw something and did nothing about it.

In February this year, at the Parents' Canteen on Xinjiekou Subdistrict in Xicheng District, Beijing, General Secretary Xi Jinping showed concern for the lives of us couriers and food delivery riders, which made us feel both inspired and warm. Although my job is very ordinary, I cannot slacken my enthusiasm for work, and a heavy sense of responsibility has been added to my heart.

This summer was especially hot. There was one delivery on which the packaging indicated that the medicine needed to be refrigerated. When I looked at the address, it was the home of an elderly man living alone whom I deliver to often. I was worried that the medicine would spoil if left at the door, so I did not just leave it there. First, I called the elderly man. He was out taking a walk, and I urged him to come back quickly, and I did not leave until he had put the medicine in the refrigerator. I have always believed that small matters are not small; responsibility lies in the heart.

People treat each other with mutual respect. If you treat customers sincerely, they will treat you sincerely in return. Once, I went to an old residential compound, and the sixth floor had no elevator, so I carried a box of water up. The auntie who opened the door insisted on giving me a bottle of drink, saying, "Delivering packages on such a hot day is not easy; have something to drink to quench your thirst." It was a small thing, but it made my eyes feel warm as I went downstairs.

Striving is not about shouting slogans, but about doing the things at hand one by one well. In the future, I will still deliver every package conscientiously, and at the same time, I will motivate my colleagues around me to serve the masses with heart, participate more in community volunteer services, do more heartwarming things, work steadily and earnestly, and pass warmth on to thousands of households.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wang Zhou)

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Page editors: Yang Yuanfan, Li Junqiang, Deng Jianyang, Wang Donghui

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United as One on the New Long March

Leaders in Rural Revitalization

"Making the Lives of Our Fellow Villagers Even Happier and More Beautiful"

Narrator: Lu Weimin

The beautiful Zhaoxing Dong Village is located in Zhaoxing Village in the southeastern part of Liping County, Guizhou, and is one of the largest Dong ethnic villages in the country. This village, which carries a thousand years of Dong culture and is full of ethnic characteristics, is both ancient and fashionable.

In 2016, I chose to return to my hometown to work in the village committee. At that time, more than 3,000 young people from Zhaoxing Village were working away from home. I went door to door, encouraging villagers to open homestays, run restaurants, and develop cultural tourism. More and more young people returned to their hometown, and the village's development reached a new level.

From winning the battle against poverty to advancing comprehensive rural revitalization, the village has undergone tremendous changes (翻天覆地, fan tian fu di - "turn, heaven; overturn, earth"), and the thousand-year-old Dong village has taken on a brand-new look.

In March 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to our area for an inspection and required us to "give full play to the role of Party branches as fighting fortresses and the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members, leading the masses to develop the economy and do a good job in rural governance." Keeping in mind the General Secretary's instructions and expectations, as secretary of the village Party committee, I must continue to strive together with my fellow villagers and walk well the new Long March of comprehensive rural revitalization.

In the Dong village, "no conflict is left unresolved overnight" is the norm. There are five drum towers in the village named "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness," and these are also the places where villagers discuss development, resolve disputes, and handle other matters. When neighbors have a falling out, the village elders sit by the fire pit in the drum tower and can reason things through in a few words; if tourists have any difficulties, we can come up with solutions on the spot.

Relying on its unique ethnic culture and ecological resources, Zhaoxing Dong Village attracts a large number of tourists to come and check in, and rural cultural tourism has taken off. Last year, Zhaoxing Dong Village received more than 1.51 million tourists, with comprehensive tourism revenue exceeding 1.5 billion yuan and village collective economic income exceeding 3 million yuan, allowing more villagers to earn a living from tourism. At the same time, we carry out monthly routine evaluations of safety, hygiene, and civilized business practices, and innovatively implement a points-based management system to mobilize everyone to participate in the construction of the scenic area and jointly protect the Dong village.

To promote comprehensive rural revitalization, we must help more villagers become prosperous. With rural cultural tourism as the starting point, we will continuously improve the mechanism for linking agriculture with farmers' benefits, broaden the channels and methods for villagers to participate in the development of rural industries, attract young people to return to their hometowns and villages to work, and make the lives of our fellow villagers even happier and more beautiful.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Deng Jianyang)

Science and Technology Workers

"Setting Out Anew from Each Successful Deep Dive"

Narrator: Ye Cong

At the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Academicians' Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology in July this year, as a representative of the winners of the 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award Special Prize, I received the certificate from General Secretary Xi Jinping. At that moment, I felt extremely moved and excited (心潮澎湃, xin chao peng pai - "heart, tide; surge, swell"), and also felt that the burden on my shoulders was even heavier.

Going back to November 2020, the "Striver" (Fendouzhe) submersible reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench at a depth of 10,909 meters, setting a record for China's manned deep-diving. As the chief designer of the "Striver" and the chief commander of the 10,000-meter sea trial, I witnessed the birth of this record on site, felt very proud, and also set a new goal to explore more technology.

To further develop the deep-diving cause, we first need deep-diving equipment. A transparent submersible is like mounting glass on a metal frame; the two types of materials deform differently under high pressure in the deep sea, so how to achieve both pressure resistance and sealing is the first hurdle to overcome. The preparation cycle for transparent materials takes several months, and every step must be precisely controlled. Large-area curved transparent cabin walls also produce imaging distortion due to light refraction, which requires correction... These problems all have to be solved one by one.

After the 10,000-meter deep dive, our goal is no longer "deeper" but "stronger." We need to enhance the comprehensive operational capability, adaptability, and intelligence level of our equipment, integrating artificial intelligence into the deep-diving cause. This requires massive amounts of seabed data as a foundation to build a virtual ocean model close to reality, helping equipment operate more intelligently. Transparent submersibles can not only give scientists a broader field of observation but also obtain ocean data more comprehensively.

At the same time, we are joining forces with relevant research and development efforts to tackle underwater communication technology and increase the data transmission rate in the deep sea. Once the relevant technologies mature, scenarios such as underwater charging, high-speed data transmission, and multi-platform collaborative operations will have a more solid foundation for implementation.

As equipment technology continues to mature, we will also think about: can the wind energy and solar energy in the open sea be converted and stored on the seabed? It is precisely such visions that continuously drive us to set out anew from each successful deep dive, so that deep-diving equipment can better serve deep-sea exploration and the development of the marine economy.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wang Weijian)

Educators

"In Pursuing Scholarship, One Must Find Problems from China's Reality"

Narrator: Xie Lunyu

In pursuing scholarship, one must find problems from China's reality; in pursuing education, one must take root in China's land. As a teacher at the School of Applied Economics of Renmin University of China, over the years I have actively participated in the university's "History of the People's Republic of China's Battle Against Poverty" series of research and interview project (abbreviated as the "832 Project"). Together with my team members, we have gone county by county, interviewed person by person, recording the accounts of those who personally experienced the battle against poverty. To date, we have conducted research in 812 former national-level impoverished counties.

Some people wonder: the battle against poverty has already been won, so why are you still running around? I think what we are running is our own Long March.

In April 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Renmin University of China for an inspection and research visit, and expressed the earnest expectation for philosophy and social science workers to "take as their intellectual pursuit the manifestation of China's path, China's governance, and China's principles." I have always kept this in mind.

Xin County in Xinyang, Henan, is the county I have visited the most. The first time I went, we did the basic work of "one history, two exhibitions, three databases": recording oral history interviews, preserving photography and documentary materials, and simultaneously building a database, a case library, and an interview video library. For example, at the e-commerce livestreaming base in Chendian Township and the poverty-alleviation workshop in Jixiang Community, Sidian Township, we not only recorded how the base and workshop operated but also entered data such as employment structure, income sources, and village collective assets into the database.

Every subsequent visit carried the follow-up questions from the previous round: Have the traffic costs of the livestreaming base changed? Are the orders at the poverty-alleviation workshop stable? How is the employment of relocated households? These questions cannot be answered in a single interview; they require long-term tracking.

Similar follow-up questions run through every county we have visited. 2026 is the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan and also the first year of carrying out normalized assistance. For me and the "832" research institute team, the keyword has changed from "recording" to "construction." The work ahead is more specific: select a group of counties from those we have researched to set up long-term monitoring points, observing the path from consolidating and expanding the achievements of the battle against poverty to solidly advancing comprehensive rural revitalization. At the same time, we will continue to open the "832" case library to more developing countries, contributing Chinese solutions to the global cause of poverty reduction.

From recording stories of poverty alleviation to writing good stories of the future, the "832 Project" path answers China's questions and also answers the world's questions.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wu Dan)

Sports Workers

"Chinese Sports People in the New Era Must Advance Even When Facing Greater Difficulties"

Narrator: Sui Wenjing

In 2016, I underwent surgery on both of my feet, and after the operation I even had to relearn how to walk. At that time, I once doubted whether I could ever return to the ice rink. My teammates often came to visit me, doing land-based lift exercises with me in the cramped space between the hospital beds. Those days taught me that to return to the competition arena and win glory for the country, I had to start from taking steps again.

At the first Four Continents Championships after my comeback, we won the championship, and in the same year we also won the World Championships title. But returning to the arena did not mean the difficulties were over. The fatigue of training, the torment of injuries, and the pressure of major competitions have tested me countless times. But I have always firmly believed that Chinese sports people in the new era must advance even when facing greater difficulties.

In January 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the Beijing Erqi Factory Ice and Snow Sports Training Base to learn about our training and competition preparation. The General Secretary's earnest instructions gave us tremendous encouragement, helping my partner and me break through numerous difficulties and stand on the highest podium at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Looking back, every fall and rise on the ice rink and every breakthrough of limits have been the most valuable experiences of my life.

After retiring from competition, I have been teaching at Beijing Sport University, while also serving as a member of the Chinese Olympic Committee and a member of the Athletes' Commission of the International Skating Union. In my new positions, I always keep in mind the General Secretary's instructions, standing firmly on the three-foot podium, focusing on sports research, and deeply cultivating the cause of sports education.

From athlete to teacher, my identity and position have changed, but my commitment to dedicating myself to the country and striving tirelessly has never changed. I transform my training experiences and stories of hard work into teaching content, imparting knowledge of ice and snow sports and conveying the Chinese sports spirit, guiding young students to face difficulties without fear and pursue their dreams with down-to-earth determination, cultivating reserve talents for ice and snow sports for the country, and passing on the spirit of hard work from generation to generation. At the same time, I continue to delve into the field of sports technology, using my own experience and an attitude of continuous learning to explore paths for empowering ice and snow sports with technology, using data and science to help improve training quality and bridge the gap between theory and the competition arena.

The Long March of the new era has no smoke of gunpowder or flames of war, but it equally requires the courage for overcoming difficult problems and challenges (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack, key; overcome, difficulty") and the persistence of sustained, long-term effort. I will continue to use the strength of youth and the action of practical work to continuously write new answers for Chinese sports people in the new era.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Ji Fang)

Medical Workers

"Go Wherever the Herdsmen Need Us Most"

Narrator: Wuhasi Sulaiman

I am a doctor in a pastoral area. What I have done all my life is ride horses, carry a medical kit, and enter felt yurts. In July this year, when General Secretary Xi Jinping hung the heavy "July 1 Medal" around my neck, my hands trembled a little. I think this honor does not belong to me alone; it belongs even more to the millions of Party members and medical workers rooted at the grassroots level.

When I was a child visiting relatives in the pastoral areas, I already knew that herdsmen had difficulty seeing doctors. After graduating from Tacheng Health School in Xinjiang in 1975, I could have stayed in the county seat, but I applied to go to the pastoral area because that was where doctors were needed more. In winter, when it was minus 40 degrees Celsius, I would ride out on horseback to make house calls, tucking my stethoscope inside my chest to warm it before using it on patients. In spring, when the snow melted, I once fell with my horse into an icy river; I climbed out, wrung out my clothes, and had to continue on my way. What I can never forget is a heavy snow day when a herdsman named Alege was having a difficult labor, and I rode more than ten li on horseback to get there. The baby was born blue all over and did not cry. I bent down and used my mouth to suck out the foreign matter blocking the baby's throat. Finally, the baby cried, and that loud cry I will remember for the rest of my life. Over the decades, I have delivered more than 3,200 babies, and the herdsmen all call me "Father Umbilical Cord."

After retiring in 2015, my family urged me to rest, but the villagers still needed a doctor, so I picked up my old cowhide medical kit again. Later, I established the "Wuhasi Health Service Room" in the community, where I hold clinic hours every week and provide free medical consultations for residents. In 2023, I took the lead in launching a volunteer service project, and the team now has more than 350 people. One person's footsteps are limited, but if everyone walks together, we can take care of more people.

Now the pastoral areas have standardized health clinics and mobile medical vehicles, and remote consultations are also possible. I am too old to ride horses now, but there are still people in the community who need me. Taking blood pressure and listening to heart and lungs — as long as I can still do these things, I will continue to do them conscientiously.

I also want to train young doctors well. The Yumin County Animal Husbandry Hospital has more than 20 young medical workers who travel year-round through the pastoral areas delivering medical services and medicine. I often tell them that our cause lies on every herding trail of the Barleik Mountains, in every felt yurt, and in those few seconds each time we warm the stethoscope before pressing it to a herdsman's chest. That spirit of "go wherever the herdsmen need us most" must be passed on.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Li Yanan)

Master Craftsmen of the Nation

"The Workshop Is a Vast World for Striving and Working Hard"

Narrator: Zheng Zhiming

I am a fitter at Guangxi Automobile Group. For nearly 30 years, day after day, marking out, filing, and drilling holes, I have been wrestling with steel all year round.

In October 2022, when General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, he said with deep feeling: "You cannot look down on industrial workers; you must look at actual contributions!" When I recall the scene of reporting to the General Secretary at that time, I am still deeply moved. I am even more convinced: the workshop is a vast world for striving and working hard.

In 1997, I graduated from a vocational high school and entered the factory as an apprentice. In my cabinet, I have always kept a metal marking compass that my master passed on to me. My master said to me back then: "A compass draws a circle without leaving its center; in the fitting trade, never forget your original intention."

When I first started as an apprentice, my master kept a strict watch over me. Once, when processing a hydraulic manifold block, my drilling technique was not up to standard, and my master directly scrapped the workpiece and made me redo it from scratch. I settled down and practiced hard, and in the end I was able to stabilize the machining precision of parts at 0.002 millimeters, which is equivalent to one-fortieth of the thickness of an ordinary human hair.

I remember that year when the factory's rear axle assembly had excessive noise when installed on vehicles, and after much effort no solution could be found. Later, I led a task force, borrowed instruments, and conducted disassembly and testing. After more than a thousand rounds of repeated debugging, we manufactured a reducer noise detection device, reducing the noise occurrence rate from 3% to below 0.007% and recovering losses of more than 500,000 yuan. This also convinced me: technology cannot be waited for or begged for; it must rely on self-reliance and be firmly grasped in our own hands.

From apprentice to where I am today, I am now the company's chief skills expert and the head of a national-level master craftsman studio. I also know that this is not a journey for me alone; the baton must be passed on. Now, the studio has more than 100 members and has trained more than 200 highly skilled personnel. In the past three years, I have led the team to continuously overcome technical difficulties, and the team has jointly developed key technology for brain-like machine vision inspection, further improving product quality and production efficiency.

Keeping in mind the General Secretary's instruction that we are "truly people who add bricks and tiles to the building of the great edifice of a modern socialist China," we stand firm at our workbenches and walk on the new Long March of industrial workers serving the country with skills, and we remain steadfast in our determination (矢志不渝, shi zhi bu yu - "aim, will; not, change").

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Zhang Yunhe)

Winners of the "China Good Person" Award

"Guarding Every Plant and Stone of Huangshan Is My Greatest Wish"

Narrator: Li Peisheng

A set of climbing ropes, a safety helmet, a yellow vest... At 6 o'clock in the morning, I arrive at my post on time with my dedicated equipment. As the sanitation team leader of the Yuping Sanitation Office in the Huangshan Scenic Area of Anhui, in addition to coordinating cleaning tasks in the area, I also have to rappel down ropes several times a day into the cliffs and precipices to pick up scattered litter. I have been doing this kind of rope-descent cleaning work for nearly 30 years.

People often ask: this job is both hard and dangerous, what are you doing it for? I always respond by smiling without giving an answer (笑而不答, xiao er bu da - "smile, and; not, answer"), because I know that someone has to do the sanitation and cleaning work among these magnificent and precipitous mountains.

In August 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back to me and my colleague Hu Xiaochun, affirming that we "have been cleaning the environment among the cliffs for many years, caring for the thousand-year-old Greeting Pine day after day." The General Secretary's praise made my colleagues and me even more aware that we must guard the beautiful Huangshan with heart and feeling, and use practical actions to create extraordinary achievements in ordinary work.

Working at heights allows no room for the slightest negligence. During operations, rocks often tumble down, or sudden strong winds arise, the ropes sway back and forth, rubbing against protruding parts of the rock face, with dangers lurking everywhere. In addition, being separated from family for most of the year is a perennial regret. Our team operates on a rotation system, and during holidays and major events, we must hold our posts even more firmly. A rough calculation shows that we stay on the mountain more than 300 days a year, making it very difficult to take care of family. In the early years, my wife and child were still in our hometown. When the child was sick and needed medical treatment, I was far away on the mountain and could only worry helplessly, with the heavy burden of caring for the family falling entirely on my wife. For staff working in the scenic area, the greatest debt of gratitude owed is to family. Fortunately, the situation has changed. My wife and child have now moved to the urban area of Huangshan City, and with improved transportation conditions, it is now much more convenient to go home from the mountain than before.

As conditions continue to improve, we have more confidence in our work. Guarding this beautiful landscape of lucid waters and lush mountains, and protecting every plant and stone of Huangshan, is my greatest wish.

Now, with the care and support of the Party organization, I have taken the lead in establishing the "China Good Person" studio and the "Model Worker Innovation" studio, receiving more than 20,000 visitors for study and exchange, and practicing the General Secretary's emphasis in his reply letter on "driving more people around us to strive for goodness and virtue." I hope to inspire more people to do their own jobs well in ordinary positions.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Tian Xianjin)

Ecological Protectors

"Let These Plants and Trees Reproduce and Thrive on Both Banks of the Yangtze River"

Narrator: Huang Guiyun

Protecting the endangered and rare plants of the Three Gorges is both my work and my responsibility. After the Three Gorges Project began, I plunged headlong into (一头扎进, yi tou zha jin - "one, head; plunge, into") the deep mountains and valleys on both banks of the Yangtze River. I have been at it for more than 30 years.

In April 2018, when General Secretary Xi Jinping came to inspect the left bank dam head of the Three Gorges Dam, he said: "Your work is very meaningful; it is something that benefits future generations."

The General Secretary's affirmation deeply moved and greatly encouraged me, and I resolved to achieve even greater results in ecological protection. Completing the basic botanical survey of the Three Gorges reservoir area, and relocating and protecting more than 2,100 species of endemic rare and endangered plants... Over the years, the Yangtze River Biodiversity Research Center of the China Three Gorges Corporation's National Engineering Center, where I work, has made positive progress, and my team and I are determined to bring more rare plants of the Yangtze River basin back "home."

But this is not easy. Like the Long March of our predecessors, we must cross high mountains and overcome difficulties. Take the dove tree (Davidia involucrata), for example. Its natural distribution is all above 1,500 meters in altitude, and people in the industry all say that introducing the dove tree to low altitudes is harder than "climbing a ladder to heaven." To understand its native environment, we camped in the wild for a full month — at night listening to the howling mountain wind, and during the day lying on the slopes recording data such as temperature, humidity, and soil composition. In the end, we worked out a "graded transplanting" method: transplanting step by step from 1,500 meters to 1,000 meters, and then to 500 meters. Now, the offspring dove tree plants have bloomed in large numbers in the Three Gorges dam area.

To better protect rare plants in the Yangtze River basin, the China Three Gorges Corporation supports the planning and construction of a rare plant seed bank. We plan to expand the protected plants to 3,000 species by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan, build a modern germplasm resource bank capable of preserving 90,000 seed samples for more than 30 years, and continuously improve the technical system for propagation and reintroduction, so that these plants and trees can reproduce and thrive on both banks of the Yangtze River. Now, more and more versatile young talents are taking up the heavy responsibility. From laboratories to rural fields, from delving into hard-core technology to doing good public science education, the force of ecological protection continues to gather and surge.

Ecological protection has no end point, and guarding the lucid waters and lush mountains is our common wish. In the future, we will take a long-term perspective, work diligently and meticulously, paint an even more magnificent ecological picture with practical work and tangible results, and walk our own Long March.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Deng Jianyang)

New Employment Groups

"A Heavy Sense of Responsibility Has Been Added to My Heart"

Narrator: Wu Jing

I am a female courier born in the 1980s. I often tell myself that doing my own job well means putting it into the wheels of my vehicle and into every single package. In my view, what I hold in my hands is not just a delivery, but also something others are waiting to use — from clothes to books, from food to flowers. Delivering items is delivering happiness.

The longer I work, the more familiar I become with my area. We know very well which households have elderly people living alone and which residents have difficulty moving around. When passing by, I take an extra look, and if there are difficulties, I lend a hand. Later, when the subdistrict organized a team of grid patrol officers, I volunteered on my own initiative. On my delivery routes, if I see a broken road surface or a knocked-over shared bicycle, I report it on the spot. It is not for any particular gain; I just feel that this area, which I travel through every day, is like my own home, and I would feel uneasy if I saw something and did nothing about it.

In February this year, at the Parents' Canteen on Xinjiekou Subdistrict in Xicheng District, Beijing, General Secretary Xi Jinping showed concern for the lives of us couriers and food delivery riders, which made us feel both inspired and warm. Although my job is very ordinary, I cannot slacken my enthusiasm for work, and a heavy sense of responsibility has been added to my heart.

This summer was especially hot. There was one delivery on which the packaging indicated that the medicine needed to be refrigerated. When I looked at the address, it was the home of an elderly man living alone whom I deliver to often. I was worried that the medicine would spoil if left at the door, so I did not just leave it there. First, I called the elderly man. He was out taking a walk, and I urged him to come back quickly, and I did not leave until he had put the medicine in the refrigerator. I have always believed that small matters are not small; responsibility lies in the heart.

People treat each other with mutual respect. If you treat customers sincerely, they will treat you sincerely in return. Once, I went to an old residential compound, and the sixth floor had no elevator, so I carried a box of water up. The auntie who opened the door insisted on giving me a bottle of drink, saying, "Delivering packages on such a hot day is not easy; have something to drink to quench your thirst." It was a small thing, but it made my eyes feel warm as I went downstairs.

Striving is not about shouting slogans, but about doing the things at hand one by one well. In the future, I will still deliver every package conscientiously, and at the same time, I will motivate my colleagues around me to serve the masses with heart, participate more in community volunteer services, do more heartwarming things, work steadily and earnestly, and pass warmth on to thousands of households.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wang Zhou)

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Page editors: Yang Yuanfan, Li Junqiang, Deng Jianyang, Wang Donghui

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Heroic Epic, Echoing Across the World

A Just Cause Gathers Enduring Strength

Narrator: Mark Levine

American professor at Minzu University of China, who has long studied Red Star Over China and focused on the Long March spirit and its contemporary value.

In 1976, I first read Red Star Over China. The Chinese people in the book who struggled for national independence and the liberation of the people deeply attracted me. Even when faced with the desperate straits of being pursued and blocked by enemies (围追堵截, wei zhui du jie - "surround, chase, block, intercept") and the intertwining of hunger, cold, injury, and illness, they still believed that the Chinese revolution could achieve victory and that the Chinese people could welcome a new life. Since then, I have reread this book roughly every ten years.

When I first read it, I marveled at the courage of the Red Army in climbing snow mountains and crossing grasslands. Later, I paid more attention to why they could endure these hardships. Members of the Communist Party of China cherished the lofty ideal of communism and took the struggle for national independence and people's liberation as their mission. Many Red Army officers and soldiers who took part in the Long March gave their lives for a future they might never personally witness, because in their hearts, the future of the country and the nation stood far above personal safety. The reason the Long March shook the world is closely related to the fact that the Red Army officers and soldiers always carried in their hearts the fate of the entire nation and the well-being of the broad masses of the people.

Before coming to China for the first time in 2005, I read Red Star Over China once again. In the more than 20 years since, I have visited revolutionary sites in Zunyi, Guizhou, and Xibaipo, Hebei, and have also gone into China's vast countryside and ethnic regions. The Red Army of those days struggled for the liberation of the people; the builders of today strive for the people to live better lives. From history to reality, I have seen how a great ideal has been gradually realized through the struggles of generation after generation.

Teaching at Minzu University of China, I have also felt the continuation of the Long March spirit in my students. Most of them come from mountainous areas in the west and remote border regions. They always carry their hometowns in their hearts and are determined to take part in building their hometowns after graduation.

Half a century of reading and observation has convinced me that a just cause that seeks well-being for the broad masses of the people can gather inexhaustible strength for struggle. Every time I reread Red Star Over China, I become more certain that the conviction that supported the Red Army to victory on the Long March still inspires people today to take action for a better future.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Song Yiran)

Struggle and Relay Across Generations

Narrator: Howard Williams

Australian publisher who has twice retraced the Long March route and participated in publishing China — The Long March and China — The New Long March.

In 1985, on the steep mountain road leading to Jiaopingdu, I once suffered heatstroke and collapsed from exhaustion. The sound of the Jinsha River came up like muffled thunder from the deep valley floor, and the artillery positions remaining on the cliff face across the river were faintly discernible.

In May 1935, it was here that the Red Army, relying on a few wooden boats and more than 30 boatmen, ferried continuously for seven days and seven nights, sending tens of thousands of people across the Jinsha River and successfully escaping being pursued and blocked by enemies. I had read the story of the "clever crossing of the Jinsha River" in middle school, but it was not until I stood by the river that I truly understood that the Long March was not only a gripping and exciting (扣人心弦, kou ren xin xian - "strike, people's, heart, strings") legend, but also a real and arduous test of life and death.

My interest in the Long March began in tenth grade, when I read Red Star Over China in a modern Chinese history class. The stories of the Red Army traversing mountains and ridges (翻山越岭, fan shan yue ling - "turn, mountain, cross, ridge") and undergoing all kinds of hardships and dangers (历尽艰险, li jin jian xian - "experience, end, hardship, danger") planted in my heart the seed of exploring the Long March. After graduating from high school, I worked in the publishing and media group under my family. At that time, it happened to be on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the victory of the Long March. My father was also deeply moved by the story of the Red Army's Long March and planned a large commemorative publishing project, and I joined the group retracing the Long March route as a photographer.

Visiting the sites in person made the Long March resonate even more strongly in my heart. Equally unforgettable to me were the ordinary people along the way. Children fetched water along steep mountain paths, workers cut tunnels into cliff faces, and the elderly brought out their best food to entertain guests. The perseverance, warmth, and sense of responsibility they displayed let me feel how the Chinese people devote all their efforts to a better life.

In 2011, I walked the Long March route again, returning to Hongyuan County in Sichuan Province to reunite with friends I had met years before. The youths of those days had now married and established careers, and the herders who once lived in tents had moved into new homes with heating facilities. Raising my camera, I recorded people's aspirations for the future.

Having twice retraced the Long March route, I have seen the Long March spirit being passed on. Generation after generation of Chinese people have turned their longing for a better life into concrete action — this is the best inheritance of the struggles of their forebears. I look forward to continuing to record this struggle and relay across generations.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Che Bin)

Opening a New Path Through Practice

Narrator: Falk Helling

German writer who once cycled along the Long March route and co-authored the book The Long Bicycle Ride on the Long March — 7,000 Kilometers Across China.

"If you do not understand the Long March spirit, you cannot truly understand China." More than 20 years ago, the words of a Red Army veteran fell like a seed into my heart and became the starting point of my pursuit of the Long March. How could a force with simple equipment and scarce supplies achieve victory under the dual test of a powerful enemy's blockade and a harsh natural environment? At the age of 54, I decided to seek the answer together with my good friend Christian Schmidt.

From 2023 to 2024, over 138 days, we set out from Ruijin in Jiangxi Province and cycled nearly 7,000 kilometers along the Red Army's Long March route, arriving at Wuqi in Shaanxi. When crossing Jiajin Mountain, I was riding an electric bicycle and wearing a shell jacket, yet I still breathed rapidly and my limbs felt heavy. Standing at the pass at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, I thought of the Red Army soldiers of those days — they had no modern equipment and still had to endure hunger, injury, illness, and cold.

What truly made me re-understand the Long March spirit was not the difficulties themselves, but the choices made in the face of difficulties. At the Zunyi Conference, the Red Army summed up experience and lessons, assessed the situation, and opened a new path. During the four crossings of the Chishui River, they accurately seized opportunities, flexibly adjusted their actions, and turned passivity into initiative.

About 450 kilometers from the end of the cycling route, the motor of my electric bicycle completely broke down, and the steep slopes on the originally planned route were almost impossible to ride, so we had to replan our route. Seeking truth from facts is not bowing to difficulties, but recognizing objective conditions and finding a feasible path on the basis of accurate judgment.

Retracing the Long March route has allowed me to re-understand today's China. When I first came to China in the early 1990s, to travel from Turpan in Xinjiang to the central China region, I could only take long-distance buses, making a circuitous journey of 3,500 kilometers. Today, China's high-speed rail network continues to expand, and satellite navigation makes travel more convenient. To understand a country, one must step into real life and come to know it through actual changes.

Only by understanding the Long March can one better understand how the Chinese people have opened new paths through difficult practice. This precious spiritual asset can also inspire the world.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Liu He)

Unity and Cooperation in Overcoming Difficulties and Perils

Narrator: Sidonie Wood

Chair of the Edgar Snow Memorial Foundation in the United States, who participated this year in the "Retracing Snow's Road" and the themed event marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March.

Edgar Snow, the American journalist, called the Long March "an expedition without parallel in modern history" in his book Red Star Over China. The Red Army officers and soldiers were united as one on the Long March and overcame numerous difficulties and perils, leaving a deep impression on readers in various countries.

"Taking Luding Bridge by force" is one of my favorite Long March stories. Facing the torrential river, the perilous passes, and the enemy's pursuit and blockade, the Red Army officers and soldiers were racing against time (争分夺秒, zheng fen duo miao - "contend, minute, seize, second") and fighting bravely, and, relying on close coordination among comrades-in-arms, opened up a path forward. The people in the Long March contingent came from people from all walks of life (五湖四海, wu hu si hai - "five, lakes, four, seas") and had different experiences, but they came together, supported one another for a common goal, fought side by side, and accomplished a task that seemed impossible.

In today's world, global challenges are emerging in an endless stream (层出不穷, ceng chu bu qiong - "layer, emerge, not, exhausted"), and no country can cope with them alone. The world needs unity and cooperation more than ever. Differences and divergences should not become obstacles to cooperation. Only by setting aside prejudices, building consensus, and moving forward hand in hand can humanity create a better future.

As a scholar who has studied China for more than 30 years, I have visited China many times and witnessed its development and changes. From the increasing improvement of infrastructure to the notable enhancement of scientific research capabilities, China's remarkable achievements have likewise been inseparable from the joint struggle of countless people. The Chinese people have made arduous efforts to achieve national development and, relying on unity and cooperation, have continuously overcome various difficulties on the road ahead.

From the arduous struggle of the Long March era to today's modernization drive, I have deeply felt the spiritual strength of the Chinese people's unity and joint struggle. The Long March spirit enlightens us: unity can gather strength, and cooperation can create miracles. When people transcend their differences and stand firmly united, they can burst forth with powerful strength to overcome adversity and create the future.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Li Zhiwei)

Popular Support Is the Most Abundant Supply

Narrator: Rami Khalil

Armenian professor at Sichuan International Studies University, currently writing 90 Years After Snow's Journey: 13 Years in the Chinese Heart.

In 1936, Edgar Snow, the American journalist, first went deep into the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia border region to conduct interviews and tell the story of the Long March to the world. Not long ago, following in Snow's footsteps, I visited Yan'an in Shaanxi and Wuzhong in Ningxia. I repeatedly asked myself: in those difficult years of being blocked in front and pursued from behind, with insufficient clothing and food, what did the Red Army rely on to complete the 25,000-li Long March?

Popular support was the most abundant supply on the Long March. A villager told me that in those days his family had only one worn-out hemp-cloth quilt, and the elders resolutely used it to wrap a seriously wounded Red Army soldier, and even risked execution by hiding him in their own shed. Giving a mouthful of food to a soldier they did not know, finding a hiding place for the wounded, pointing the way to a safe mountain path for the troops — these actions could have put ordinary people in danger, yet they were resolute and undeterred in following a righteous cause (义无反顾, yi wu fan gu - "righteous, without, turn back").

Support is built on trust, and trust came from the Red Army's actions. When the Red Army first arrived at Shanji Ji in Xiji County, Ningxia, every household had its door tightly shut. The Red Army announced the "three prohibitions and four points of attention," wrote respect for local ethnic and religious customs into its discipline, and officers and soldiers also helped villagers carry water, sweep courtyards, deliver medicine, and treat the sick. Before leaving, they left behind a plaque reading "Hui and Han brothers are as close as one family." Later, when the Red Army passed through the area again, the masses lined the road, holding up pots to offer water.

Today, the spirit of sharing the same joys and sorrows (休戚与共, xiu qi yu gong - "worry, joy, with, share") with the people remains vibrant. At the wolfberry planting base in Tongxin County, Ningxia, villagers work in the fields, technicians provide guidance on planting and processing, and the government, enterprises, and the masses jointly explore the path of development. Closely relying on the masses of the people, relying on each other through life and death (生死相依, sheng si xiang yi - "life, death, rely on each other") with them, sharing weal and woe, and working hard — this was an important guarantee for the Red Army's victory in the Long March and is also the source of strength for China on its path of development.

I am currently writing the book 90 Years After Snow's Journey: 13 Years in the Chinese Heart, hoping to let more readers see the people's strength behind the epic of the Long March. I want to make clear in the book that when the people's aspirations are answered and the people's strength is gathered, the fate of the country and the nation will undergo profound change.

(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Jiang Feng)

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Hold High the Torch of Spirit to Create a Better Future Together

By: 薛 琳

The Communist Party of China led the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in overcoming countless hardships and dangers, forging the great Long March spirit. The great Long March spirit belongs not only to China but is also a precious asset of the world.

From Edgar Snow's first systematic report to the world on the Long March's feats, to Harrison Salisbury retracing the Long March route with a pacemaker, countless international figures have traveled a vast distance (不远万里, bu yuan wan li - "not near, ten thousand miles") to pursue the Long March and conducted long-term research on it. The great Long March spirit, forged by Chinese Communists and Red Army soldiers with their lives and blood, transcends ideological and civilizational differences, resonates with all humanity's common pursuit of tenacious struggle and steadfast justice, and has become a torch spanning time and space.

In recent years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward four major global initiatives, contributing Chinese solutions to resolving the questions of the world from the four dimensions of development, security, civilization, and governance. The ideological core of the four major global initiatives is inheriting the same tradition or spirit (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng - "one, vein, inherit, carry") as the great Long March spirit. The Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative manifest the firm will to uphold convictions and blaze new paths, the Global Civilization Initiative embodies the broad-mindedness of transcending differences and building consensus, and the Global Governance Initiative contains the political wisdom of acting with a view to the overall situation (顾全大局, gu quan da ju - "care for, whole, big, situation") and unity and cooperation.

During the Long March, what sustained the Red Army through desperate straits was the firm belief in Marxism and the conviction of victory in the revolutionary cause. In today's world, where major changes unseen in a century are accelerating, China stands firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human civilization's progress, holding high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. The Chinese people are willing to safeguard world peace and tranquility with the resolve of "wind and rain soaking our clothes only making our bones harder," and this is precisely the contemporary echo of the great Long March spirit.

The Long March was also a great march of building consensus and strength in unity (众志成城, zhong zhi cheng cheng - "many, wills, form, city wall"). All contingents of the Red Army advanced courageously toward the goals of national independence and people's liberation, converging into an irresistible and mighty force. The great Long March spirit enlightens us: common goals possess a powerful appeal that unites people's hearts. All countries should transcend differences in systems, cultures, and regions, and strive hand in hand toward the goal of building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and cleanliness and beauty.

The victory of the Long March was a victory of unity. All Red Army units acted with a view to the overall situation and were closely united, while people of all ethnic groups along the route gave their full support, forming an indestructible force (无坚不摧, wu jian bu cui - "not, solid, not, destroy") of combined strength. This reveals a simple truth: the more arduous the undertaking, the more unity and cooperation are needed; the more complex the predicament, the more it calls for crossing the same river in the same boat (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same, boat, together, cross"). To address the current global governance deficit, it is imperative to carry forward the political wisdom of acting with a view to the overall situation and maintaining close unity.

The great Long March spirit shows us: there is no mountain that cannot be crossed, no river that cannot be forded; the key lies in whether there is firm conviction, common goals, and the strength of unity. To walk the new Long March well, the Chinese people need to draw wisdom and strength from the great Long March spirit. Facing a turbulent and changing world, all countries likewise need to hold high this torch spanning time and space, reform and improve global governance, jointly address global challenges, and work together to create an even better future for humanity.

(The author is Deputy Director of the Yan'an Spirit Research Center of the China Executive Leadership Academy Yan'an)

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Page editors: Han Bingchen, Song Yiran, Bai Ziwei

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How Can a “Place of Origin” Become a “Destination”? (Commentator’s Observation)

By: 孟繁哲

Whoever can turn industry into scenery and traffic into "retention" can turn consumption from a "passing gust" into "spring all year round."

Recently I have observed a phenomenon: the supply side is increasingly moving closer to the consumer side.

In Zhejiang, several specialized markets have become new destinations for consumption: the Puyuan woolen sweater market in Tongxiang attracts tourists dragging suitcases to shop, the Pearl Town in Shanxiahu, Zhuji, has launched oyster-opening experience activities, and the Haining Leather City has added leisure programs such as water drum interactive shows and folk band performances.

In Kunming, Yunnan, the flower street market at Dongfeng Square has introduced the Dounan bulk flower wholesale auction model, with citizens and tourists participating in flower auctions while watching price changes on the big screen. The digital-intelligent flower retail auction venue helps the market sell approximately 1,500 flowers per day on average.

Familiar goods now have new ways of buying and selling; existing industries are welcoming a broader range of consumers. The shopping boom in Puyuan, the fresh experiences at Pearl Town, and the auction screen at the flower street market all tell the same truth: demand has never gone away—it is merely waiting for a path to be activated, a way to be awakened.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed, "Improve the adaptability of the supply system to domestic demand." As the people's needs keep changing, supply must adjust accordingly. The clothing, food, housing, transportation, laughter, and joy of more than 1.4 billion people constitute a treasure trove of demand with an inexhaustible supply or resource (取之不竭, qu zhi bu jie - "take, from, not, exhausted"). Whoever can replace the ordinary with creativity, make the familiar novel, activate old momentum with new scenarios, and reshape old value with new experiences can turn the existing stock into incremental growth and fully unleash consumption potential.

Consumption expansion is not necessarily about "buying more"; it also includes "buying different." Changing the way of selling can change the experience and bring about a new market. At the Tsingtao Beer Museum in Qingdao, Shandong, visitors watch the brewing process and taste freshly produced draft beer, turning the production site into experiential content. Goods are the boat, experience is the sail, and culture is the wind. Without sail or wind, the boat can only stay anchored; with sail and wind, it can sail toward a broader blue ocean of consumption. When markets become scenic areas, transactions become experiences, and places of origin become destinations, static possession becomes dynamic experience, one-way purchasing becomes two-way interaction, and ordinary goods and services can also release new appeal.

To turn consumption intentions into tangible transactions, it is necessary both to clear the bottlenecks along the way and to dispel concerns during purchasing. During this year's National Day holiday, 2 million person-trips nationwide achieved full coverage of car rental stations at airports and first-class high-speed rail hubs, making it convenient for travelers to drive upon arrival. Postal and express delivery enterprises in Guangdong have launched convenience services such as cross-city luggage shipping, rapid delivery of specialty agricultural products, and dedicated holiday gift delivery, helping tourists unload their luggage and send their local specialties home. Whether logistics is convenient, after-sales service is reliable, and brand identity is distinctive affects whether consumers can turn from "first-time customers" into "repeat customers." By opening up "every last mile" between production and consumption, the consumer market can become flourishing and prosperous (红红火火, hong hong huo huo - "red, red, fire, fire").

The next stage of boosting consumption is not just a "solo show" of new goods and new services, but also a "grand chorus" of integrated innovation. The marine cable factory in Changzhou, Jiangsu, has preserved its red-brick exterior walls and tall trusses while introducing teahouses and concerts, becoming a holiday leisure district. Industrial memory has gained an experienceable form, and idle space has found new uses—this relies on re-excavating the value of resources and cannot be separated from sustained investment in content and operations. Whoever can turn industry into scenery and traffic into "retention" can turn consumption from a "passing gust" into "spring all year round."

During this year's National Day holiday, exoskeleton robots helped tourists climb mountains with less effort, and smart glasses provided a new guided-tour experience. From October 1 to 6, sales of exoskeleton assistive devices and smart glasses on key platforms increased by 12.8% and 100% year-on-year respectively, with strong demand for various smart, green, and healthy goods. The concrete needs of daily life are opening up application space for new technologies and new products. By accelerating the construction of the unified national market, reducing circulation costs and institutional barriers, and enabling better interaction between supply and demand, consumption activities can bring consumers a better sense of experience and fulfillment.

Consumers' expectations for a better life have no endpoint. By awakening old supply with new scenarios, illuminating old brands with new experiences, connecting the big market with new circulation, and nurturing a good ecosystem with new governance, we respond to and satisfy the better needs of every household. What each round of consumption releases will be not only development momentum, but also humanistic sentiment and the warmth of life.

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Tear Down the “Mountain of Prejudice” Against Skilled Talent (People's Commentary)

By: 孟海鹰

When people no longer judge people solely by their educational qualifications (以学历论英雄, yi xue li lun ying xiong - "use, academic degree, discuss, hero"), no longer ask "is it useful to attend a technical school," but instead begin to think about "how to go further on this path," the stage for skilled talent will be even broader.

Recently, two things have inspired vocational education students.

The Ministry of Education launched the second phase of the "Double High Construction Plan," selecting 220 vocational colleges to build a "national team" of skill-oriented institutions of higher learning.

At the 48th WorldSkills Competition, the Chinese delegation won 41 gold medals, ranking first in both the gold medal table and overall team score for five consecutive competitions.

Vocational education continues to exert itself, and skilled talent has performed excellently, confirming a fact: a special skill or expertise (一技之长, yi ji zhi chang - "one, skill, particle, length") can secure one's livelihood, can revitalize enterprises, can serve the country, and can lead to the stars and the sea.

At the WorldSkills Competition, Xue Haoxin from Yantai Urban and Rural Construction School achieved the highest level in the plastering and drywall systems project; Wang Tianxiang from Anhui New Oriental Culinary Senior Technical School won the gold medal in the sugar arts/pastry making project. Bricklaying can make one a world champion, spray painting can earn an international gold medal, and even wall plastering can produce master craftsmen... How is it that stories of skill-based success in the new era are being told across all walks of life?

Craftsmanship achieves the extraordinary, and skill reaches dreams, thanks to systematic support.

China has established national industry-education integration communities in seven fields, including rail transit equipment, urban renewal, and industrial mother machines, jointly advancing the cultivation of highly skilled talent. Modern vocational education has opened up channels, a mature industrial system provides practical scenarios, building a fertile soil for the growth of skilled youth; continuously improved incentive mechanisms and advancement pathways mean that professional title evaluation, further study channels, and talent recognition are no longer blocked by a single diploma... Education builds the foundation, industry creates fertile soil, institutions provide support, and talent strives ahead to take the lead (奋楫争先, fen ji zheng xian - "strive, paddle, compete, first"), painting a picture of the times in which skilled youth compete to shine.

Under the guidance of policy, the whole of society is reshaping the definition of "talent" and "becoming accomplished," and is also calibrating the career coordinates of a generation.

Jiao Jiao, from Zheng'an, Guizhou, who benefited from counterpart support for vocational education, won the gold medal in car body repair at this year's skills competition. "Skill allowed me to walk out of the mountains," Jiao Jiao's reflection proves that skill helped her walk out of the geographical mountains, and also out of the mountains of prejudice. When people no longer judge people solely by their educational qualifications, no longer ask "is it useful to attend a technical school," but instead begin to think about "how to go further on this path," the stage for skilled talent will be even broader.

As the only female competitor in the rail vehicle technology project, He Xiaoman lifted a nearly 50-jin door baffle with her bare hands, breaking the so-called assumption that "women cannot do hardcore engineering," and moreover won the competition's highest honor, the Albert Vidal Award. Standing on one's own by one's craft, and shining through hard work, inspires more and more insightful young people to take the path of skill-based success.

Why has China's vocational education been called a "model" by the chairman of WorldSkills International? Not only because China has repeatedly won first prize or taken the lead (拔得头筹, ba de tou chou - "pluck, obtain, head, prize") on the gold medal table at the WorldSkills Competition in recent years, but even more because of the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent.

High-speed rail crisscrossing the land, the Chang'e lunar probe exploring the moon, large aircraft soaring, and new energy vehicles going global — behind all of this are not only continuous breakthroughs in laboratories, but also making minute and meticulous improvements (毫厘精进, hao li jing jin - "hair, millimeter, refine, advance") in workshops. China's skilled workers number in the hundreds of millions; they are not reserves or supporting players, but a vital force supporting the service industry's shift from scale to quality and manufacturing's shift from "being able to make things" to "making things to perfection." From education building the foundation to industry providing empowerment, from institutional safeguards to conceptual renewal, the ecosystem for skill-based success has taken shape.

When more young people are willing to sit on the cold bench until it warms, to gnaw through hard bones, and to practice the art of the smallest detail to perfection, high-quality development will have an even more solid foundation. With a special skill or expertise, joining the tide of the times of building a strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation — this is precisely the most moving image of skilled talent in the new era.

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When Art Shifts from 'Chance Encounter' to 'Companionship' (On-Site Commentary)

By: 武卫政

The breath of art permeates the land of Tianjin and both banks of the Hai River.

Listen — at the Tianjin Grand Theater, waves of symphonic sound surge up from the orchestra pit; savor — at the Tianjin Concert Hall, chamber-music strings interweave beneath the dome; watch — at the China Grand Theater, Peking opera, Pingju opera, Hebei clapper opera, and other traditional operas as well as spoken drama are performed in succession…

Nor is it only inside the theaters. Stepping outdoors, the "Music Gathering by the Bridge" along the Hai River has lasted for more than half a year; operatic arias drift out before the foreign-style buildings of the Italian-style district; on Gold Street's "Big Copper Coin" square, an outdoor immersive performance presents excerpts of the play Sunrise; on a mountain-village square in Jizhou, Hebei clapper opera sings into the hearts of the villagers — the charm of art pervades both the city and the mountain villages. Whether or not one buys a ticket, whether or not one is a connoisseur, ordinary people can meet unexpectedly (不期而遇, bu qi er yu - "not, meet, then, encounter") with splendid artistic performances.

A city needs performances; the public needs art. When the stage shifts from enclosed spaces to public spaces, the refined and the popular shine in reflected splendor (交相辉映, jiao xiang hui ying - "interchange, each other, reflect, shine"). Theaters and concert halls "stand art up," upholding professional standards and the inheritance of the classics; the stages by the bridges and in the alleys "sow culture down," taking root in the lives of ordinary people, together constituting the cultural ecology of a modern city.

To answer well the question "for whom do we perform," performances step out of the theater and go directly to the grassroots, into the midst of the masses. In the past, to see an opera or hear a concert, one could hardly avoid buying a ticket and taking a numbered seat; a great gate stood between art and everyday life. Today, the bridges over the Hai River become the stage set, melodies that once sounded only in the concert hall drift to the bridge side, and plays that once required a ticket to enjoy take to the streets. Ordinary people are immersed in them, and the power of art is self-evident and needing no explanation (不言自明, bu yan zi ming - "not, speak, self, clear").

Looking across the country: at the 2026 Beijing Park Art Season "Art Gathering," the "Yi Yun Qing Yin" Peking opera special performance is staged on the grand stage of the Dehe Garden in the Summer Palace; at the Great Tang All-Day Mall in Xi'an, Shaanxi, Tang-style music-and-dance performances attract tourists; at Wangjianglou Park in Chengdu, Sichuan, and on the Jin River night cruises, silk-and-bamboo ensemble gatherings are offered; at the Master-of-the-Nets Garden in Suzhou, Jiangsu, Kunqu opera and pingtan performances present the delightful charm of "changing scenery with every step (移步换景, yi bu huan jing - "move, step, change, scenery"), a play at every ten paces"… Passersby are willing to stop and watch, elderly people hear familiar hometown tunes, and children remember a melody. The closer art comes to people, the more it can enter their hearts and turn into memory.

"Who performs?" Professional actors "go down," and amateur performers "step up onto the stage." At the waterfront pier, the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra offers an outdoor performance. As a piece ends, applause breaks out from all sides (掌声四起, zhang sheng si qi - "palm, sound, four, rise"), children curiously lean in toward the instruments, and adults hum along with the melody. At the "One-Yuan Theater" in Weinan, Shaanxi, a community electrician takes the stage to belt out Qinqiang opera. On the "Village Super League" pitch in Guizhou, villagers are both players and performers, presenting ethnic song-and-dance during the halftime break. Street performers in Shanghai work with licenses, singing in the city's streets and lanes after receiving training.

What is the new mass literature and art? Performing for the masses, and also inviting the masses to perform — it both stirs the passion of professional actors and ignites the enthusiasm of ordinary people to "give the stage a try." Watching and performing form a positive interaction: the physical boundary of the theater is reduced, while direct exchange between performance and audience increases, and the tree of art draws new nourishment from being watered by the water of life.

It is not hard for a single performance to become a hit; what is hard is for art to nourish life enduringly. Tianjin's "Music Gathering by the Bridge" ran from mid-April to the end of October — not "put on for a while and then closed," but "song every week, splendor every season." In Wuzhen, Zhejiang, there is both a "Midsummer Night" special performance season and "drama in autumn"; tourists come for the plays, and residents live alongside the drama. In Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, the Taoxichuan area has converted an abandoned old porcelain factory into a cultural-and-creative district, with musical performances on weekend nights, along with intangible-heritage displays and short opera performances — the old factory buildings have been given new life. When art shifts from "chance encounter" to "companionship," ordinary people always find cultural activities awaiting them on weekend evenings, on the way home from work, or when returning to their hometowns for festivals — this is precisely an inherent or necessary meaning of the subject (题中应有之义, ti zhong ying you zhi yi - "topic, within, should, have, of, meaning") of educating people through culture and benefiting the people through culture.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Strive to raise the level of public cultural services, so that the people may enjoy a fuller, richer, and higher-quality spiritual and cultural life." By building stages at the side of the masses, handing the microphone to ordinary people, and fitting performances into everyday time, continuously innovating the supply of public cultural services, and advancing commercial and public-welfare performances in tandem, the masses — in each pause to watch, listen, and be moved — will surely share a more tangible, more abundant, and more inclusive "sense of cultural gain."

(The author is a reporter for the Tianjin branch of this newspaper.)

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Photo Report

The China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) has reached the important milestone of its 70th anniversary. Over the past 70 years, the Canton Fair has weathered storms and trials, traversed great changes in the world (沧海桑田, cang hai sang tian - "blue sea, mulberry fields"), growing from 9,600 square meters and 1,200 buyers at its first session to 1.55 million square meters and over 300,000 buyers today, never once interrupted across 140 sessions, becoming China's largest, longest-running, most complete in product range, most attended by merchants, and most successful in transaction volume international trade event.

Here is a verse:

Opening arms wide to welcome guests and friends,

Sharing opportunities, meeting each other with joy (喜相逢, xi xiang feng - "joyfully, meet each other").

Years sift the sands, witnessing the vicissitudes,

Mutual benefit and win-win results (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual benefit, win-win") know no end.

Shen  Qiuwen

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"Stingy" and "Generous" (Views)

By: 胡 波

Not long ago, the 21st Games of Jiangsu Province opened in Lianyungang. All the main competition venues for these provincial games were renovated and expanded on the basis of existing facilities, and the equipment and apparatus followed the principle of "borrow rather than rent what can be borrowed, rent rather than buy what can be rented." In the eyes of some people, this appears somewhat "stingy."

Looked at from another angle, the situation is quite different. During the games, more than 40 A-level scenic spots waived first-gate admission tickets for participants, provincial games cultural-tourism consumption vouchers were distributed to the whole of society, nearly 800 business entities took part in consumption-promotion activities, and nearly 100 "second venue" viewing points were linked with nighttime commercial districts. Compared with the investment in venue construction, the hospitality shown to cultural-tourism guests appears very "generous."

Holding the games frugally is not a makeshift or temporary measure (权宜之计, quan yi zhi ji - "expedient, plan, device"), but rather a way of being responsible to public resources and to the people's expectations. The renovation of the venues fully takes into account the needs of national fitness, and after the games they will be transformed into urban sports complexes integrating event performance, national fitness, and cultural leisure. This is not simply spending less, but rather focusing on enabling public investment to produce long-term benefits.

It is necessary both to spend every cent where it is most needed (花在刀刃上, hua zai dao ren shang - "spend, at, knife, edge") and to understand using little effort to achieve a massive result (四两拨千斤, si liang bo qian jin - "four, taels, push, thousand, jin"). The host city Lianyungang, for the first time, established a Games Economy Promotion Department under the preparatory committee, launched the "Together We Forge the Golden Cudgel" plan, and issued an overall plan for integrating commerce, culture, tourism, sports, health, and agriculture to promote consumption, linking spectating, sightseeing, shopping, and tasting fresh produce into an integrated consumption chain. This kind of "generosity" is in fact using the games as a lever to pry open the upgrading of urban consumption and the elevation of cultural-tourism integration, so that the dividends of the provincial games benefit the people more broadly.

"Stinginess" and "generosity" are not contradictory; they are unified in benefiting the people. What is saved is "face money," and what is enhanced is the sense of gain. More than half of the 1,892 opening ceremony performers were local people from Lianyungang, reflecting the original intention of holding the games with whole-people participation, whole-people sharing, and whole-people acclaim. The unity of "stinginess" and "generosity" is a clear answer to the question "for whom are the games held?" Only by carrying the concept of frugal games through the entire process and taking benefiting the people as the starting point and ultimate goal can the traffic generated by the games be converted into economic increment and development quality.

Save where saving is due, be generous with measure, and convert every bit of investment into the well-being of the people. This is what the provincial games should look like, and it is also the unchanging pursuit of our work in all fields.

(Excerpted and adapted from Xinhua Daily, original title: "The 'Stinginess' and 'Generosity' of the Provincial Games")

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Baskets Full, Trekking Deep in the Mountains (China's Road, China's Dream: Everyone Is a Protagonist)

By: 柏华丽

The pink basket I use now is already worn white at the edges — this is the fifth basket I have used since I became a village doctor. For more than 20 years, I have gone out to make house calls at five or six o'clock every morning and returned under the stars after dark. The villagers all call me "Doctor Basket," and I have come to understand more and more clearly what the basket carries.

My first basket was woven by my father's own hands, and inside it was conviction.

The year I graduated from health school, I heard that Dazhao Village in Changshun, Guizhou, was remote and difficult to travel (山高路远, shan gao lu yuan - "mountain, high; road, far"), that generation after generation had lacked doctors and medicine, that no one had ever come into contact with modern medicine, and that when people fell ill they relied on "inviting the gods" and simply endured. My heart ached, and I plunged straight into these deep mountains. Since I could not change the past, I would change the present and the future.

For the first week, the clinic was deserted — no one came to see a doctor. The village has 23 villager groups, the people live scattered, and most are left-behind elderly and children who have difficulty getting around. Many illnesses cannot wait, so I took the initiative to carry my basket on my back, loaded it with a stethoscope, a mercury sphygmomanometer, and common medicines, and went door to door "selling myself." The mountain paths are rugged and falls are unavoidable; sometimes the items in the basket fell out and were broken, so I prepared extra supplies. The distances were long and I could not get back at noon, so I carried a large enamel mug with meals in it. Slowly, I knocked open one door after another. If they could not come to me, I went to them — fulfilling one's duty is not just talk, it is under one's feet.

The second basket was given to me by the villagers of their own accord, and inside it was trust.

Walking into people's hearts is harder than walking the mountain paths. At the time, the villagers were wary of me, this "young lass." There was no other way — winning trust requires one step at a time. One winter, a woman in labor was about to give birth, and I hurried off into the mountains to help the child come into the world safely. Another time, a baby girl a few months old had severe pediatric pneumonia; I crossed two mountains, walked for more than an hour, and stayed by her for three days. Responding to every request (有求必应, you qiu bi ying - "have, request; must, respond"), coming whenever there was need — walking on and on, I naturally reached the villagers' hearts.

My basket grew heavier and heavier. Who in which family had a chronic illness, whose child was due for a vaccination — I noted it all on paper and carried it with me at all times. Some villagers were in financial difficulty, and to let them see a doctor with peace of mind, I helped pay on their behalf. The basket grew heavier, but the villagers' trust accumulated more and more. Mountain people are simple and honest: receive a single kindness, and they remember tenfold gratitude. This second basket was woven by an elderly man in the village over 80 years old. Seeing that my old basket had worn through at the edges, he pressed it on me. Being a good "confidant" and "intimate friend," heartwarming deeds grew more and more numerous, and the basket became heavier still.

In more than 20 years I have changed four baskets, and the gear inside them has changed again and again.

In the early years there was a mercury sphygmomanometer and steel needles sterilized in my own pressure cooker; now there are electronic sphygmomanometers, disposable dressing-change kits, and the like — safe and convenient. What is even more gratifying is the renewal of the villagers' health concepts. From "inviting the gods" when ill to seeking medical treatment when sick, from not daring to treat illness to, with medical insurance paid, not fearing to treat illness, we have achieved "minor illnesses never leave the village." These changes rest on an increasingly dense network of livelihood security and are inseparable from the unswerving commitment of medical practitioners to devoting themselves to the medical profession to help people (悬壶济世, xuan hu ji shi - "hang, gourd; aid, world").

My basket has also carried my child. I watched over the villagers' health, my husband watched over the village school's lectern, and when we were both busy, we often had no choice but to leave the child alone in the clinic. Sometimes when I went far, I put him in the basket and climbed the mountains on rounds together with him. The weight of the basket once made me think of leaving, but the weight of trust and the weight of human feeling are hard to set down. The whole village is my service target, and the weight of being needed outweighs every thought of giving up.

As long as there is need, I will keep carrying the basket, keeping pace with the times and responding to the needs of the masses. My greatest wish is that, through the joint efforts of all sides, prevention will come before disease and health will take root in the great mountains.

(The author is a village doctor in Dazhao Village, Duncao Township, Changshun County, Guizhou Province; compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Chen Junyi)

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Contributions Welcome

Dear readers, the columns on this page, including "Everyone's Discussion," "Warm News, Hot Commentary," "China's Path, China's Dream," and "Letters," are long-term open for submissions. We welcome your contributions, but please do not engage in submitting the same manuscript to multiple outlets (一稿多投, yi gao duo tou - "one, draft, many, submit").

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Page editors: Li Haoran, Peng Fei, Li Tielin

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Grasping the Scientific System and Internal Logic of the Fourteen Commitments in Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building

By: 中国浦东干部学院院务委员会理论学习中心组

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, centering on the major issue of the era of what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build it, has put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies for managing and governing the Party, and for revitalizing and strengthening the Party, forming Xi Jinping's thought on Party building. The Fourteen Commitments (十四个坚持) of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building deeply grasp the internal connection between managing and governing the Party, revitalizing and strengthening the Party, and strengthening the country and achieving national rejuvenation, coordinate the Party's leadership and Party building, understand the substance and apply it in practice, integrating substance and application, and comprehensively and profoundly elucidate the highest principles, strategic guidelines, value pursuits, work layouts, and methods and paths of Party building in the new era. Deeply comprehending and firmly grasping the rich connotation, internal logic, and practical requirements of this theoretical system is both an inherent requirement for deepening the systematic and theoretical research and interpretation of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and an inherent requirement for improving the system of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era.

Upholding the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee

Upholding the Party's leadership is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee — together these two elucidate the highest principle of Party building in the new era, profoundly answer the major questions of who leads the management and governance of the Party, the revitalization and strengthening of the Party, and the strengthening of the country and national rejuvenation, and what political direction to uphold, occupy a leading position among the Fourteen Commitments, and are the political foundation of all content. The highest principle undertakes three functions. First, political orientation. Political attribute is the primary attribute of the Party; all measures for managing and governing the Party must closely revolve around consolidating the Party's overall leadership and safeguarding the authority of the Party Central Committee. Deviating from this principle will lead to losing direction, or even committing subversive errors. Second, building a solid foundation. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, staying true to the original aspiration and founding mission, and advancing all aspects of Party building are all built upon the premise of the Party's overall leadership. Third, overall command and guidance. Strategic guidelines serve to consolidate the Party's leadership position, value pursuits manifest the Party's nature and purpose, and the work layout and methods and paths must all implement the requirements of the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee.

Upholding the leadership of the proletarian party is a basic principle of scientific socialism. Marx and Engels emphasized the leadership of the proletarian party over the workers' movement, and Lenin emphasized that the proletarian party must exercise overall leadership over all work of the state. More than a hundred years of Party history have convincingly proven that upholding the Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the continuous victory of the cause of the Party and the state. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Socialism with Chinese characteristics has many characteristics and features, but the most essential feature is upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China." "The biggest national condition of China is the leadership of the Communist Party of China. What are Chinese characteristics? This is Chinese characteristics." Writing the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics into the Party Constitution and the Constitution embodies the will of the whole Party and the will of the state, and represents the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people.

Upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is the highest principle of the Party's leadership, and its core essence is mainly reflected in three aspects. First, the Party is the highest political leadership force; whether it is the Party, the government, the military, the people, or learning, whether it is east, west, south, north, or the center, the Party leads everything. Second, the Party's leadership system is the fundamental leadership system of our country; the people's congresses, governments, CPPCC committees, supervisory organs, judicial organs, the people's military, mass organizations, and enterprises and public institutions must all operate in coordination under the unified leadership of the Party, each performing their own duties (各司其职, ge si qi zhi - "each, undertake, its, duty"), ensuring the smooth flow of government orders. Third, upholding the Party's role in commanding the overall situation and coordinating all parties, the whole Party must deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), strengthen the Four Consciousnesses (四个意识), firm up the Four Confidences (四个自信), and achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护), strictly implement democratic centralism, and promote the effective implementation of the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments.

Persistently advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party

Upholding full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the strategic guideline for Party building in the new era, building a bridge that transforms political principles and institutional advantages into the practice of managing and governing the Party and the effectiveness of state governance, and responding to the major proposition of what approach to use to manage and govern the Party under the conditions of long-term governance.

After the proletarian party comes to power, how to forever maintain its advanced nature and purity, and respond to risks such as political impurity, ideological laxity, organizational disunity, and corruption and degeneration, is a major issue in Marxist party-building theory. Marx emphasized that Party discipline must be absolutely maintained, and Lenin proposed that the revolutionary cause requires iron discipline and organization. Our Party has always insisted on the Party managing itself throughout its history of more than a hundred years, continuously exploring paths for strict Party governance. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era and an inevitable requirement for taking the new road of the examination. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has incorporated full and rigorous self-governance of the Party into the strategic layout of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面), running strict standards and strict measures through the entire process and all aspects of managing and governing the Party, promoting the Party to achieve self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement, and after revolutionary tempering, becoming stronger and more powerful.

Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party plays an overall function of connecting the upper and lower levels among the Fourteen Commitments of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building. This strategic guideline is internally generated from the highest principle and runs through all fields, aspects, and the entire process of the work layout and methods and paths of Party building in the new era. On the one hand, the Party shoulders the mission of advancing Chinese modernization and achieving the strengthening of the country and national rejuvenation; to lead the great cause, it must first be excellent itself. The Party's leadership position is not innate, nor is it achieved once and for all; only by persistently advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party can the Party's core leadership position and long-term governing position be consolidated. On the other hand, the work layout and methods and paths of Party building in the new era must all embody and implement the requirements of "comprehensive," "rigorous," and "governance." Comprehensive means managing the whole Party and governing the whole Party, covering all Party members and Party organizations at all levels, with a focus on the "key minority"; rigorous means truly managing and truly being strict, daring to manage and daring to be strict, and managing for a long time and being strict for a long time; governance means compacting layer by layer the responsibility for managing and governing the Party, pulling up "rotten trees," treating "diseased trees," and straightening "crooked trees," to address both the symptoms and the root causes (标本兼治, biao ben jian zhi - "symptoms, root, both, treat").

Consciously practicing the people-centered development philosophy and a correct view of political achievements

Upholding the original aspiration and founding mission, staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, profoundly elucidates the value pursuit of Party building in the new era, manifests the Party's nature, purpose, and goals of struggle, answers the positional question of "for what purpose does the Party manage and govern itself, revitalize and strengthen itself," is an important main line running through Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and provides value guidance, a positional yardstick, and a standard for evaluating effectiveness for Party building.

The Communist Manifesto elucidated that the proletarian movement is a movement for the interests of the overwhelming majority. Seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation is the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists and the fundamental driving force for our Party's continuous struggle. In January 2020, at the concluding meeting of the "staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission" thematic education, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "From the Shikumen to Tiananmen, from Xingye Road to Fuxing Road, all the efforts our Party has made, all the struggles it has waged, and all the sacrifices it has made over the past hundred years have been for the happiness of the people and the rejuvenation of the nation." Staying true to the original aspiration and founding mission means that the whole Party must keep in mind the fundamental question of what the Communist Party of China is and what it wants to do, and implement the original aspiration and founding mission into all the Party's practice of struggle.

This value pursuit runs through all aspects of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building. First, it embodies the highest principle. Our Party has no special interests of its own; the Party comes from the people, takes root in the people, and serves the people; the Party's foundation is in the people, its bloodline is in the people, and its strength is in the people; the Party's overall leadership inherently contains the value background of the original aspiration and founding mission. Second, it governs the strategic guideline. The starting point and ultimate goal of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is to realize, safeguard, and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people; unswervingly fighting corruption and rectifying work-style problems are all responses to the expectations of the people and consolidation of the popular foundation of the Party's governance. Third, it runs through the work layout. Party spirit tempering requires taking a firm stand with the people, cadre team building focuses on cultivating backbone forces for national rejuvenation, and compacting the responsibility for managing and governing the Party aims to make good use of the power entrusted by the people; every Party building task carries a people-oriented orientation. The original aspiration and founding mission are also the fundamental yardstick for testing the effectiveness of Party building; in evaluating the effectiveness of Party building, the key is to see whether the original aspiration and founding mission are practiced, whether people's well-being is enhanced, and whether achievements that stand the test of practice, the people, and history are created.

Taking the Party's political construction as the lead to comprehensively advance all aspects of Party building

Under the orientation of the highest principle, the command of the strategic guideline, and the guidance of the value pursuit, the latter ten aspects of the Fourteen Commitments constitute a complete work layout: upholding the Party's political construction as the lead, upholding the use of the Party's innovative theories to unite people's hearts and strengthen their souls (凝心铸魂, ning xin zhu hun - "condense, heart; cast, soul"), upholding the tempering of strong Party spirit, upholding the improvement of an organizational system that is connected from top to bottom and effective in execution, upholding the building of a high-quality cadre team capable of shouldering the heavy task of national rejuvenation, upholding the promotion of the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style construction, upholding the management of the whole Party and governance of the whole Party with strict discipline, upholding the integrated advancement of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, upholding the governance of the Party by institutions and the governance of the Party by rules and regulations, and upholding the implementation of political responsibility for managing and governing the Party. This clarifies the key tasks and practical paths for managing and governing the Party, giving clear direction to "what to do" and "how to do it."

Upholding the Party's political construction as the lead grasps the fundamental construction of the Party; upholding the use of the Party's innovative theories to unite people's hearts and strengthen their souls consolidates the foundational construction of ideological construction; upholding the tempering of strong Party spirit builds the cornerstone for Party members and cadres to establish themselves, conduct their work, establish their words, and establish their virtue; upholding the improvement of an organizational system that is connected from top to bottom and effective in execution gives play to the advantages of the Marxist party's rigorous organizational system; upholding the building of a high-quality cadre team capable of shouldering the heavy task of national rejuvenation focuses on the fact that the key to strengthening the country and achieving rejuvenation lies in the Party and lies in people; upholding the promotion of the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style construction anchors the key goal of maintaining the flesh-and-blood connection between the Party and the masses; upholding the management of the whole Party and governance of the whole Party with strict discipline makes good use of strengthening discipline construction as the fundamental strategy for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party; upholding the integrated advancement of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt points out the basic strategy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and the basic policy of the anti-corruption struggle; upholding the governance of the Party by institutions and the governance of the Party by rules and regulations grasps the long-term strategy and fundamental strategy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party; upholding the implementation of political responsibility for managing and governing the Party seizes the "ox nose" of the responsibility system. These 10 aspects are closely interconnected and linked step by step (环环相扣, huan huan xiang kou - "ring, ring, mutually, link"), running through the links of politics, ideology, Party spirit, organization, cadres, work style, discipline, anti-corruption, institutions, and responsibility, forming a complete and systematic system of Party building tasks.

Making Party building more scientific, more rigorous, and more effective

Each aspect of the Fourteen Commitments of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building has both theoretical elaboration and practical requirements; it both deploys the task of "crossing the river" and provides the working method of the "bridge or boat," containing leadership methods, thinking methods, and working methods, realizing the unity of epistemology and methodology, and providing action guidance for making Party building in the new era more scientific, more rigorous, and more effective.

Upholding the Party's leadership as the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics requires running the Party's leadership through all fields, aspects, and links of managing and governing the Party and governing the country. Upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee requires safeguarding the authority of the Party Central Committee to establish a single, authoritative decision-making standard (定于一尊, ding yu yi zun - "decide, at, one, status") and make a final, decisive decision (一锤定音, yi chui ding yin - "one, hammer, determine, sound"), ensuring that Party organizations at all levels and Party members and cadres always maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee, deeply comprehending the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, and resolutely achieving the Two Upholds. Upholding full and rigorous self-governance of the Party requires improving the system of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, advancing the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement, achieving full coverage in content, full coverage in objects, a complete chain of responsibility, and full integration of institutions. Upholding the original aspiration and founding mission, staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, requires keeping in mind that the country is the people and the people are the country, consciously practicing the people-centered development philosophy and a correct view of political achievements, and taking the Party's mass line well in the new era. Upholding the Party's political construction as the lead requires always taking the Two Upholds as the highest political principle and fundamental political rule, and continuously improving political judgment, political understanding, and political execution. Upholding the use of the Party's innovative theories to unite people's hearts and strengthen their souls requires promoting the integration of learning, thinking, and practice (学思用贯通, xue si yong guan tong - "learn, think, use, 贯通") and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action, reading original works, learning original texts, and comprehending principles, transforming learning results into a powerful force for firming ideals, tempering Party spirit, guiding practice, and promoting work. Upholding the tempering of strong Party spirit requires putting political cultivation first, strictly implementing the norms of political life within the Party, and enhancing the political nature, contemporaneity, principled nature, and combativeness of political life within the Party. Upholding the improvement of an organizational system that is connected from top to bottom and effective in execution requires making efforts to solve the problems of "roadblocks," "midway obstructions," and "dead-end roads" in policy implementation, establishing a clear orientation of vigorously grasping the grassroots, and realizing the Party's leadership as the body commanding the arms and the arms commanding the fingers. Upholding the building of a high-quality cadre team capable of shouldering the heavy task of national rejuvenation requires upholding the principle of the Party managing cadres, upholding the standards for good cadres in the new era, upholding the combination of strict management and care, putting political standards first, and tempering cadres in major struggles. Upholding the promotion of the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style construction requires persevering with unremitting effort (锲而不舍, qie er bu she - "carve, and, not, give up") in implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, continuously rectifying the Four Malfeasances and fostering new practices, vigorously promoting the practice of investigation and research, and striving for practical results and actual effectiveness. Upholding the management of the whole Party and governance of the whole Party with strict discipline requires upholding that discipline is stricter than law and that discipline precedes law, making good use of the "four forms" of supervision and discipline enforcement, and comprehensively giving play to the disciplinary education, restraint, guarantee, and incentive functions of Party discipline. Upholding the integrated advancement of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt requires promoting the simultaneous, comprehensive, and integrated efforts of punishment and deterrence, institutional constraints, and raising awareness, and winning the tough battle and protracted war against corruption. Upholding the governance of the Party by institutions and the governance of the Party by rules and regulations requires upholding the Party Constitution as the foundation and democratic centralism as the core, improving the system of Party rules and regulations, and promoting the organic unity of law-based governance and the governance of the Party by rules and regulations. Upholding the implementation of political responsibility for managing and governing the Party requires improving the complete chain of responsibility composed of the primary responsibility of Party committees (Party groups), the supervisory responsibility of discipline inspection commissions, the first responsible person responsibility of Party organization secretaries, the "one post with dual responsibilities" of leading group members, and the specific responsibilities of Party members and cadres, building a closed loop of clarifying responsibility, fulfilling responsibility, assessing responsibility, and holding accountable for responsibility, upholding that dereliction of duty must be questioned and accountability must be strict, and using accountability to force the implementation of responsibility.

The highest principles, strategic guidelines, value pursuits, work layouts, and methods and paths of Party building in the new era comprehensively and profoundly elucidated by Xi Jinping's thought on Party building are not a simple linear progressive relationship, but a dialectically unified whole, running through all the practice of managing and governing the Party and revitalizing and strengthening the Party. Its internal logic can be grasped from five relational dimensions. First, command and service. The highest principle stands at the top of the theoretical system; the strategic guidelines, value pursuits, and work layouts all obey and serve the upholding of the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, and all practice of managing and governing the Party focuses on consolidating the Party's leadership position. Second, internal generation and connection. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is an inherent requirement for strengthening the Party's overall leadership, closely connecting macro political principles with specific Party building work. Third, penetration and integration. Staying true to the original aspiration and founding mission runs through all levels of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, profoundly revealing that managing and governing the Party must always adhere to the people's standpoint, integrating into our Party's comprehensive practice of benefiting the people, upholding development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people, and doing good deeds and practical things to the satisfaction of the masses. Fourth, tasks and methods. The work layout clarifies key tasks, and the methods and paths provide practical handles. Tasks are implemented through methods, and methods play their role through tasks; the two are unified in the practice of the great new project of Party building in the new era. Fifth, feedback and improvement. The effectiveness of managing and governing the Party consolidates the Party's leadership position, tests the effectiveness of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and confirms the practice of the original aspiration and founding mission; shortcomings exposed in practice in turn promote the improvement of institutions and the optimization of measures, forming a dynamic process of "theory guiding practice — practice testing theory — theory continuously improving," fully embodying Marxist epistemology and dialectics, and realizing the unity of the truth criterion and the value criterion.

Comprehensively building a great modern socialist country and achieving the Second Centenary Goal places new and higher requirements on the Party's own construction. On the new journey, we must fully implement Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, deeply grasp the scientific system and internal logic of the Fourteen Commitments, achieve the integration of learning, thinking, and practice and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action, promote the transformation of scientific theory into the practical force of improving the system of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, continuously enhance the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal, ensure that the Party always remains a strong leading core, and provide fundamental political guarantees for comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

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Guided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building, Constructing an Independent Knowledge System for the Discipline of CPC History and Party Building (Accelerating the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System for Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences)

By: 臧秀玲

Xi Jinping's thought on Party building is a theoretical achievement forged in the new great project of Party building in the new era. It fundamentally answers the major question of the times — "what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build, and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party" — and opens up a new realm of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist party-building theory. The discipline of CPC history and Party building was born because of the Party and thrives because of the Party; it is a foundational discipline with distinct Chinese characteristics and bearing a major mission of the times. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building is not only the core content of the discipline of CPC history and Party building, but also the fundamental guideline for constructing the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Xi Jinping's thought on Party building enriches the theoretical lineage of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building

Xi Jinping's thought on Party building is a systematic, complete, logically rigorous, and highly original theoretical system, providing core concepts, basic propositions, and research methods for the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Providing original and iconic concepts, laying the scholarly foundation for the construction of the independent knowledge system. Concepts are the basic units of theory, and original and iconic concepts are the key growth points of knowledge innovation. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building has put forward a series of original and iconic concepts around Party building in the new era, constituting an important cornerstone of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building. For example, "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" points to the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era. These original and iconic concepts are not deduced from existing theoretical frameworks, nor are they a simple inheritance of traditional discourse; rather, they are important theoretical achievements formed on the basis of the vivid practice of governing and managing the Party in the new era, a systematic response to major theoretical and practical issues in Party building in the new era, and they manifest a distinct local character, originality, and contemporaneity. This conceptual system with distinct Chinese characteristics has enabled the discipline of CPC history and Party building to gradually construct a set of conceptual categories different from Western party theory, fundamentally consolidating the foundation for the discipline's independent development.

Forming basic propositions, building a theoretical framework for the construction of the independent knowledge system. The internal connections between concepts constitute propositions, and the logical connections between propositions form theory. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building profoundly answers fundamental questions such as how a long-term governing Marxist party can forever maintain its advanced nature and purity, how to guard against governing risks, and how to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall, thus expanding party-building theory to a new stage with long-term governance as its core concern, achieving a historic leap in the theoretical focus. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building establishes the fundamental political premise with "upholding the Party's leadership is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics," reveals the long-term and arduous nature of governing and managing the Party with "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the way," clarifies the Party's purpose, stance, and value orientation with "staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission," defines the primary focus of the overall layout of Party building with "the Party's political construction is the Party's fundamental construction," and promotes the layer-by-layer transmission and effective implementation of the pressure of governing and managing the Party with "upholding the implementation of political responsibility for governing and managing the Party," among others. This series of interconnected important judgments jointly constructs a systematic and complete theoretical system, further enriching and expanding the theoretical horizon for the construction of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Containing scientific methodology, providing research tools for the construction of the independent knowledge system. The construction of a theoretical system depends not only on the refinement of core concepts and important propositions, but also on the support of scientific methodology. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, an important reason why the cause of the Party and the state has achieved historic achievements and undergone historic changes is that we have adhered to the Two Integrations." Xi Jinping's thought on Party building is a model theoretical achievement of the Communist Party of China in combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities and with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and is a concentrated embodiment of the Two Integrations in the field of Party building. To construct the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building, on the one hand, we must adhere to the soul of Marxism, abide by the basic principles of Marxist party-building theory, and consolidate the theoretical foundation of the discipline; on the other hand, we must deeply root ourselves in the excellent traditional Chinese culture, fully explore its wisdom of state governance, and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of the excellent traditional Chinese culture in the context of Party building in the new era. The Two Integrations have shaped the distinct characteristics of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building that differentiate it from other party theories. In addition, the problem orientation and systematic thinking contained in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building also provide important methodological guidance for the construction of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Xi Jinping's thought on Party building leads the construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building

The disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system are the key supports and important contents of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building. Leading the construction of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building with Xi Jinping's thought on Party building is not only reflected in the supply of concepts, generation of propositions, and methodological support at the theoretical level, but is also deeply integrated into the entire process of the construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Leading the integrated consolidation of the disciplinary system. The disciplinary system is the institutionalized carrier of the independent knowledge system. The establishment of the first-level discipline of CPC history and Party building has solved the past problem of the separation of the disciplines of Party history and Party building, but the integrated development and collaborative research of Party history and Party building remain a practical issue in disciplinary construction. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building connects the Party's history and the Party's construction, guiding researchers to explore the evolutionary trajectory of Party building from the Party's history of more than a hundred years, while also summarizing the laws of historical development based on Party building practice in the new era, breaking the state of mutual isolation between Party history research and Party building research, and promoting mutual support and mutual verification between the two. At the same time, Xi Jinping's thought on Party building organically connects major events, important meetings, and important figures in Party history with the theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation of Party building, enabling Party history research to provide empirical support for Party building research, and enabling Party building research to inject practical concerns into Party history research, continuously deepening the systematic understanding of the fundamental question of "what is the Communist Party of China and what does it want to do" from the organic unity of history and reality, theory and practice. This research paradigm forms a complete disciplinary whole with rigorous logic, consolidating the disciplinary foundation of the independent knowledge system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Leading the autonomous innovation of the academic system. The academic system is an important aspect of the independent knowledge system, and the key to the autonomous innovation of the academic system lies in generating local party theory based on Chinese party practice. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building provides problem orientation, theoretical core, and practical basis for the autonomous innovation of the academic system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building. First, adhering to the theoretical foundation of Marxist party theory. The discipline of CPC history and Party building has both distinct ideological attributes and rigorous academic attributes, and is an organic unity of academic exploration and political stance. Adhering to this theoretical foundation is the primary prerequisite for ensuring that academic research always maintains the correct direction. Second, anchoring on major questions of the times, setting core research topics for the discipline, guiding research to take root in the vivid practice of the Communist Party of China in governing and managing the Party, and promoting the formation of theoretical propositions that truly originate from China's realities and respond to China's problems. Third, improving the evaluation system for academic research. It requires academic research to carry out theoretical refinement based on the actual process of the Communist Party of China's governance and administration of the country and its governance and management of the Party, adhere to the unity of theory and practice, the unity of history and logic, take China as the reference and the times as the coordinate, and realize the true autonomy of the discipline of CPC history and Party building in academic propositions, academic thought, and academic discourse. These three levels support each other and are organically unified, jointly constituting an important support for the autonomous innovation of the academic system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building.

Leading the subjective construction of the discourse system. The discourse system is the external expression of the knowledge system, and its maturity directly affects the discipline's communication effectiveness and academic dialogue capability. Promoting the subjective construction of the discourse system of the discipline of CPC history and Party building under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building requires sustained efforts in two directions. On the one hand, promoting the organic transformation of political discourse into academic discourse. We should be adept at using rigorous conceptual definitions, systematic theoretical argumentation, and scientific methodological support to carry out scholarly expression of the Party's innovative theories, transform political propositions into academic propositions, internalize political stances into academic logic, and achieve the deep-level integration of "explaining politics through academia." On the other hand, promoting the international expression of academic discourse. In the academic landscape of global party political research, Chinese party theory should not be "voiceless," nor should it be "spoken for by others." It must be based on the unique practice of the Communist Party of China's long-term governance, refine conceptual tools and analytical frameworks with universal significance, create original and iconic concepts of party politics that integrate China and the world, and effectively respond to the common problems facing human political civilization. These two dimensions complement each other and jointly strive to make Chinese party theory stand firm, spread widely, and resonate in the international academic arena.

(The author is a specially invited researcher at the Shandong Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

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Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building Achieves Creative Transformation and Innovative Development of Traditional Governance Wisdom (Selected Arguments)

General Secretary Xi Jinping places emphasis on deeply excavating, discriminating, and sublating traditional governance civilization, promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of intellectual resources such as ancient clean governance, people-centeredness, and self-reflection, thereby endowing Xi Jinping's thought on Party building with profound cultural heritage and distinctive Chinese characteristics.

Adhering to the way of unity of knowledge and action (知行合一, zhi xing he yi - "know, do, combine, one") and revitalizing the tradition of practical approach to statecraft (经世致用, jing shi zhi yong - "govern, world, apply, use"), the cultural foundation of the scientific methodology of Party building is thickened. Chinese civilization has long formed a tradition of statecraft that emphasizes practice, governance, and practical results. At the methodological level, Xi Jinping's thought on Party building absorbs this resource, links it with the Marxist view of practice, and emphasizes that investigation and research are the foundation of planning affairs and the way to accomplish affairs, and emphasizes that theory must be tested and developed in practice. In the practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, a problem-oriented approach runs through the entire process, realizing the modern transformation of the tradition of statecraft.

Continuing the lineage of esteeming the worthy and employing the capable, and reforming the wisdom of traditional official governance, the cultural support for the organizational governance of cadre team building is consolidated. China's excellent traditional political culture emphasizes "appoint people based on their ability" (任人唯贤, ren ren wei xian - "appoint, person, only, worthy") and "possessing both virtue and talent" (德才兼备, de cai jian bei - "virtue, talent, both, possess"). Xi Jinping's thought on Party building adheres to building a high-caliber cadre team capable of shouldering the heavy task of national rejuvenation, adheres to the principle of the Party managing cadres, implements the standards for good cadres in the new era, and through improving the cadre selection and appointment system and assessment mechanisms, promotes the institutionalization and standardization of cadre selection and appointment, transforming the appointment of people based on their ability from an ethical principle into an institutional arrangement.

Abiding by the foundation of cultivating virtue and cultivating the self, and integrating traditional virtue culture, the loyal and pure Party spirit cultivation of Communists is tempered. The tradition of self-cultivation in Chinese civilization emphasizes the generation of virtue from within outward. In the new era, this tradition has been transformed through the theory of Marxist party building, no longer confined to individual moral perfection, but entering the system of Party spirit tempering. Through the standardized and institutionalized operation of intra-Party political life and other mechanisms, the tradition of self-cultivation is transformed into executable institutional mechanisms.

Drawing on the way of people-centeredness and public-mindedness, and linking ancient and modern value consensus, the value coordinates of the Sinicization of major-party governance are shaped. Chinese civilization has long formed a value structure centered on "the world belongs to all" (天下为公, tian xia wei gong - "under heaven, for, public"), "the people are the foundation of the state," and "governing through virtue" (为政以德, wei zheng yi de - "govern, politics, by, virtue"). In the course of development in the new era, under the impetus of the Two Integrations (两个结合), this value system has achieved creative transformation through the Party's mass line and has been embedded in the theoretical system of Party building. Traditional values such as integrity, uprightness, and frugality, as expressed in sayings like "impartiality gives rise to clarity, integrity gives rise to authority," are continuously transformed into practical norms for governing and managing the Party in institutional development and work-style development.

— Excerpted from the August 20, 2026 issue of China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Daily, authors: Luo Yongkuan and Huang Jingyao, original title: "The Practical Foundation and Theoretical Origins of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building"

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From a Street Forum to a Window on China's Finance

By: 本报记者 胡 健 王 洲 施 芳

In the golden autumn of October, the Financial Street in Xicheng District, Beijing once again drew the world's attention.

From October 19 to 22, the 15th Financial Street Forum Annual Conference, themed "Openness, Cooperation, Inclusiveness — Building a New Ecosystem for Global Financial Development," was held here. More than 20 thematic events attracted over 400 distinguished guests from more than 40 countries and regions around the world, participating in a grand event together (共襄盛会, gong xiang sheng hui - "together, participate, grand meeting").

Fifteen years ago, the Financial Street Forum began as an industry exchange activity marking the 20th anniversary of Financial Street's development. Today it has grown into a financial event with global influence, actively exploring the process of advancing financial reform and development, boldly practicing in leading the trend of industry innovation and development, and courageously pioneering in promoting consensus on international financial cooperation. The growth of the Financial Street Forum reflects the solid pace of China's high-quality development in the financial sector.

Focusing on the Frontier: A Watchtower for Observing Policy

On the afternoon of the 19th, the main forum venue was completely filled with people (座无虚席, zuo wu xu xi - "seat, no, empty, seat"), with Chinese and foreign media reporters arriving early. A reporter who has long followed the Financial Street Forum said: "The Financial Street Forum is an important window for observing China's financial reform and financial opening-up."

The People's Bank of China will, together with the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, establish liquidity support tools to address large-scale redemptions by non-bank financial institutions, so as to build a bond market stability mechanism; the CSRC will release at an appropriate time the newly revised measures for the administration of securities issuance and registration by listed companies and supporting rules; the NFRA encourages foreign-funded institutions to participate in more business pilots based on their own endowments... At the forum, a series of major policies on strengthening financial regulation, improving the financial system, optimizing financial services, and preventing and defusing risks were released one after another, highlighting the Financial Street Forum's important position as the "weather vane of China's financial reform and development."

"The core area of Financial Street, covering 2.59 square kilometers, brings together national financial regulatory authorities including the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, enabling the Financial Street Forum to better serve as a platform for the release and publicity of authoritative national policies." This was stated by Zeng Linfeng, Executive Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Financial Street Forum Annual Conference Organizing Committee and Acting District Mayor of Xicheng District, Beijing.

The Financial Street Forum has always been grounded in the overall national development strategy, anchoring its goal of building a world-class financial center. Its support for scientific and technological innovation is one example.

Beijing's science and technology innovation center has expanded to cover the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region — how can finance better play its role? At this year's forum annual conference, financial support responded promptly, with the "Implementation Plan for Financial Support for Building the Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) International Science and Technology Innovation Center" being a highlight. "The plan guides medium- and long-term patient capital toward hard technology fields, helping to build a regional innovation ecosystem with deep coupling between finance and hard technology, and laying a solid financial foundation for the construction of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei International Science and Technology Innovation Center," said Tian Lihui, professor of finance at Nankai University.

High-quality development in finance cannot be achieved without the support of a high-caliber talent environment. During this year's forum annual conference, the Beijing Municipal Talent Work Bureau and the Municipal Party Committee Financial Office, together with the Xicheng District Party Committee and District Government, released Beijing's first batch of financial product toolkits supporting talent innovation and entrepreneurship. "The product toolkit links 20 key financial institutions, systematically integrating 25 distinctive financial products across investment, loans, insurance, and other fields, adhering to the combination of inclusive support and focused cultivation, and building a full-lifecycle financial service system covering the early entrepreneurial stage, growth and development, and stable expansion," introduced the relevant person in charge of the Xicheng District Talent Work Bureau.

Denis Simon, Chair of the International Organization of Talent Associations and Senior Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a U.S. think tank, commented: "This initiative creates an interconnected fintech ecosystem, linking financial institutions with innovative and entrepreneurial talent, enabling capital to accelerate the transformation of scientific research achievements and cultivate a composite talent pool."

Pragmatic Pursuit: An Incubator of Ideas and Outcomes

Exchanging views and issuing policies must ultimately translate into results. The Financial Street Forum is precisely a pragmatic platform for the positive interaction between finance and the real economy. At the insurance conference and investment conference, both held for the first time at this year's forum, a number of research findings based on practical needs were released.

The Financial Street Forum has successively launched pragmatic scenarios such as the Entrepreneur Roundtable Meeting and the High-Quality Development Forum for the Private Economy, conducting more than 1,000 investment and financing matchmaking activities in total. In 2018, the Beijing Fintech and Professional Services Innovation Demonstration Zone was officially designated, with a construction plan released by the end of that year and the "Ten Fintech Measures" support policy issued simultaneously. At the 2025 forum annual conference, intended amounts exceeding 1 billion yuan were reached on site, and the issuance scale of technology innovation bonds in the Beijing region exceeded 450 billion yuan in less than half a year.

In recent years, Beijing's high-precision and advanced industries have shown strong development momentum. As of the end of September, the Beijing Stock Exchange and the National Equities Exchange and Quotations had gathered more than 4,000 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative ("little giant") enterprises, with "little giant" enterprises accounting for nearly 40 percent. During this year's forum annual conference, six national-level specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative "little giant" enterprises took the stage in turn for roadshows, with representatives of investment institutions and financial institutions observing on site and engaging in in-depth exchanges with the presenting companies.

Shenzhou Rongxin Cloud Technology Co., Ltd. is a well-known domestic financial cloud service provider. "The forum not only released favorable policies, but also 'helped us onto the horse and accompanied us on the way,' giving us the opportunity to present ourselves centrally to capital providers. The precise injection of capital will accelerate the company's technological iteration and market expansion," said Liu Shengrui, the company's chairman.

Financial services for the real economy are also reflected in the field of rural revitalization. "Over the past five years, our balance of agriculture-related loans and the balance of loans to small and micro agricultural households have grown substantially," introduced Wu Guanglei, General Manager of the Inclusive Finance Department of the Beijing Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, who attended the forum. In recent years, the ICBC Beijing Branch has closely followed the needs of rural revitalization in innovating pledge methods, allowing financial "living water" to reach the countryside directly, benefit agriculture, and promote development.

Capital Securities released a financial service plan for rural revitalization in Pinggu District, Beijing; the Agricultural Bank of China Beijing Branch released a financial service plan for the Agricultural Zhongguancun; Beijing Construction Engineering Group released a cooperation plan supporting green and high-quality development in Pinggu District... At the sub-forum on rural revitalization and sustainable development finance, the Rural Revitalization Partner Plan was released collectively, activating rural resources through financial innovation.

"As the core carrying area of the capital's Agricultural Zhongguancun, Pinggu will make good use of finance, this 'golden key,' to explore new models of sci-tech innovation finance and help high-energy-level platforms such as the National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Port focus on tackling 'bottleneck' problems in key technologies," said Zhao Wenkan, member of the Standing Committee of the Pinggu District Party Committee and Executive Deputy District Mayor.

Openness and Win-Win: A Reception Hall for International Exchange

The Financial Street Forum "holds its meetings with open doors," resonating in step with China's unswerving efforts to promote high-level opening-up of the financial sector.

Looking back to 2013, when the forum first set up the topic of "Development of Foreign Banks in China," there were fewer than 60 foreign-funded financial institutions in Beijing. Today, the number of regional headquarters and branches of foreign-funded financial institutions gathered in the core area of Financial Street has exceeded 120.

As a platform for China's voice in global financial governance and a platform for international exchange and cooperation in the financial industry, the Financial Street Forum's global influence continues to grow. The Global Systemically Important Financial Institutions Meeting held by the forum has, for the third consecutive year, brought together all 29 global systemically important financial institutions in person.

This year, the forum not only conducted its first three-way live connection among Beijing, Hong Kong, and London, but also extended its sub-forums to African countries for the first time. On the afternoon of October 21, the parallel forum "Openness and Win-Win: Building New Momentum for High-Quality Development of the Belt and Road Initiative" was held simultaneously in Beijing and Nairobi, Kenya, thousands of miles away, with representatives from government departments, financial institutions, enterprises, academia, and multilateral institutions from nearly 30 countries participating in Belt and Road cooperation attending the event.

John Mbadi Ng'ong'o, Cabinet Secretary of the National Treasury and Economic Planning of Kenya, said that this year's forum annual conference provided a valuable opportunity for all parties to build consensus on cooperation and promote the matching of supply and demand, helping to explore innovative paths for investment and financing and boost regional connectivity and shared prosperity.

Zhang Xiaojia, member of the Standing Committee of the Xicheng District Party Committee and Director of the Publicity Department, said that the bridge of openness is not only the being extremely inclusive and broad-minded (海纳百川, hai na bai chuan - "sea, accept, hundred, rivers") of "holding meetings with open doors," but also lies in the mutual understanding of cultural exchange.

During this year's forum annual conference, a series of cultural supporting activities were also carefully organized. The "Beijing Financial Street Night" themed event was held at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, the "Blossoming Global Carnival" shopping season was held on Jinchengfang Street and other core areas of Financial Street, the "Financial Street Cup" tennis tournament and tai chi and Baduanjin experience activities were held simultaneously, and light shows were staged in conjunction across key buildings on Financial Street...

"Over the past 15 years, the Financial Street Forum's professional reputation for delving into financial frontiers has become increasingly prominent, and its open pattern of connecting to global markets has been continuously consolidated," said Zhi Haijie, Secretary of the Xicheng District Party Committee. "We will continue to polish this 'golden signboard,' anchor ourselves in the overall national high-quality development of finance, stay fixed on the positioning of the 'four major platforms,' and contribute greater strength to building a strong financial nation."

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2026 APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting Held in Hong Kong

(People's Daily, Hong Kong, October 22) (Reporter Feng Xuezhi) The 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers' Meeting was held in Hong Kong, China, from October 20 to 21. More than 300 representatives from APEC member economies, APEC observers, and relevant international organizations attended the meeting.

China's Minister of Finance Lan Fo'an presided over and addressed the meeting as its chair, and Vice Minister Liao Min delivered remarks on behalf of the Chinese side. Chen Xu, Chair of the 2026 APEC Senior Officials' Meeting, attended the meeting and delivered remarks. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee attended the welcome dinner.

The meeting focused on the APEC China Year theme of "Building an Asia-Pacific Community and Promoting Common Prosperity," and conducted discussions on topics including the global and regional macroeconomic and financial situation, fiscal policies supporting people's livelihoods, financing for digital infrastructure, developing inclusive finance in light of local conditions, and promoting exchanges and cooperation among APEC young financial professionals.

The meeting reviewed and adopted the "2026 APEC Finance Ministers' Joint Statement" and the "Policy Statement on Financing Digital Infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific Region," providing guidance for Asia-Pacific economies to deepen fiscal and financial cooperation. The meeting also produced outcome documents including the "Report on Fiscal Policies to Support People's Livelihoods and Invest in People — Promoting Sustainable Growth in the Asia-Pacific Region" and the "Compendium of Innovative Practices in Inclusive Finance in the Asia-Pacific Region," and agreed to continue advancing exchanges and cooperation among young financial professionals in the Asia-Pacific region.

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2026 China Journalism and Communication Lecture Hall Launched in Beijing

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Yan Yiqiao) The 2026 "China Journalism and Communication Lecture Hall," themed "Deeply rooted in the people (扎根人民, zha gen ren min - "root, in, people"), writing the times: the original aspiration and mission of journalists," was launched in Beijing on October 20. It invited 32 outstanding journalists from 22 media organizations to serve as keynote speakers, who recorded 32 episodes of course videos covering content modules such as news gathering and writing, in-depth reporting, news commentary, international communication, and journalist growth and development.

The "China Journalism and Communication Lecture Hall" was established in 2020. It adheres to the guidance of the Marxist view of journalism, invites outstanding journalists to serve as course keynote speakers each year, integrates the most vivid practices from the front lines of journalism into classroom teaching, and realizes the goal of journalism and communication programs at universities nationwide "sharing one class on the Marxist view of journalism."

After the launch ceremony, faculty representatives from the journalism and communication schools of nine universities, including Peking University, Renmin University of China, Communication University of China, and Fudan University, conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as the new requirements for cultivating journalism and communication talent against the backdrop of the systematic transformation of mainstream media, building a major classroom for practical education, and the teaching application and educational effectiveness of the "China Journalism and Communication Lecture Hall."

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2025 Media Social Responsibility Report Evaluation Meeting Held

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Li Zhuo'er) On October 22, the News Ethics Committee of the All-China Journalists Association held an evaluation meeting to review and score the 2025 media social responsibility reports of major central news units. More than 60 people, including members of the News Ethics Committee of the All-China Journalists Association and representatives of major central news units, attended the meeting.

At the meeting, the office of the News Ethics Committee of the All-China Journalists Association reported on the progress of the 2025 media social responsibility report work. In their review, the committee members held that the 2025 media social responsibility reports saw a frequent emergence of highlights (亮点频出, liang dian pin chu - "bright spot, frequently, emerge"), with major themes and distinctive features presented in a more concrete manner, the effectiveness of new digital and intelligent technology applications becoming more prominent, and the trend toward multi-format communication on new media platforms growing more distinct. Overall, major central news units such as People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, and China Media Group have deepened the systematic transformation of mainstream media, focused on enhancing their capacity to guide mainstream public opinion, and continuously improved their sense of social responsibility and ability to fulfill their duties. The media social responsibility report work has become an important window for the news industry to test the fulfillment of duties and responsibilities and to accept public oversight.

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Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Hits Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet

(People's Daily, Lhasa, October 22) (Reporters Bian Minde, Xu Yuyao) The China Earthquake Networks Center determined: at 22:33 on October 22, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet (32.40 degrees north latitude, 93.79 degrees east longitude), with a focal depth of 10 kilometers. It is understood that the average elevation near the epicenter is approximately 4,800 meters, and the surrounding population is sparse. Local fire rescue, armed police, and other rescue forces have already rushed to the scene, and county and township cadres are surveying the situation in each village and group.

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 22) (Reporter Liu Wenxin) After the earthquake occurred, the Office of the State Council Earthquake Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management activated the National Level IV Earthquake Emergency Response, and the National Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Relief Commission and the Ministry of Emergency Management activated the National Level IV Natural Disaster Relief Emergency Response, dispatching working groups to rush to the area to guide the handling of the situation.

According to the needs of the disaster area, 5,000 items (sets) of central disaster relief materials including cotton tents, cotton coats, cotton quilts, and folding beds were urgently allocated and dispatched, and 5,000 items (sets) of materials including cotton tents and heating stoves were coordinated for allocation by local authorities, to support the disaster area in ensuring the basic livelihood of affected residents.

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17th Hebei Provincial Games Held in Tangshan

From October 16 to 24, the 17th Provincial Games of Hebei Province were held in Tangshan.

The Provincial Games were hosted by the People's Government of Hebei Province and organized by the Hebei Provincial Sports Bureau and the People's Government of Tangshan City, under the theme of "Splendid Provincial Games, Forging Ahead in the New Era." They served as a comprehensive review of the province's achievements in sports development and a concentrated display of the striving to be the first among others (奋勇争先, fen yong zheng xian - "brave, fight, strive, first") spirit of the people of Yan and Zhao in the new era.

The opening ceremony of the Provincial Games featured segments including warm-up performances, ceremonial procedures, cultural and sports presentations, and the torch-lighting ceremony, with each segment seamlessly connected, simple yet dignified. The cultural and sports presentation consisted of the prologue "Tracing the East: The Rings of the Times," Part One "A Century of Foundations: Urban Transformation," Part Two "Setting Sail on the Bohai Sea: Strengthening Through the Sea," and the torch-lighting chapter "Phoenix Blazes a New Path: Igniting a Bright Future." The entire presentation closely followed the main thread of the province's sports development, focusing on the vivid scenes of competitive athletes pursuing their dreams on the field and the vigorous growth of fitness activities for all, weaving together a development panorama of the inheritance of Yan and Zhao cultural heritage, Tangshan's urban transformation, the transformation of Winter Olympic legacy, technological innovation and upgrading, and strengthening through the sea. It deeply integrated the rich regional cultural heritage, Tangshan's urban characteristics, and the spirit of striving upward, resulting in a full and three-dimensional stage picture, full of sports atmosphere and emotional resonance.

The opening ceremony of the Provincial Games featured a wide variety of highlights (亮点纷呈, liang dian fen cheng - "bright, spot, profusely, present"). Seventeen Olympic champions and world champions from Hebei were paired with seventeen provincial youth champions in the same events to jointly pass the torch and light the main cauldron, embodying the spiritual strength of Hebei sports passed down from generation to generation. As each delegation entered, 40-second background videos played in rotation, showcasing the sports development landscape of the province's 17 participating cities and units. The Malanhua Children's Choir once again sang the "Olympic Hymn," looking back on the extraordinary journey of bidding for, building, and promoting the Olympics, vividly demonstrating Hebei Province's success in unlocking the activation and utilization of the Winter Olympic legacy and delivering an excellent answer sheet for the post-Games utilization of Winter Olympic venues.

The Provincial Games featured two categories: the youth group and the mass sports group. The youth group comprised 36 major events and 1,160 minor events, with a total of 11,271 athletes participating in the finals. The youth group's winter sports included 4 major events and 246 minor events, with competitions concluding on April 11, involving 1,160 athletes in the finals; the summer sports included 32 major events and 914 minor events, with 10,111 athletes participating in the finals.

The closing ceremony of the Provincial Games will be held in Tangshan on October 24.

Data source: Hebei Provincial Sports Bureau

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Page editors: Ji Yalin, Zhang Weihao, Zhai Qinqi

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Guizhou Walks the Long March Road of the New Era, Depicting a New Picture of Revitalization of Old Revolutionary Base Areas

From the protection of red resources to digital activation and utilization, from the deep cultivation of distinctive industries to the horizontal and vertical extension of road networks, from consolidating and expanding the achievements of the battle against poverty to using industry to help farmers increase income and become prosperous, Guizhou is walking the Long March road of the new era with an enterprising and uplifting posture, depicting a new picture of vigorous revitalization of the old revolutionary base areas.

Systematically Protecting Red Resources

Consolidating the Spiritual Roots of Revitalization of the Old Revolutionary Base Areas

Red resources are the spiritual roots of the old revolutionary base areas, and this family asset must be safeguarded and put to good use. Guizhou has promulgated the "Regulations of Guizhou Province on the Protection, Inheritance, and Utilization of Red Resources" and a series of special plans, building a full-chain system of protection, excavation, management, inheritance, and utilization. Taking the construction of the Guizhou key construction area of the Long March National Cultural Park as the overall starting point, it has formed a development pattern of "one core, one line, two wings, and multiple points," enabling the scattered red sites across the land of Guizhou to be linked into a cohesive whole (串珠成链, chuan zhu cheng lian - "string, pearls, become, chain").

A fresh breeze sweeps across the land of northern Guizhou, and the red hot soil surges with vitality. In Gouba Village, Bozhou District, Zunyi City, 21 revolutionary site remains preserve the original and authentic historical appearance. The village has revitalized idle collective assets to develop study tours and cultural tourism, with supporting rural pastoral leisure formats. As of the first half of 2026, it has cumulatively received over 8 million tourists, with comprehensive tourism revenue reaching 438 million yuan. The once impoverished mountain village has been transformed from an old look to a new one (旧貌换新颜, jiu mao huan xin yan - "old, appearance, change, new, face"), and now the village has been upgraded in quality and the masses have increased their income.

Jiming Sansheng Village in Qixingguan District, Bijie City, has done a good job on the red article and promoted revitalization and development. Based on its historical resources, the locality has completed the quality improvement of the site remains and the upgrading of exhibitions, opened up industrial roads connecting the mountainous area with the inside and outside, and while guarding the red landmarks, solved the problem of agricultural products leaving the mountains, driving steady growth in employment for the masses and sales of local specialty products. The popularity of the red landmarks has been concretely transformed into confidence for the masses to increase their income.

Not limited to the restoration and activation of physical site remains, Guizhou relies on digital technology to empower its red family asset, promoting the continuous iterative upgrading of the Guizhou Long March Culture Digital Art Museum (Red Ribbon) and the digital map of red cultural tourism. AI interaction and holographic exhibition make static historical materials dynamically perceptible, allowing red inheritance to truly enter the public and permeate daily life. Up to now, 1,207 revolutionary cultural relics in the province have been included in the provincial protection list, and 2,078 revolutionary sites have completed standardized archival filing. The red family asset is moving from "collection and treasuring in museums" to "sharing with the public," becoming a spiritual force that nourishes people's hearts.

Cultivating and Strengthening Distinctive Industries

Releasing the Industrial Development Momentum of the Old Revolutionary Base Areas

For the revitalization of the old base areas, industry is the key. Based on the mountainous characteristics and endowments, Guizhou deeply cultivates "one county, one main industry; one region, one distinctive feature," stimulating strong momentum for industrial breakthrough.

In Zheng'an County, Zunyi City, located in northern Guizhou, the crisp sound of guitar strings echoes through the valleys, stirring up a moving resonance of industrial breakthrough in the old base areas. Zheng'an County was once a deeply impoverished county, but now it has formed the guitar industry cluster with the highest concentration in the country. 144 guitar and supporting enterprises have taken root here, forming 87 independent brands, producing more than 2.5 million guitars annually, exported to more than 40 countries and regions, driving employment of over 15,000 people in the surrounding area. Young people are returning to their hometowns one after another, achieving stable income increases at their doorsteps.

Such industrial stories shine everywhere in Guizhou. Relying on one million mu of bamboo forest resources, Chishui City, from bamboo building materials, bamboo cultural and creative products, to bamboo food, has seen the output value of diversified formats of full-chain deep processing exceed 10 billion yuan, driving nearly 180,000 bamboo farmers to steadily increase their income, turning "lucid waters and lush mountains" into "gold and silver mountains" benefiting the masses of the old base areas. Weining Yi, Hui, and Miao Autonomous County in Bijie City plants potatoes across the plateau and mountainous land, moving from primary cultivation to branded operation, growing "golden fruits" that drive income increases for the masses. The oil tea industry in Yuping Dong Autonomous County in Tongren City has formed a complete industrial chain of "seedling cultivation - planting - processing - sales." Liping County in Qiandongnan Prefecture strings red culture and the tea charm of the Dong townships into a boutique tourism route.

Industrial industries have broken into new tracks in transformation and upgrading. Guizhou Steel Rope has achieved breakthroughs in key core technologies, deeply cultivating the field of high-end special ropes and cables, with products exported to more than 40 countries and regions. Weng'an County in Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Bozhou District in Zunyi City, and other old revolutionary base areas have laid out fine phosphorus chemical and new energy materials industries, accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces and promoting the continuous optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure.

Seizing the opportunity of east-west cooperation, and with the help of platforms such as e-commerce to assist agriculture and "Guizhou goods leaving the mountains," specialty products from the mountains of Guizhou are continuously flowing to the whole country.

Accelerating the Upgrading of Infrastructure

Expanding the Urban-Rural Development Space of the Old Revolutionary Base Areas

In the past, poor transportation and weak foundations were obstacles across the development path of Guizhou's old revolutionary base areas. Today's Guizhou carries forward the fighting spirit of overcoming difficulties, erecting "bridges of development" one after another among the lofty mountains and ridges.

The transformation of natural moats into thoroughfares is Guizhou's magnificent metamorphosis. Up to now, the province's high-speed railway mileage has reached 1,906 kilometers, and expressway mileage has reached 9,563 kilometers. The three-dimensional road network of high-speed rail connecting all cities, expressways connecting all counties, and hardened roads connecting all villages has been fully formed. The old revolutionary base areas have been deeply integrated into the national comprehensive transportation network, and the former rugged terrain with many mountains and valleys (千山万壑, qian shan wan he - "thousand, mountains, ten thousand, valleys") has become scenery along the path of development.

Not only the transportation network, but water networks, energy, and digital infrastructure are also extending and spreading simultaneously in the old revolutionary base areas. The Jiaoyan Water Conservancy Hub Project, as the largest comprehensive water conservancy project in Guizhou, delivers safe and stable water for production and living to old revolutionary base areas such as Bijie City and Zunyi City, benefiting millions of people and large areas of farmland. The new energy channel in the Wumeng Mountain area has been fully put into operation. As of the end of June 2026, the province's total installed capacity of new energy on a full-caliber basis reached 41.8323 million kilowatts. Wind farms and photovoltaic power stations have emerged suddenly and grandly from the ground (拔地而起, ba di er qi - "pull, ground, rise"), and green energy continues to empower the low-carbon development of the old revolutionary base areas. 5G networks have achieved full coverage of townships, and digital scenarios such as digital villages, smart agriculture, and digitalized grassroots governance have been fully implemented, with digital dividends continuing to benefit the masses of the old base areas.

The urban and rural appearance is also undergoing a simultaneous transformation. Guizhou is strengthening the Zunyi metropolitan area, cultivating regional central cities such as Bijie City, Tongren City, and Kaili City in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, and county-level cities such as Renhuai City and Chishui City in Zunyi City and Panzhou City in Liupanshui City continue to improve quality and expand capacity. The province's 63 pilot red beautiful villages are linked into a chain. Villages such as Kunniushan Village in Shiqian County, Tongren City, and Baiyi Village in Wudang District, Guiyang City, have not only repaired red site remains and improved the living environment, but also cultivated distinctive industries and revitalized governance vitality.

Continuously Improving People's Livelihood and Well-being

Consolidating the Achievements of Revitalization and Development of the Old Revolutionary Base Areas

Guizhou has always taken the improvement of people's livelihood and well-being as the starting point and foothold of its work, so that the fruits of revitalization and development truly benefit thousands of households.

The achievements of the battle against poverty continue to be consolidated and expanded in the old revolutionary base areas. All relocated families with labor capacity in the old revolutionary base areas of Guizhou Province have achieved "at least one person per household in stable employment." In Shexiang Ancient Town, Dafang County, Bijie City, the masses relocated from the deep mountains have not only moved into neat resettlement housing, but also "eaten the cultural tourism meal" at their doorsteps. Activities such as the Earth Fingerprint Concert and the Torch Festival continue to be popular across the internet, driving local income increases.

High-quality public service resources continue to be channeled downward and tilted toward the old revolutionary base areas. In recent years, Guizhou has continuously promoted the improvement of quality and efficiency of county-level medical communities, the standardized renovation of township health centers, and full coverage of village-level health room services. The capacity of grassroots medical services has steadily improved, allowing the masses of the old base areas to enjoy convenient and accessible basic medical services nearby. The standardized construction of compulsory education continues to extend to townships, high-quality educational resources continue to be channeled downward to villages, and the balanced development of education continues to be implemented thoroughly and effectively (走深走实, zou shen zou shi - "walk, deep, walk, solid").

From the deep mountains of Wumeng to the banks of the Chishui River, from the Miao Ridge and Dong townships to the fertile fields of northern Guizhou, the red hot soil once tempered by the flames of war is now a fertile ground for revitalization surging with vitality. Guizhou will continue to carry forward the great Long March spirit, transform the fighting passion of the revolutionary forebears into practical driving force for revitalization and development, build the old revolutionary base areas better step by step, make the people's lives better, and let the red gene be passed down from generation to generation.

Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee

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Telling the Story of the Global South, Striking a New Silk Road Melody for the New Era

By: 本报记者 邓建胜 张志文 尹晓宇

The ancient city takes on a new look, and the osmanthus flowers are fragrant. Recently, the 2026 "Belt and Road" Journalists' Organization Forum was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu. Centering on the theme of "Convergence and Connectivity · Advancing Anew · Media Transformation amid Global Changes," nearly 100 heads of journalists' organizations and media representatives from more than 50 countries and regions engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges with Chinese media representatives.

The forum was co-hosted by the All-China Journalists Association, the Publicity Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, and the Nanjing Municipal People's Government. On the eve of the forum, foreign media representatives participating in the event traveled to Nanjing, Suzhou, Changzhou, Nantong, Lianyungang and other places to carry out a "Global South Journalists View China" themed field-visit activity, experiencing up close the achievements of Chinese modernization.

"Setting an example for developing countries in forging a path to modernization"

On the path of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Jiangsu, relying on its hub advantages of river-sea linkage and land-sea mutual support, has gathered and activated various development factors, facilitated mutually beneficial win-win outcomes through unimpeded trade, and allowed the dividends of cooperation to surge continuously in two-way flows. In 2025, Jiangsu's imports and exports with Belt and Road partner countries reached 2.98 trillion yuan, accounting for more than 50 percent of the province's total foreign trade for the first time, and a large number of "small yet beautiful" livelihood cooperation projects have gone overseas and delivered tangible results.

The Suzhou Industrial Park is an important window for the world to understand China, having attracted more than 5,200 foreign-invested projects. At the park's exhibition center, foreign media reporters carefully learned about the development of industrial clusters in biomedicine, artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles, modern services and other fields. Seeing the fully magnetically levitated artificial heart on display — China's first such device approved for market with completely independent intellectual property rights — Yehia Selim, consulting editor of India's Business Standard, said this innovation is of milestone significance: "China's development experience proves that Global South countries have the confidence and capability to blaze a modernization path with their own national characteristics."

Entering the urban modern agriculture industrial park in Chongchuan District, Nantong, foreign media reporters actively exchanged views with staff on topics such as scientific research and seed breeding, digital planting, and grain processing. Lorraine Mwanza, chairperson of the Zambian Science and Technology Media Alliance, remarked with emotion that China's development has never been about minding only one's own interests (独善其身, du shan qi shen - "alone, enjoy, body"): "The stronger China becomes and the more its scientific research advances, the more the whole of Africa and even the world benefits."

The China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) Logistics Cooperation Base is the first international economic and trade cooperation entity project to be implemented after the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed. At the base's digital dispatching center, screens display in real time the operations at the Khorgos-East Gate dry port more than 4,000 kilometers away. "Seeing something for oneself is better than hearing about it a hundred times" (百闻不如一见, bai wen bu ru yi jian - "hundred, hear, not, as, one, see"), said Zhanibek Sadikanov, chairman of the Karaganda branch of the Journalists' Union of Kazakhstan. "Through China's route, we are trading with the world, solving the problem of landlocked countries finding it difficult to access the sea."

"China has set an example for developing countries in forging a path to modernization," said Rao Farhan, secretary general of the National Press Club of Pakistan, in his speech. He said that China has rapidly advanced industrialization and continuously achieved technological breakthroughs, and that countries that draw on these experiences and fully seize the opportunities presented by cooperation with China can better advance their own development and modernization processes.

"Blending tradition, technology and culture to perfection"

This year marks the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Jiangsu is unswervingly promoting high-quality development, striving to create a high quality of life, and focusing on advancing efficient governance. What foreign media reporters saw and heard during the field visits gave them a sense of the vibrant vitality of China's development.

Standing in the smart center of NISCO Group, a 42-meter-long ultra-high-definition control screen stretches before one's eyes, with blast furnace, production line, logistics and energy data displayed in real time — from here one can sense the "heartbeat" of the entire steel plant. Inside the plant, a "Concentric Circle" natural valley converted from an abandoned water pump station features clear lake water and a pleasant environment. After touring the plant, Predrag Rava, chairman of the Vojvodina branch of the Journalists' Association of Serbia, used the word "stunning" to describe his impression.

In the welding workshop of Li Auto's Changzhou intelligent manufacturing base, a production line with a 100 percent automation rate left foreign media reporters with too many things to see at once (目不暇接, mu bu xia jie - "eye, not, have, time, receive"). Entering the company's exhibition hall, foreign media reporters queued up to take test rides in various models. Lorena Escobar, vice president of the Chilean Journalists' Association, was full of praise after sitting in a car and experiencing it: "Whether as a driver or a passenger, the experience is very pleasant — I would be willing to buy a car like this!"

In Shangmingdian Village, Kunshan, Suzhou, the design-conscious enterprise campus and talent apartments that make guests feel as welcome as if they were at home left a deep impression on foreign media reporters. By adhering to protective development, revitalizing existing resources, and introducing new business forms such as sci-tech innovation, agricultural innovation and cultural creativity, "Rural Silicon Valley" has become a new byword for the village. At a market in the center of the village, Sherif Omar, a reporter for Egypt's Al-Ahram, selected some Kunqu opera cultural and creative figurines and intangible cultural heritage paper-cutting works. He said the village has a special charm, "blending tradition, technology and culture to perfection."

The Wushan Riverside area in Nantong boasts green mountains, clear waters and beautiful scenery. Foreign media reporters admired the magnificent Yangtze River while learning about local systematic ecological restoration efforts. Ernesto Jaime, host of the Angolan Journalists' Training Center, said he truly felt the enormous efforts China has made in ecological and environmental governance: "At present, global ecological and environmental problems are prominent, and China's conservation practices have set an example for all countries."

Javier Domínguez, vice president of the European Journalists' Association, who visited China 40 years ago, said frankly that China's infrastructure and living environment have been completely renewed (焕然一新, huan ran yi xin - "change, manner, one, new"), which not only sets an example for the world but also injects positive energy into global development.

"Feeling China's ancient history and also seeing the future of China's development"

This event focused on deepening Belt and Road media cooperation, promoting mutual learning among Chinese and foreign civilizations, and building global consensus on development. Jiangsu connects rivers to the sea and has a profound historical and cultural heritage. The Ming Dynasty navigator Zheng He set sail from here, and human intangible cultural heritage such as yunjin brocade and Kunqu opera were born here. Through this window of Jiangsu, foreign media reporters gained a deeper understanding of China's active efforts to deepen opening up and mutual learning among civilizations.

At the Nanjing Grand Bao'en Temple Ruins Museum, foreign media reporters visited and experienced the lamp-lighting ceremony. Marek Traczyk, president of the Polish Media Association, said that although the glazed pagoda supervised by Zheng He has disappeared, digitalization is making this pagoda a heritage that will never disappear. This is an excellent way of presenting historical relics — different countries have different cultures, but they share common emotions and aspirations.

In the Pingjiang Historical and Cultural Block in Suzhou, foreign media reporters experienced the poetic Jiangnan of small bridges and flowing water. When Kirtan Bhana, editor of South Africa's "Diplomatic Society" website, learned that the area is highly consistent with the urban layout of the Song Dynasty Pingjiang Map, he marveled that China is committed to promoting the coordinated development of cultural heritage protection and economic society: "Here I feel China's ancient history and also see the future of China's development."

The Menghe medical school in Changzhou has a history of more than 400 years. At the Menghe Medical School Museum, foreign media reporters learned about traditional Chinese medicine culture and experienced TCM massage. Catalina Amato, culture and sports secretary of the Buenos Aires Journalists' Association of Argentina, marveled: "Traditional Chinese medicine is amazing — our experience was so comfortable!"

In Donghai County, Lianyungang, known as the "World Capital of Crystal," foreign media reporters entered livestreaming rooms with great interest (饶有兴趣, rao you xing qu - "abundant, have, interest, spirit") to learn about the entire industrial chain of crystal products, from design and production to online livestream sales for export. Andrei Krivosheyev, chairman of the Belarusian Union of Journalists, said that e-commerce livestream selling in Belarus is still in its infancy: "China's e-commerce industry is developing rapidly, and we hope to learn more experience from China."

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trial. Journalists from various countries made a special trip to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders to jointly preserve historical memory and firmly uphold peace and justice. Inside the memorial hall, many foreign media reporters shed tears before the appalling ironclad evidence. John Wallace, executive director of the Australia Asia-Pacific News Center, choked up as he said that the past few days of visits had given journalists from various countries a better understanding of the city of Nanjing: "I knew about the Nanjing Massacre, but seeing the on-site historical materials, especially the mass grave, I was still deeply shocked."

Yann Vernery, president of France's EDN Media Production Company, with tears in his eyes, wrote the following in the guest book: "Establishing the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders is the mission that our generation bears toward future generations. If people forget history, tragedy will repeat itself."

The key to state-to-state relations lies in the affinity between peoples, and the key to affinity between peoples lies in the connection of hearts. With Silk Road journalists' "connected hearts" uniting the journalistic strength of the Global South, a new chapter in media cooperation is being opened amid global changes. Wu Xu, secretary general of the Belt and Road Journalists' Organization Cooperation Platform and member of the Secretariat of the All-China Journalists Association, said that during this themed field-visit activity, journalists from various countries traveled together, learned from one another, and produced a large number of quality works with depth of thought, high production value and wide reach, achieving results in multiple areas such as connecting resources and channels, enhancing understanding and mutual trust, and improving communication capacity. Today, the myriad manifestations of Chinese modernization, the vivid practices of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the openness and confidence of governments, enterprises, media, universities, think tanks and ordinary people have broken many foreign journalists' "fixed patterns" of viewing China, providing media from various countries with an inexhaustible "news bonanza." We welcome more foreign friends to come and tell the true and splendid stories of China and the Global South together, and jointly play the new-era movement of the Silk Road.

(Global Times reporter Yao Baike participated in the writing of this article)

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Echoes

Ángel Dueñas, President of the Peruvian Journalists' Federation —

President Xi Jinping's proposal of the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind provides us with an important theoretical perspective for understanding the mission of media communication in an era of connectivity. This concept enlightens us that connectivity means not only the connection of physical infrastructure and technology, but also the establishment of enduring and profound people-to-people bonds among the peoples, societies, cultures, and knowledge systems of different countries.

Stélia Manjate, Assistant to the Director of the Information and Documentation Office of Mozambique's Ministry of Information —

Building a community with a shared future for mankind means that the progress of one country can create new opportunities for another, that technology should ultimately serve people's lives, that knowledge can flow freely across generations and social boundaries, and that international cooperation should create conditions for the stable development of every country. This is precisely the most important takeaway from my trip to China.

Niyitegeka Théophile, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Rwanda's Time Network —

During my time in China, the multiple dimensions of development unfolded before my eyes, allowing me to step beyond a purely economic perspective and observe this country through a richer set of lenses. What I saw here was not a single narrative about China's development and progress, but a three-dimensional picture woven from different goals, different practices, and different experiences. Running through it all is long-term planning for development, sustained and continuous investment, and pragmatic action that turns ideas into tangible results.

Maria Argyiti, Board Member of the Athens Journalists' Union of Greece —

As my understanding of this country deepens, I increasingly marvel at how the Chinese government has been able to govern such a vast and populous country in an orderly manner (井然有序, jing ran you xu - "well, orderly, have, order"), and to effectively sustain relatively rapid development across numerous industries including high technology. This in itself is a practice worthy of study.

Geraldo Cantarino, Member of the Board of the Brazilian Press Association —

While modernization is changing with each passing day (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new, month, change"), China has never forgotten its history stretching back thousands of years, nor has it severed its connection with the cultural traditions and historical heritage left by its forebears. Tradition and modernity blend with each other here, forming a distinctive way of life that can only be truly appreciated by experiencing it firsthand — and such an experience often brings unexpected or surprising (意想不到, yi xiang bu dao - "intention, thought, not, reach") delights.

Jacek Legiędziewicz, Vice President of the Polish Association of Media —

The practice of Nanjing has shattered certain Western narratives about modernization — technological progress does not inevitably lead to the homogenization of cities, nor does it mean the inevitable destruction of the ecological environment, nor does it mean that traditional culture is bound to be forgotten. This is also an important inspiration China offers to the world in exploring the future path of human development.

Yasser García, Reporter for Panama's La Prensa —

Studying Changzhou shows us that the significance of China's economic rise goes far beyond trade figures and great-power competition. It is a profound transformation that is reshaping technology, production, energy, and the relations of economic power. Competition among countries certainly exists, but what binds them together even more is deepening interdependence.

Puy Kea, President of the Club of Cambodian Journalists —

Walking into the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, one is powerfully struck by the immense catastrophe that aggressive war brought upon ordinary people. This is a place to mourn the deceased and preserve the historical truth, and it also sounds a warning bell for future generations. Remembering history is not about perpetuating hatred. Only by remembering what happened can we come closer to the truth and better honor the departed.

Turpal Janibek, Assistant Professor at Narxoz University of Kazakhstan —

The heaviest moment of this trip was visiting the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. As I walked through the exhibition, I could not help but have tears well up in my eyes. Faced with a tragic chapter of history, one cannot remain merely a bystander. We must pass history on to future generations, so that similar tragedies will not be repeated.

Azamat Kasybekov, President of the Independent Journalists' Union of Kyrgyzstan —

The world today is highly interconnected, and no country's sustainable development can exist independently of the development of its neighbors and trading partners. Transport corridors, energy infrastructure, digital systems, international trade, and technological cooperation together form the foundation of economic growth. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China is of far-reaching significance. Its value lies not only in expanding transportation networks, but also in creating conditions for countries to deepen their economic interactions.

Ajima Bat-Erdene, Reporter for the International Channel of Mongolian National Public Television —

China's practice shows that industrial accumulation and infrastructure development enhance a country's capacity to participate in the international market and also create more space for cross-border cooperation. It is of great significance for Mongolia to strengthen economic and trade ties with China and promote connectivity.

Joseph Boom, Vice President of the World Federation of Science Journalists —

A fairer global governance means making technology and products truly accessible. China's development has given me an important insight: enabling more people to afford and use advanced technology is itself part of governance capacity — this is not an accidental outcome of the market.

Teresa Pinto, Reporter for Cabo Verde's RTC (Radiotelevisão Caboverdiana) —

Building a more balanced world requires cooperation, trust, and broad participation. Only when the international community hears not just the voices of the powerful, but also the voices of those countries and groups that have long been on the margins of global decision-making, can this joint endeavor have a more solid foundation and go further and more steadily.

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Page editors: Zou Zhipeng, Zhang Huizhong, Chu Jun

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Entering Four "Long March Villages"

Xiaoxinchuan Village, Huibeikou Hui Township, Yunxi County, Hubei

"Life-Saving Medicine" Transforms into "Fortune-Bringing Fruit"

People's Daily reporter Fan Haotian

Deep in the Qinba Mountains of western Hubei, autumn is gradually deepening in Xiaoxinchuan Village, Huibeikou Hui Township, Yunxi County, Shiyan City, Hubei Province. Taking advantage of the good weather, villager Zheng Zhuanji is busy sorting and sun-drying the Schisandra chinensis harvested earlier, with bright red dried fruits covering the small courtyard. He straightens up, wipes a thin layer of sweat from his forehead, and says, "The more than 1,000 jin of Schisandra harvested this year are being dried one after another; once a good price comes, I'll take them out to sell."

Xiaoxinchuan Village is located at the southern foot of the Qinling Mountains, at the junction of Hubei and Shaanxi, more than 150 kilometers from the county seat of Yunxi. In January 1935, the main force of the 25th Red Army entered Xiaoxinchuan Village in Yunxi from Luonan, Shaanxi. Weng Xinqiang, secretary of the village Party branch, introduced that the village has red heritage sites such as the He Family Courtyard, Taiping Fortress, and the former site of the Xiaoxinchuan Meeting on the Central Plains Breakout.

For a long time, Xiaoxinchuan Village held onto its red resources, but blocked by mountains and constrained by poor transportation, its industry lagged behind, and it was once one of the most remote impoverished mountain villages in the county. In 2014, Weng Xinqiang, a graduate of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), gave up a high salary in a big city and passed the exam to become a college-graduate village official in the village. After in-depth research, he selected the Schisandra chinensis industry as the breakthrough point.

This Chinese medicinal herb is very common locally, but in the past the villagers only regarded it as a "wild fruit," and there was no precedent for artificial cultivation. "Schisandra chinensis has effects such as strengthening the stomach and aiding digestion, and moistening the lungs and relieving coughs. The 25th Red Army once picked it to treat wounds, and it was hailed as the 'life-saving fruit.'" Weng Xinqiang traveled far to Heilongjiang, Hebei, Anhui, and other places, brought the cultivation techniques he learned back to the village, and then took samples of the Schisandra grown by the villagers to run around markets and find sales channels, gradually winning everyone's trust. In 2018, he was elected secretary of the Xiaoxinchuan Village Party branch.

Over the course of several years, Weng Xinqiang took the lead in building a 100-mu Schisandra demonstration base in the village, founded the Yunxi Youpin Wuguo Fruit Professional Cooperative, and through the model of "free seedlings + free training + guaranteed-price purchase," drove the whole village to plant more than 900 mu of Schisandra, with per-household income increasing by more than 12,000 yuan last year. On this basis, Xiaoxinchuan Village has developed diversified industries such as tobacco leaves, pigs, and Matou goats, basically achieving "every household has an industry, and everyone can increase their income."

In 2023, Xiaoxinchuan Village was listed as a national pilot village for the construction of red beautiful villages. With financial support from departments at all levels, the village has repaired and upgraded the revolutionary sites, created immersive red study tour routes, and organized vivid stories of the Long March, polishing the name card of "the first village where the Red Army entered Hubei from Shaanxi." "We actively tap into the village's young talent, formed a Party member volunteer service team, and continue to tell the red stories well," Weng Xinqiang said. Today, a 5-kilometer red culture corridor links the village's revolutionary sites and the Schisandra base like a string of beads, receiving more than 10,000 visitors annually.

Zheng Zhuanji has opened a small shop near the former site of the Xiaoxinchuan Meeting on the Central Plains Breakout. "In the past two years, more and more tourists have come to the village, business is getting better and better, and many outside merchants have made special trips to buy Schisandra, Forsythia suspensa, and other Chinese medicinal herbs. My net income this year has already exceeded 100,000 yuan." Zheng Zhuanji's face beamed with joy.

"In the next step, we will accelerate the integration of 'red and green' resources, promote the deep linkage of the 'red study tours + farmhouse dining + specialty product sales' business formats, so that visitors can 'see red heritage sites, eat farmhouse food, and take mountain products home with them,' and so that the people of the old revolutionary base area can better increase their incomes and become prosperous right at their doorsteps." Weng Xinqiang is full of confidence in the village's future.

Longxichuan Village, Yangyaji Town, Huining County, Gansu

New Vitality Before the Ancient Music Tower

People's Daily reporter Song Chaojun

"The Red Army fears not the trials of the Long March, and looks lightly on ten thousand peaks and rivers..." Standing before the ancient music tower, Lu Bing could not help but recite "The Long March" (Seven-Character Regulated Verse) once again. In Longxichuan Village, Yangyaji Town, Huining County, Gansu Province, all of the more than 1,600 villagers are thoroughly familiar with this poem.

In October 1935, the First Front Army of the Red Army passed through Longxichuan Village on the Long March. Red Army leaders ascended the ancient music tower to give speeches to the masses, and Mao Zedong recited "The Long March" for the Red Army soldiers and the masses. In October of the following year, the First and Fourth Front Armies of the Red Army triumphantly joined forces in Huining. Ninety years on, the ancient music tower still stands, and this period of red history has also become the foundation of Longxichuan Village's development.

This year, relying on the "Promoting the Organizational Revitalization of Red Villages and Building Red Beautiful Villages" project, Longxichuan Village has carried out a comprehensive improvement of the living environment. As secretary of the village Party branch, as soon as the National Day holiday ended, Lu Bing led workers to get busy. In front of the 6-meter-square ancient music tower, the main construction of the village's red culture square has been completed, and a new scene is beginning to take shape in the small mountain village.

Among the works, the ancient music tower, which the villagers care about deeply, has undergone professional cultural relic restoration. Lu Bing introduced that after years of wind and rain erosion, the tiles of the ancient tower had loosened and fallen off. Through protective restoration, all damaged tiles have been replaced, the tower's structure has been reinforced, and its character remains intact.

In front of the tower, the more than 800-square-meter site has also taken on a new look — the ground has been paved with antique-style gray bricks, and a cultural corridor of more than 10 meters has been newly built on one side of the square, which will systematically display the historical evolution of the ancient music tower and the story of the Red Army passing through Longxichuan.

"Repairing the square and building the corridor truly preserves the red roots, and also creates a better living environment for the villagers," Lu Bing introduced. The ancient music tower is located in the center of the village, and the open space in front of the tower is a place for villagers to engage in activities and leisure. Relying on the project construction, the village has revitalized old and idle assets, transforming the abandoned and dilapidated village-level cultural center into a Red Memory Hall, where historical display boards, old photographs, and revolutionary artifacts are arranged in an orderly manner, and scattered red resources have been systematically presented.

In the small mountain village, new changes are everywhere. Longxichuan Village administers 6 village communities, with a total of 423 households living in concentrated settlements. At the doorstep of villager Liu Xingming of Beichuan Community, a dirt road that raised dust in sunny weather and turned muddy in rain once made it difficult for him to go out. In early September, the completion of the 1-kilometer cement road connecting Zhongjie Community to Beichuan Community completely eliminated the transportation gap within the village.

Relying on idle plots in the mountain village, the village has also created a Five-Star Square of more than 2,000 square meters opposite Beichuan Community. A five-pointed star shape is set in the center of the square, and various Chinese medicinal herbs are planted in sections, making it an open-air demonstration base that directly displays the achievements of the village-level industry development. Lu Bing introduced that Longxichuan Village is a typical dryland area in the semi-shaded mountain region, with relatively poor soil fertility. After years of continuous planting of miscellaneous grains and other crops, crop rotation is necessary, and industrial returns are very unstable. With the assistance of the municipal and county agricultural technology departments, the village's two committees have explored the development of characteristic Chinese medicinal herb cultivation in light of local conditions. At present, the village's Chinese medicinal herb planting area has reached more than 300 mu, focusing on varieties suitable for the local climate such as Astragalus membranaceus, Scutellaria baicalensis, safflower, and Codonopsis pilosula. The cooperative organizes unified technical guidance and field management, driving nearby employment for villagers.

"The history of the Red Army entering the village back then is our most precious spiritual wealth, and it will continue to inspire the villagers to strive for a better life," Lu Bing said.

Tantou Village, Zishan Town, Yudu County, Jiangxi

Passing on the Long March Spirit in a Farmhouse Courtyard

People's Daily reporter Yang Yanfei

In late autumn, in Tantou Village, Zishan Town, Yudu County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, the asphalt road entering the village is flat and wide, the white-walled, black-tiled houses of southern Jiangxi are arranged in pleasing disorder, and the pond water ripples. Behind the village, contiguous vegetable greenhouses extend along the field ridges.

"Look at our village — isn't it beautiful?" Liu Lianyun, secretary of the Tantou Village Party General Branch, said proudly. "We have all this to thank for the other 'road' that our forebears traveled."

In the hearts of the villagers, there is also a road engraved in memory. In 1934, 33 young people from Tantou Village set out from here for the ferry crossing on the banks of the Yudu River, following the Red Army troops onto the long and arduous Long March. From the road of departure on the Long March to the road to prosperity through rural revitalization, the two "roads" of Tantou Village span more than ninety years and bear witness to the earth-shaking changes in this village.

Approaching early afternoon, villager Sun Guanfa is tidying up the rooms of his homestay, awaiting the arrival of a study tour group. At 77 years old, he is a descendant of a Red Army martyr, a member of the Yudu County Long March Source Lecture Group, and captain of the Tantou Village "Let Me Tell It" volunteer service team.

"Our village used to be low-lying and prone to flooding. The village environment was poor, and there wasn't much industry either," Sun Guanfa said. Many villagers held onto the red soil but lived difficult lives. A few years ago, his wife fell seriously ill, and the family accumulated more than 200,000 yuan in debt.

"After I returned to the village to become a village cadre, I learned that everyone had three urgent wishes: first, to live in a well-off building; second, to have a cement road built; and third, to be able to earn money at home." Liu Lianyun said with a smile, "When the villagers have ideas, the village cadres must have solutions."

Taking advantage of the favorable policy of national support for the revitalization of the old revolutionary base areas, Liu Lianyun and the village cadres, together with Party members and the masses, successively completed a series of tasks including the renovation of dilapidated houses, road repairs, electrical upgrades, and canal construction, and the village's infrastructure has been considerably improved as a whole.

Relying on its profound red heritage, Tantou Village has transformed red resources into development momentum. The village has developed red study tour courses based on the Sun-Liu Ancestral Hall red exhibition and historical sites related to the departure of the Long March, and has also set up a Hakka lei cha (pounded tea) experience project in the ancestral hall. Village cadre Wang Yuying demonstrates the grinding and pounding on site, with tea leaves, sesame, and peanuts added to the mortar in turn, and visitors can participate hands-on and experience Hakka folk customs.

Sun Guanfa converted four rooms on the second floor of his home into a red-themed homestay, with eight beds printed with the "Long March Source" logo. Whenever guests check in, he tells in his local accent the Long March stories of his father's generation and the village's transformation process. The small farmhouse courtyard has become a micro-lecture classroom that conveys the warmth of red culture and carries forward the Long March spirit. Together with land transfer income and collective dividends, the family's annual income is nearly 200,000 yuan.

The selenium-rich industry has also taken root on this red soil. Liu Lianyun recalled that in 2017, the village trial-planted selenium-rich vegetables, and the first two crops lost money because the technology was not up to par. "No industry goes smoothly all the way. Compared with the lives that our forebears sacrificed for the revolution back then, this is nothing." The villagers calmed down to master the technology, learning while doing. Picking team leader Zeng Hongmei manages 21 vegetable greenhouses, removing side shoots and pruning branches from the peppers inside. "I take home four to five thousand yuan a month, and with the village dividends on top of that, the family has added several big-ticket items!"

In 2019, the village established a tourism development company, and more than 300 households invested in shares to share in the industry's dividends. Last year, the village received more than one million visitors, and selenium-rich rice and vegetables rode the flow of customers to be sold to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. At the dividend distribution meeting, Sun Guanfa held up his red envelope and said with emotion: "My father's generation guarded the country with their lives. Now that we, the younger generation, live and work in peace and contentment, that is the best consolation for our forebears."

Loushanguan Community, Zunyi, Guizhou

Intangible Cultural Heritage Rattan Weaving Integrated into Red Classrooms

People's Daily reporter Su Bin

Towering Mount Loushan pierces the sky. Loushanguan, located between Huichuan District of Zunyi, Guizhou, and Tongzi County, has long been known as a strategic position that is extremely difficult to attack (一夫当关，万夫莫开, yi fu dang guan, wan fu mo kai - "one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot open"). In February 1935, the First Front Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army crossed the Chishui River a second time and advanced on Zunyi, capturing the towering and precipitous Loushanguan and opening the prelude to the first major victory since the Long March began — the Zunyi Campaign.

Ninety-one years later, the pass remains as steep as ever, and the scenery is even more charming. The former Loushanguan battle site has become a national 4A-level tourist attraction, and the Loushanguan Community at the foot of the mountain has blazed a new path for rural revitalization.

Walking into the Rattan Weaving Street of Loushanguan Community, a faint fragrance of grass and wood lingers in the air. Ma Tianzhi, 63, focuses his eyes intently on the square bamboo in his hands, about to roast the bamboo to shape it and build the frame of a rattan chair — this is a key step in the forming of rattan furniture.

On a low stove nearby, the charcoal fire is warm but not fierce. Ma Tianzhi holds the middle section of the bamboo close to the open flame, rotating his wrist at a steady speed to heat the bamboo surface evenly. As the aroma of bamboo oil spreads, roasting, turning, baking, bending, and setting are completed in one smooth motion, with smooth and flowing lines. "This is the step that most tests skill, and it directly affects the quality of the finished product." Having learned rattan weaving techniques at the age of 10, Ma Tianzhi has long been well known.

In Loushanguan Community, more than 200 farming households were once engaged in rattan weaving. In previous years, because each worked alone and failed to form a combined development force, the intangible cultural heritage industry gradually declined. "As a red community, we must find our methods in carrying forward red traditions and inheriting the red gene," said Li Yanmei, secretary of the community Party General Branch. She firmly believes that by adhering to the leadership of Party building and building Party branches on the industry chain, there will be a handle for breaking the deadlock.

In 2017, the Rattan Weaving Party Branch was formally established. "We organized everyone to jointly build the Rattan Weaving Street. From style design and technical training to expanding business formats and opening up sales channels, the community and the Party branch strive to gather strength and integrate resources, turning small workshops into a major industry." Speaking of industry development, Li Yanmei's thinking is clear.

Ma Tianzhi, a veteran Party member, became the branch's publicity committee member. His home is both a workshop and a showroom, filled with rattan furniture and handicrafts. Through self-study and training, he can produce more than 200 types of products, and his sales have grown year by year, reaching 500,000 yuan last year. "The study tour was an idea from the Party branch — it added another channel for increasing income." Ma Tianzhi grinned.

To date, more than 120 farming households in Loushanguan Community are engaged in rattan weaving processing, driving employment for more than 300 people, with annual output value exceeding 8.5 million yuan.

"We have also extended our experience to the summer retreat and residence industry, exploring industrial linkage and truly achieving development through solidarity." Li Yanmei said. Loushanguan has an average elevation of 1,200 meters, an average summer temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius, and high forest coverage, making it a natural summer resort. Every summer, tourists from Sichuan and Chongqing come to stay, living there for as long as two months.

"When the common people run homestays, how do we unify standards, improve service, and build a brand?" Li Yanmei said with a smile that the answer still lies in building Party branches on the industry chain. Today, the entire community has more than 200 homestays and farmhouse restaurants, with 7,600 beds, stably receiving about 10,000 summer-residence visitors per year on average, and increasing per-household income by 60,000 to 80,000 yuan.

"The Loushanguan scenic area helps attract visitors, and we also link up with Party schools at all levels to launch multiple on-site teaching points, integrating intangible cultural heritage rattan weaving into red classrooms, and the industry chain is getting longer and longer." Li Yanmei said that based on local resources and in light of local conditions, Loushanguan Community has formed distinctive industries of red cultural tourism, intangible cultural heritage rattan weaving, and rural homestays, with per capita annual income exceeding 20,000 yuan, and has found a new path for rural revitalization.

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From "Long March Village" to a New Path for the Old Revolutionary Base Areas ("Three Rural Issues" Observation)

By: 晓 熠

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army: "The great victorious path of the Red Army's Long March was walked out with the support of the broad masses of the people."

From the reluctance to part in "Seeing Off the Red Army Ten Times," the guardianship of the night crossing at Yudu, to the warmth of the "Half a Quilt" and the oath of the "Yihai Alliance," all vividly embody the deep bond between the army and the people, as close as fish and water.

Tantou Village in Yudu, Jiangxi; Loushanguan Community in Zunyi, Guizhou; Xiaoxinchuan Village in Yunxi, Hubei; and Longxichuan Village in Huining, Gansu — four ordinary villages trace the red thread of the Long March. In the villages where the Red Army once passed, ecological advantages have now been transformed into industrial advantages, cultural resources into economic resources, and red study tours have invigorated distinctive mountain industries.

In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, accelerating the revitalization and development of the old revolutionary base areas has gained more systematic top-level design. In February this year, the "Opinions of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council on Accelerating the Revitalization and Development of Old Revolutionary Base Areas" was issued, proposing that "ensuring that the people of the old revolutionary base areas share in the fruits of reform and development and live a happy life is the bottom-line task for advancing common prosperity for all the people." The transformation of these villages between past and present enlightens us: the march of the old revolutionary base areas from the battle against poverty to comprehensive revitalization does not simply rely on external "blood transfusions" or the pursuit of short-term targets, but rather turns the red gene into a development gene, turns historical gifts into development momentum, and truly converts policy dividends into benefits for the people.

We must deeply tap red resources so that they truly become cultural carriers available for development. The unique spiritual heritage of the old base areas is an inexhaustible supply of resources for rural revitalization. Making good use of red resources can endow local industries with distinctive cultural markers, shape differentiated, highly recognizable brand advantages, and become a golden signboard that attracts customers and wins market recognition. In the past, red resources remained largely in historical memory; today, red study tours and red cultural tourism are taking firm root and flourishing, bringing the stories of the Long March out of historical records and into rural practice. Relying on red heritage sites to build study classrooms, telling well the stories of the struggles of revolutionary forebears, integrating red culture into cultural tourism consumption scenarios, allowing visitors to enter the villages and touch history, we can gradually convert red traffic into development gains and transform static relics into participatory, experiential scenes of real development.

We must proceed in light of local conditions and vigorously develop industries that enrich the people by integrating red and green. The four "Long March villages" did not copy a unified development template, but instead, based on their local endowments, each pursued its own unique excellence on the path to revitalization. The old base areas are mostly in mountainous and forested regions, where competing on scale, industrial parks, or heavy industry often holds no advantage, but competing on ecology, distinctive features, and culture holds great promise. From selenium-rich soil and old vine tendrils to Chinese medicinal herbs, practice across various regions has fully proven that identifying one's own comparative advantages, doing well the article of integrating "red + green," and truly transforming resource endowments into industrial momentum are the only ways to consolidate the foundation of development and walk a road to village prosperity that fits local realities.

It must also be recognized that the transformation of the old revolutionary base areas depends not only on external policy support, but also on continuously activating internal momentum. On the one hand, we must build platforms for entrepreneurship and work, cultivate local talent, and attract capable people to return home to start businesses; on the other hand, we must strengthen the village Party branch as a fighting fortress, rely on Party building leadership to unite diverse forces, break down development barriers such as scattered resources and poor connectivity, and at the same time strengthen interest linkages to ensure that villagers share in the fruits of industrial development. Through the two-pronged effort of talent recruitment and cultivation and organizational revitalization, we can truly convert resource advantages into development results and build a solid talent foundation for high-quality development in the old base areas.

The long and difficult road ahead is as tough as iron, but now we start anew with fresh vigor and determination. Standing at the new starting point of the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the revitalization of the old revolutionary base areas is meeting new historical opportunities. By continuing to transform the red gene into development vitality and enabling more villages in the old revolutionary base areas to achieve cultural prosperity, thriving industries, and wealthy people, the red soil along the Long March road will surely continue to radiate new brilliance for the new era.

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Page editors: Yu Jingxian

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Walking the New Long March of Space Exploration in the New Era

By: 本报记者 刘诗瑶

At the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, a new Long March for the Party and the people. Reflecting on the past to understand the present (抚今追昔, fu jin zhui xi - "look at the present, trace the past") and looking to the future, we must vigorously carry forward the great spirit of the Long March and work together with one heart to walk the new Long March road well."

The spirit of aerospace is continuing a tradition or lineage (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng - "one thread, inherit from") with the great spirit of the Long March. On the "Long March road" of China's aerospace industry, aerospace workers have devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the task (呕心沥血, ou xin li xue - "vomit heart, spill blood") and passed on the torch from generation to generation (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, torch, pass on"), traversing "snowy mountains" and "grasslands," storming "Loushan Pass" and "Lazikou," breaking through blockade lines, and achieving the leapfrog development of the aerospace industry from nothing to something, from weak to strong.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, and also the 70th anniversary of the founding of China's aerospace industry. Space exploration is an endless relay race. We interviewed three generations of aerospace workers — old, middle-aged, and young — to tell of their glorious dreams and sense of responsibility on the "Long March road," inspiring everyone to walk well the new Long March of space exploration in the new era.

— Editor

Long Lehao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and launch vehicle expert of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation —

"The aerospace Long March is forever on the road"

"In my whole life I have done only this one thing — aerospace. Sending rockets into the sky is the greatest wish of my life," said Long Lehao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and launch vehicle expert of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

This doyen of the aerospace industry and former chief designer of China's launch vehicle series has witnessed the major leaps of the Long March series launch vehicles from one rocket carrying one satellite to one rocket carrying multiple satellites, and from single-use to reusable. Today he remains active on the front line of aerospace science popularization, supporting young people in pursuing their dreams of the stars and seas.

The naming of our country's main launch vehicles as "Long March" carries profound meaning and special significance.

According to Long Lehao's recollection, in the 1960s, when the team was developing the Long March 1 launch vehicle, Qian Xuesen, moved by the great spirit of the Red Army displayed in Chairman Mao's poem "The Red Army fears not the trials of the distant march; a thousand crags and torrents are but commonplace" — the spirit of overcoming all difficulties and ultimately achieving victory in pursuit of revolutionary goals — proposed naming the rocket "Long March," signifying that aerospace workers, just like the Red Army on the Long March, would break through all technical blockades and difficulties and dangers to achieve the goal of serving the country through aerospace.

"In my view, the connotation of the great spirit of the Long March includes such important aspects as firm conviction, fearlessness of sacrifice, overcoming great difficulties and challenges (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack fort, overcome difficulty"), and charging forward without hesitation (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one way, no front"). The fighting character that aerospace workers have always maintained is completely consistent with the great spirit of the Long March," Long Lehao said. When developing the "two bombs, one satellite," the country's industrial foundation was relatively weak, and the older generation of aerospace workers relied precisely on this spirit of refusing to admit defeat and fearing neither hardship; later, in tackling major national engineering tasks such as manned spaceflight and the lunar exploration program, aerospace workers chewed through countless hard bones along the way — in essence, this is all the inheritance of the great spirit of the Long March in the aerospace field.

Long Lehao recounted his experience of "hair turning white overnight." That was on February 15, 1996, at the first launch of the Long March 3B launch vehicle. Only 22 seconds after liftoff, the rocket crashed into a mountain — the maiden flight failed. At that moment, the eyes of the whole world turned toward him, and the pressure on Long Lehao was beyond imagination.

"At that time, what I thought about more was not regret, but how to quickly get up from where I had fallen." Long Lehao and his team quickly figured out the cause and proposed 242 improvement measures.

551 days later, the Long March 3B launch vehicle was launched for the second time, successfully sending the satellite into its intended orbit. "After calming down, I did indeed shed tears. But tears are useless — you have to prove yourself through action and make the rocket more reliable. Setbacks are the bridge to success," Long Lehao said.

Today, the number of launches of China's Long March series launch vehicles repeatedly sets new records. In the past two years, there have been more than 50 launches per year on average, and since the maiden flight of the Long March 1, more than 670 launches have been carried out in total. The launch capability of the rockets has been continuously improved, laying a solid foundation for the high-quality development of the aerospace industry.

Looking to the future, Long Lehao has many expectations.

"The aerospace Long March is forever on the road. We must unswervingly follow the path of independent innovation, achieve breakthroughs in key technologies such as reusable rockets and heavy-lift launch vehicles, and bring the Long March rocket's payload capacity, reliability, and cost advantages all to world-leading levels," Long Lehao said. Aiming at grand goals such as Chinese people landing on the Moon, as long as we maintain firm conviction and take solid action with a sense of responsibility, on the new Long March road of space exploration, aerospace workers will surely be able to walk more steadily and farther.

Han Houjian, overall designer of the "Long March 1" launch vehicle —

"It was with our own wisdom and our own hands that we Chinese people sent our own satellite into space"

On April 24, 1970, China's first Long March launch vehicle, the "Long March 1," successfully launched the "Dongfanghong 1" artificial Earth satellite, attracting worldwide attention and making China the fifth country in the world capable of independently launching artificial satellites. Han Houjian, overall designer of the "Long March 1" launch vehicle, was working in the overall design group at the time and personally witnessed this historic moment.

On the body of the "Long March 1" launch vehicle were written several sentences: "Be resolute, fear no sacrifice, surmount every difficulty to win victory." In Han Houjian's view, the name "Long March" represents that aerospace workers must carry forward the spirit of the Long March, overcome all difficulties on the road ahead, until they catch up with and surpass the world's advanced level and reach the summit.

Fifty-six years have passed, yet Han Houjian still clearly remembers the spectacular scene of the rocket soaring into the sky on the day of the "Long March 1" maiden flight.

At 3 a.m. on April 24, 1970, Han Houjian and his teammates from the propellant-filling team went to the launch site together. It was not until around 1 p.m. that the filling was completed. The weather at the launch site that day was not good; the meteorological team colleagues, each holding instruments, ran back and forth across the launch site. When asked when the weather would improve, they all wore worried expressions and did not answer. Han Houjian and the rocket team had no choice but to return to the position area to rest first.

At 6:30 p.m., Han Houjian and the team returned to the launch site. Suddenly, a teammate found Han Houjian, holding in his hand a spring washer with a diameter of only 8 millimeters that had fallen from the second-stage rocket dozens of meters above the ground.

This drew everyone's great attention. "If we can't figure it out, on-site work stops!" Han Houjian and his teammate ran into the site and immediately went up to inspect the rocket. At that time, more than a hundred pyrotechnic devices on the entire rocket had already been installed, and the rocket was in a ready-to-launch state. The elevator was out of service, so the two of them could only climb step by step up the work ladder to the second-stage rocket dozens of meters above the ground.

All around was silent, and Han Houjian's heart pounded. But as he climbed, he thought: this kind of spring washer with an 8-millimeter diameter is used only by 11 gas cylinder devices. Right — open the hatch covers and check! In the end, they found that all the spring washers were intact. From this, it could be determined that the spring washer that had been picked up was a foreign object. Han Houjian immediately reported this to the commander, and the entire team was relieved and continued preparations.

The sky gradually darkened. Finally, it was time to launch.

After the command "one minute to launch" was given, Han Houjian almost held his breath, so nervous he did not even dare to blink. At 9:35 p.m., the "Long March 1" rocket ignited on schedule. A flash of red light, and it shot straight into the night sky with a deafening roar. Everyone on site applauded, watching it go into the distance, waiting for news of orbital insertion. Ten minutes later, at 9:45 p.m., a report finally came from an observation station several thousand kilometers away: "Rocket-satellite separation!" "Orbit insertion!" Hearing this, Han Houjian and his teammates jumped for joy — the "Dongfanghong 1" satellite had finally risen from the East!

In the celebration article written the day after the successful launch, Han Houjian wrote with deep emotion: "Heaven can bear witness that it was with our own wisdom and our own hands that we Chinese people sent our own satellite into space."

Han Houjian has displayed at many public occasions a precious hand-drawn schematic diagram of the "Long March 1" launch vehicle, on which are several lines of striking large characters — the words of Chairman Mao: "We are engaged in an extremely glorious and great undertaking never before attempted by our predecessors. Our goal must be attained. Our goal can certainly be attained." Han Houjian said firmly: "At the next stop, China's aerospace industry will surely be able to arrive."

Wang Hao, representative of the Long March 6 series launch vehicle design team —

"Without innovation, there is no competitiveness, and you will be eliminated"

The "Beidou special train" Long March 3A series launch vehicles sent the Beidou networking satellites into space; the "Fat Five" Long March 5 series launch vehicles helped probes fly toward deep space; the "cargo special train" Long March 7 series launch vehicles lifted the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft to deliver "space express packages"... Each model in the Long March family has a clear positioning and clear division of labor, capable of meeting the launch needs of different payloads in high, medium, and low orbits.

What Wang Hao's team devotes itself to guarding is the Long March 6 series launch vehicles.

On September 20, 2015, the Long March 6 launch vehicle succeeded in its maiden flight, opening the prelude to launches of China's new generation of "Long March" rockets.

"The new generation of 'Long March' rockets was born along with the advancement of aerospace science and technology and changes in launch demand. This requires launch vehicles with greater payload capacity, lower cost, higher reliability, stronger adaptability, and the use of clean propellants, among other things," Wang Hao said.

New requirements bring new challenges. The Long March 6 launch vehicle is China's first new-generation non-toxic, non-polluting cryogenic liquid rocket. It once set an Asian record of launching 20 satellites in a single launch, and it was also the first Chinese liquid launch vehicle to adopt the "three-level" test-launch mode, greatly simplifying launch facilities. "At present, most of the booming commercial rocket launch missions borrow the 'three-level' test-launch mode of the Long March 6 rocket," Wang Hao introduced.

During the development period, the challenges and difficulties the team encountered were countless.

Wang Hao gave an example: to meet the high-bandwidth, intelligent data application needs of the new generation of launch vehicles, the team applied 1553B bus communication technology for the first time on a domestic rocket. During the research phase, the problem of reliable bus transmission once became a development bottleneck. The project team repeatedly conducted tests, iterated, and optimized, overcoming great difficulties and challenges, and ultimately succeeded in cracking this technical problem. Repeatedly comparing technical solutions, optimizing liftoff signal processing, testing new materials and new processes... He and his team firmly believed that to get through this "Long March road," there was no choice but to break through one pass at a time and climb one mountain at a time.

In the hearts of the Long March 6 team to which Wang Hao belongs, innovation in Long March rockets has no end: "Without innovation, there is no competitiveness, and you will be eliminated."

On the second batch of Long March 6 rockets, Wang Hao, as a core member of the team, participated in verifying multiple new technologies including single-ten-table fiber optic inertial measurement units, autonomous aiming, autonomous power distribution, and the elimination of rocket verticality adjustment;

Around the Long March 6A, the team broke through multiple key core technologies including high-precision dynamic modeling for solid-liquid strap-on rockets, segmented docking of solid motors, and unattended operation after liquid oxygen filling;

Facing fierce competition, the team launched the development of the Long March 6C launch vehicle in early 2020, completing all development work within just 3 years, using full digital simulation to replace full-rocket aerodynamic blowdown tests and modal tests, greatly improving development efficiency.

Behind these efforts to "look far" and "climb high," what has always supported the team is the saying "There is no shortcut to success; there are methods for innovation."

After more than 50 years of development, the Long March series launch vehicles have formed a complete spectrum covering more than 10 types of rockets. The Long March series launch vehicles have achieved development and progress from ambient-temperature propellants to cryogenic green and environmentally friendly propellants, from tandem configuration to strap-on configuration, from one rocket with one satellite to one rocket with multiple satellites, from launching satellites to launching spacecraft, and from domestic use to international cooperation.

"Today, the development of the new-generation manned launch vehicle and the heavy-lift launch vehicle is steadily advancing, moving in the direction of reusability, large payload capacity, and intelligence. I believe that with the efforts of all aerospace workers, the more powerful, safer, and smarter Long March series launch vehicles will fly farther, more steadily, and more accurately," Wang Hao said.

Zhao Junqi, young scientific researcher of the Long March 12B launch vehicle —

"There has never been success achieved once and for all; there is only ceaseless climbing"

On June 1 this year, the Long March 12B launch vehicle made its maiden flight, successfully sending the tenth batch of Qianfan constellation networking satellites precisely into their intended orbit, officially adding another new-generation, large-payload, low-cost commercial rocket to China's inventory.

It is hard to imagine that this rocket, from nothing to something, left the research team a development period of only 21 months. Zhao Junqi is one of the young people on the team. Recalling this thrilling experience, he could not help but exclaim: "We accomplished a task that sounded impossible."

At that time, after the project was approved, the company quickly organized designers from various fields, and everyone sat together for "brainstorming." "Whenever there was a question we were unsure about or could not fully grasp, the team would immediately plan experiments to verify it, with professionals from various specialties complementing each other's strengths to achieve efficient collaboration," Zhao Junqi said. During that period, he felt as if he had been "split" into several pieces; everyone would from time to time glance at the countdown board for the maiden flight on the wall, and then tighten the string in their hearts a bit more.

Facing entirely new technical challenges such as multiple engines in parallel and large-diameter common bulkhead tanks, Zhao Junqi and his teammates went through countless tests, iterating repeatedly and striving for perfection and continuous improvement (精益求精, jing yi qiu jing - "refine, seek excellence"). To explore new paths for the commercial aerospace model, the team faced difficulties head-on and adhered unwaveringly to independent innovation.

In the winter of 2025, the Long March 12B joint training rocket test team entered the Jiuquan launch site, stationed there continuously for 2 months, successfully completing the static ignition mission of the joint training rocket. On the sixth day of the first lunar month of 2026, the maiden flight test team once again advanced into the Gobi Desert, with Zhao Junqi and his teammates setting out together. After nearly 4 months of continuous hard work, they ultimately ensured the successful launch of the Long March 12B maiden flight rocket. Entering the site twice and stationed there for a cumulative 6 months, everyone welcomed the maiden flight moment of the Long March 12B through relay-style perseverance.

In winter, the lowest outdoor temperature at the Jiuquan launch site can reach minus 25 degrees Celsius, and the team carried out rocket-ground connection work, working for hours at a stretch. In summer, the highest temperature on the Gobi Desert approaches 40 degrees Celsius. Through more than 100 days and nights with the Long March 12B, Zhao Junqi felt that he too had grown along with it.

The victory of the Red Army's Long March relied on the unity of the entire army and the unity of the army and the people; the rocket project involves the coordinated cooperation of more than a hundred units and tens of thousands of people. "A major mission is not accomplished by any single 'hero' alone; it relies on collective coordination. The Red Army's Long March was like this, and the development of the Long March 12B is also like this. It is precisely the spiritual force of unity and mutual assistance, of unity of purpose creating an invincible force (众志成城, zhong zhi cheng cheng - "collective will, form city"), that supports people in reaching distant places," Zhao Junqi said. Young aerospace workers must firmly grasp the "relay baton" and inherit and carry forward the spirit well.

The success of the maiden flight is only a starting point; the Long March 12B launch vehicle design team is firmly advancing toward the future.

"The aerospace industry has never had success achieved once and for all; there is only ceaseless climbing." Zhao Junqi said that the Long March 12B rocket will continue to iterate, gradually achieving reuse of the first stage, continuously improving launch capacity, meeting the more diverse and higher-frequency launch demands of the future, and contributing to the building of a strong aerospace nation.

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Crossing the New "Loushan Pass" and "Lazi Pass" on the Journey of Spaceflight

By: 刘诗瑶

What are the new "Loushan Pass" and "Lazi Pass" on the journey of spaceflight?

Aerospace workers at the launch site say that when a quality problem affects the progress schedule and there is no way to quickly complete positioning and effectively handle it, that is the "Loushan Pass" and "Lazi Pass" before them; astronauts stationed in space say that to break through the "Loushan Pass" of "many firsts" and to cross the "snowy mountains" and "grasslands" of a one-year stay, completing tasks such as platform maintenance, extravehicular activities, and scientific experiments, is a Long March unique to their crew.

Moreover, crewed lunar landing requires breaking through difficulties such as Earth-Moon transfer and soft landing on the lunar surface; Mars sample return requires completing unprecedented actions such as sampling and sealing, takeoff and ascent on the Martian surface. There is no ready-made path to follow, no external assistance to borrow, and even a deviation of a single screw can lead to failure... These constantly emerging difficulties and challenges that urgently need to be overcome are all new barriers on the Long March road of spaceflight.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March and the 70th anniversary of the founding of China's space industry. From the vast earth to the vast starry sky, the two characters "Long March" carry the Chinese people's spiritual pursuit of fearing no hardship and forging ahead bravely. Ninety years ago, Red Army soldiers crossed mountains and rivers, completing an extremely difficult and arduous (艰苦卓绝, jian ku zhuo jue - "hard, bitter, outstanding, excellent") great expedition; over the past 70 years, generations of aerospace workers have started from scratch with nothing (白手起家, bai shou qi jia - "white, hand, start, family"), walking out the aerospace Long March of building dreams among the stars.

Standing at a new historical coordinate, aiming at target tasks such as Chinese crewed lunar landing and Mars sample return, China's space industry faces new challenges and missions, and must continuously cross new barriers on the Long March road of spaceflight.

To cross new barriers, the power of spirit is indispensable. Back then, the older generation of aerospace workers started from zero and forged the brilliance of the "two bombs, one satellite." This year, China successively achieved dual success in sea and land recovery of rockets, behind which is the undergoing rigorous training or many trials (千锤百炼, qian chui bai lian - "thousand, hammer, hundred, refine") of the Long March 10B and the "rebirth" and spreading of wings of the Zhuque-3. This spirit of self-reliance and being undaunted by many setbacks (百折不挠, bai zhe bu nao - "hundred, bend, not, yield") is the most precious asset of aerospace workers, the source of strength for crossing any dangerous pass, and is carrying on a tradition or lineage unbroken (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng - "one, vein, mutual, inherit") with the great Long March spirit.

To cross new barriers, solid action is even more essential. We must dare to make the first move, be good at fighting the initiative battle, accelerate breakthroughs in more key core technologies in the space field, act proactively, strive to climb, treat every test with a scientific attitude, treat every rocket with a rigorous work style, encourage innovation, tolerate failure, persevere in hard work, and continue the struggle.

The journey of spaceflight has no smooth road. Guided by the great Long March spirit and supported by self-reliance and strength in science and technology, we will surely cross the new "Loushan Pass" and "Lazi Pass," rush toward more distant starry rivers, and create more space miracles.

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Page editors: Huang Jinyu

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The Earth's Long Song: Ode to the Long March

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China: "The great Long March spirit fully demonstrates the power of loyalty, the power of truth, the power of justice, and the power of unity. As an important component of the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists, it transcends time and space, becoming more and more fresh with time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "endure, long time, increasingly, new"), and will forever be a precious asset and powerful driving force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and forge ahead courageously (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "brave, go, straight, forward")." The television gala "Ode to the Long March," commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, uses an artistic expression that unifies poetry and history to vividly interpret the great Long March spirit. Today, this page focuses on the topic of the gala's creation, sharing the creators' thoughts and feelings.

—Editor

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Let the Long March spirit transcend time and space to inspire hearts and minds

By: 陈 晋

The television gala "Ode to the Long March" (《长征颂歌》), commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, selects four classic poems composed by Comrade Mao Zedong during the Long March period, presented through stage forms such as chorus and recitation. This group of poems, born on the march and battlefields of the Long March, is both a brilliant chapter of revolutionary literature and precious historical material recording the ten-thousand-li Long March. This group of poems creatively inherits and develops the classical literary spirit of "Airs, Elegantiae, and Odes" (风、雅、颂), integrating the expression of revolutionary aspirations with the fine tradition of Chinese literature. The main creative team used stage art to innovatively transform the poems, fully demonstrating the ideological depth and artistic character of this gala.

The poems selected for the gala — "Remembering Qin E · Loushan Pass" (《忆秦娥·娄山关》), "Sixteen-Character Command · Mountains" (《十六字令·山》), "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain" (《清平乐·六盘山》), and "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March" (《七律·长征》) — are all sincere expressions by Comrade Mao Zedong of the magnificent journey of the Red Army's Long March, and are shining examples of the "unity of poetry and history." "Sixteen-Character Command · Mountains" takes the mountain ranges as its primary imagery, recreating the arduous journey of the Central Red Army crossing mountains and ridges day and night in the early stage of the Long March, using the towering mountains as a metaphor for the Red Army's unwavering and tenacious (坚韧不拔, jian ren bu ba - "firm, tenacious, not, pull") and mainstay in difficult times (砥柱中流, di zhu zhong liu - "pillar, support, middle, stream") heroic character. The line "The strong pass is like iron, yet now we stride over it anew" from "Remembering Qin E · Loushan Pass" was composed after the battle of crossing the Chishui River a second time and recapturing Loushan Pass — a battle of turning-point significance — conveying the Red Army's perseverance in weathering setbacks and regrouping to set out anew. At the symposium in 2013 commemorating the 120th anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong's birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping quoted "overturning seas and churning rivers" and "The strong pass is like iron, yet now we stride over it anew" to summarize the magnificent revolutionary struggle and praise the older generation of proletarian revolutionaries who, despite enduring countless hardships, remained steadfast to their original aspiration (矢志不渝, shi zhi bu yu - "arrow, will, not, change"). "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March," as a representative work among Long March poems, condenses into eight lines a series of landmark historical events — crossing the Five Ridges, braving the Wumeng Mountains, skillfully crossing the Jinsha River, seizing the Luding Bridge by flying assault, and climbing over the Minshan Mountains. The line from "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain," "Unless we reach the Great Wall we are no true men; we have already marched twenty thousand li," freezes the important moment when the Red Army climbed over Liupan Mountain, the last great mountain on the Long March, and pressed toward northern Shaanxi, embodying the lofty aspiration of devoting oneself to the revolutionary struggle.

This group of Long March poems also inherits and develops the artistic tradition of classical Chinese poetry, manifesting the spiritual core of the "Airs, Elegantiae, and Odes" of the Book of Songs. The quality of "Airs" lies in grounding itself in reality and giving rise to feeling from events. "Sixteen-Character Command · Mountains" begins with the rolling mountain ranges along the march, relying on the imagery of mountains and rivers to convey spiritual aspirations; "Remembering Qin E · Loushan Pass" opens by capturing the real scene of a frosty dawn on the battlefield, where the cries of wild geese, the frosty moon, the sound of horses' hooves, and the military bugle are all things seen and heard by one personally present at the scene (身临其境, shen lin qi jing - "body, arrive, its, realm"). "Elegantiae" focuses on narrating major affairs of state and expressing the broad-minded aspirations of men of resolve. "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March" looks back in panoramic view at the countless hardships of the expedition, turning every obstacle into a composed and poetic song; "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain" writes the profound question, "Today we hold the long cord in hand; when shall we bind the gray dragon?" integrating personal aspirations into the great revolutionary cause of national liberation, with broad vision and lofty conception. The spirit of "Odes" is anchored in praise of the Red Army's heroic collective and in song for revolutionary ideals and convictions. The line from "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March," "We rejoice the more at the thousand li of snow on Minshan; after the three armies cross, all faces break into smiles," expresses the joy of the Red Army breaking through countless obstacles to usher in a turn for the better, praising the soldiers' heroic spirit of fearing no sacrifice and overcoming difficulties; the line from "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain," "On the summit of Liupan Mountain, the red flags flutter in the west wind," depicts the moving scene of the revolutionary banner unfurling in the wind, full of firm conviction in the inevitable victory of the revolutionary cause. The classic poems carrying the literary spirit of "Airs, Elegantiae, and Odes" are integrated into the stage, allowing the program to both demonstrate the spiritual power of red faith and contain a profound traditional cultural heritage.

The gala embeds the four works completely into the historical thread of the Long March narrative, making them serve as the finishing touches of each program segment. "Sixteen-Character Command · Mountains" relies on the rising and falling progression of harmonies, paired with stage lighting and large-screen imagery, to dissolve into images of towering, rolling mountains and the Red Army's arduous climbing over the ridges, using sound to simulate the steps of the march, transforming the perilous mountains and the Red Army's spirit of advancing courageously without looking back (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one, go, no, forward") in the text into a stunning audio-visual experience. When performing "Remembering Qin E · Loushan Pass," the opening dance formations shift and the sound is low, recreating the grim battlefield atmosphere of "The west wind is fierce; wild geese cry in the long sky, frosty morning moon," and as "yet now we stride over it anew" is sung, the emotional turn from tragic bloody battle to regrouping for a new journey is completed. "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain," meanwhile, breaks out of the grand chorus paradigm, choosing the moment when Red Army soldiers, after capturing Lazikou, ascend Liupan Mountain and once again collectively recite Chairman Mao's poems, using simple and expansive visual imagery to strip away the clamor of war. When performing "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March," the troops wave the Red Army's Long March military flags that echo the opening, and once again passionately recite "Seven-Character Regulated Verse · The Long March," demonstrating the passing of the torch from one generation to the next (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, flame, mutually, pass on") of the Long March spirit.

Using poetry to attest to history, using song to narrate events. Chairman Mao's poems in this gala are not only classic literary works for recitation and singing, but also serve as the narrative thread linking the key nodes of the Long March as historical evidence. The traditional literary lineage of the "Airs, Elegantiae, and Odes" of the Book of Songs and red revolutionary culture blend and coexist, building a bridge for dialogue between history and reality, fully demonstrating the unique highlights of this gala in ideological conception and stage arrangement, allowing the Long March spirit to transcend time and space and permeate people's hearts, providing rich spiritual nourishment for walking well the Long March of the new era.

(The author is a former member of the Academic Committee of the Central Institute of Party History and Literature)

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Creating New Splendor on the New Journey

By: 于 蕾

Undertaking the task of producing a televised gala commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, and crafting a "televised artistic epic" — upon receiving this creative assignment, those of us fortunate enough to participate felt surging within us a sense of supreme honor and profound reverence.

Facing the Long March, a great feat that influenced human history and changed the destiny of the nation, what kind of spiritual temperament could match the solemnity of this moment of national significance? Facing the classic masterpieces on this theme that are brilliant and magnificent (珠玉璀璨, zhu yu cui can - "pearls, jade, bright, resplendent") and deeply rooted in people's hearts, how should we today commemorate history, pay tribute to our forebears, and inspire our compatriots through literary and artistic creation in the new era? Once again, we found the answer to opening the door of creation in General Secretary Xi Jinping's important remarks — "Every generation has its own Long March, and every generation must walk its own Long March well."

Over the past 90 years, the history of the Long March has not changed, the stories have not changed, and the spirit has not changed; what has changed is precisely each generation of those who narrate history, those who listen to the stories, and those who continue the spirit. "Our generation has inherited the cause of our predecessors, is carrying out today's struggles, and must further blaze the path of tomorrow." Guided by this thinking, on the basis of fully respecting and excavating historical materials, through literary and artistic expression that is contemporary and innovative, connecting today with history, enabling today's audiences to experience spiritual resonance and the strength to move forward became the goal and main theme of the entire creative endeavor, and also constructed the multi-dimensional narrative architecture of the entire program.

Over the course of 90 years, what has changed is the marchers; what has not changed is the road we came by. In the first chapter, "The Road of Blood," the "Little Red Star docents" told the story of the precious cultural relic, the embroidered ball grass shoes. More than 90 years ago, these grass shoes set out from Yudu with the Red Army, traversed the Long March, went through many twists and turns, and ultimately returned to their homeland. Within the fine weave were woven a lover's longing, carrying the hope of return, and further enabling us today to truly see how the revolutionary forebears, for the sake of a better life for more people, made unswerving progress (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "bravely, go, forward, straight") and found life through facing death (向死而生, xiang si er sheng - "towards, death, and, live"). At the end of the chapter, as today's young people take up the responsibility of narrating history and solemnly salute the Red Army soldiers, the story of the grass shoes conveys a moving warmth through the gaze exchanged between two generations — we will forever remember the deep expectations of the villagers by the Yudu River, forever remember the heroic sacrifice of the 34th Division of the Fifth Red Army Corps in the bloody battle at the Xiang River, forever remember the important meeting in Zunyi that "at the most critical juncture saved the Party, saved the Red Army, and saved the Chinese revolution"... Remembering the road we came by, only then do we understand why today is precious and why our steps are firm.

Over the course of 90 years, what has changed is equipment; what has not changed is the soul of the military. In the concluding passage of the second chapter, "The Road of Turn," the bugle representing the soul of the military was passed from the Red Army bugler to today's People's Liberation Army bugler. Over the past 90 years, the people's military has continuously grown and strengthened, from long spears and javelins to intelligent, unmanned, long-range new-domain and new-quality combat equipment, from concealed air defense during the Four Crossings of the Chishui River to battle aircraft arrayed in formation guarding the skies, from the six wooden boats used in the skillful crossing of the Jinsha River to aircraft carrier battle groups sailing into the deep blue, from the "iron feet" that seized the Luding Bridge to the steel torrents racing across the land... Equipment is changing with each passing day (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new, month, change"), while the mission is passed down through one continuous line. When the soldiers who received the bugle collectively sang "Listen, the horn of the new journey sounds," what they sang was the unchanging soul of the military and a solemn commitment to the motherland and the people — this people's military has always been a heroic force worthy of the trust of the Party and the people, and will forever be the steel Great Wall defending the nation.

Over the course of 90 years, what has changed is the method; what has not changed is the original aspiration. For the third chapter, "The Road of Connected Hearts," we chose the story prototype of the teacher at the Lenin Primary School in the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Region to open the entire chapter. Before the massive survey of historical materials, we knew that in early 1935 the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Region had no reliable communication with the Central Red Army, but we had not realized that the various Red Army units, separated by vast distances and rugged terrain, were doing the same thing without prior agreement (不约而同, bu yue er tong - "not, agreement, and, same") — connecting with the people's hearts, gathering the people's will, and awakening the masses. Our choice of Song Jia, who had successfully portrayed Zhang Guimei, to play the Lenin Primary School teacher was also a hope of adding resonance to the portrayal of this original aspiration. The efforts at awakening brought the people's awakening and the response of connected hearts: the Tibetan masses who delivered grain, the "Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan" who joined the army, the elderly Zhou Suyuan... Countless "you" and "I" were awakened, joining together into a "we" united in heart on a journey of ten thousand li, and it is precisely generation after generation of "we" that has enabled the "Long March" rocket to soar beside the Yihai Lake, and enabled high-speed rail and bridges to connect the mountains of the southwest...

Over the course of 90 years, what has changed is practice; what has not changed is faith. At the very beginning of creating the fourth chapter, "The Road of Faith," we had already fixed in our minds this climactic vision: the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army that crossed Mount Jiajin in 1935 to resist Japan and march north to save the nation and the people, and the builders of the Jiajin Mountain Tunnel who in 2025 broke through the natural barrier to benefit the people, spanning 90 years of time and space, singing in unison in the same scene, "Revolutionary ideals stand higher than the heavens." The same mountain witnessed the pioneering feats of two eras; it is precisely because of unchanging faith that this moving coincidence and historical inevitability were brought about. Through practice to change destiny and create the future, this conviction was condensed in the revolutionary era into a revolutionary optimism that fears no sacrifice, transformed in the construction period into the entrepreneurial zeal of relying on one's own efforts (自力更生, zi li geng sheng - "self, strength, more, live"), and manifested in the tide of reform as the innovative courage to dare to venture and dare to try.

Over the course of 90 years, what has changed is the journey; what has not changed is moving forward. In the fifth chapter, "The Road of Victory," 90 honor guard members walked from the historical stage of 90 years ago toward today and toward the future, echoing the 90 steps of goose-stepping and the 90 Red Army battle flags that opened the curtain of history in the prologue, having a consistent structure from beginning to end (首尾呼应, shou wei hu ying - "head, tail, call, echo"), and completing the narrative loop of the entire "televised artistic epic." Between the coming and the going lies a solemn tribute to the ninety years of struggle and a resolute departure toward the new journey. As the historical scrolls of advancing from victory to victory unfold before our eyes, as strivers from all walks of life representing the 15 provinces along the Long March route proudly recount "our Long March," and as the heartfelt song "Our road, across vast distances and rugged terrain, has never stopped our steps" resounds, we become ever more convinced that history illuminates the future, and the journey has no end.

The Long March forged an army certain of victory, and this precious creative journey also forged our young creative team with unprecedented cohesion, combat effectiveness, and creativity. Looking back on the entire process of creating "Ode to the Long March," we deeply feel that it was itself a new Long March for literary and artistic workers in the new era. "The strong passes are truly like iron, yet today we step over it anew from the start." On the future road of literary and artistic creation, we will continue to carry forward the great Long March spirit through innovative practice.

(The author is Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Arts and Entertainment Center of China Media Group and Chief Director of the televised gala "Ode to the Long March")

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It Is a Duty, and Even More a Glory

By: 朱亚文（演员）

The gala gave me the opportunity to step into the spiritual world of martyr Chen Shuxiang and to present that bloody road. The literary and artistic workers who took part in this gala all revisited those years during the creative process, and through repeated polishing, kept resonating with them. The Battle of the Xiang River was an extremely tragic and pivotal battle. The gala presented the stirring scene in which the Thirty-Fourth Division of the Fifth Red Army Corps, with fierce and resolute determination, covered the Party Central Committee and the main force of the Red Army in crossing the river. The division commander Chen Shuxiang, whom I portrayed, is a representative figure embodying the Red Army's bravery, fortitude, and fearlessness in the face of sacrifice.

When the director was explaining the scenes, he once showed me the oil painting "Red Army Division Commander Chen Shuxiang." In the painting, on a battlefield shrouded in gunpowder smoke, the gravely wounded Chen Shuxiang lies half-reclined on a stretcher, barely propping up his broken body, one hand pressing against his abdomen where blood gushes like a stream, his eyes tightly shut. The Red Army was precisely such a revolutionary army with ideals and convictions — they were ready to face death without hesitation (视死如归, shi si ru gui - "view death, as returning"), finding life through facing death (向死而生, xiang si er sheng - "towards death, then live"), advancing courageously without ever retreating (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one way, no front"), and being reborn from desperate straits. Performing on stage, I underwent an ideological baptism that resonated at the same frequency as history. Our martyrs, no matter how extremely difficult and arduous conditions (艰苦卓绝, jian ku zhu jue - "hardship, extraordinary") they faced in struggle, always maintained soaring fighting spirit and unwavering determination to win, just like the line that left the deepest impression on me: "Toward the new world, run forward!"

The struggles and sacrifices of our forebears created for us an era of peace and prosperity. As a literary and artistic worker participating in the creation of works on the theme of the Long March, carrying forward the great Long March spirit is both a responsibility and an honor.

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A Spiritual Baptism

By: 曹国辉（“大渡河连”司号员）

The "Dadu River Company" was born during the Autumn Harvest Uprising and has always kept pace with the Party, advancing through bloodshed. During the Long March, 17 warriors braved a hail of bullets to force their way across the natural barrier of the Dadu River, tearing open a breakthrough amid the surging, torrential currents and ensuring the smooth northward advance of the main Red Army forces. On the battlefield of those years, the resounding military bugle was the call to charge; each blast of the horn inspired the warriors to charge at the enemy undaunted by danger, forging the company's soul of obeying the Party's command, charging ahead courageously (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "bravely, go, straight, forward"), fighting with the determination to win (敢打必胜, gan da bi sheng - "dare, fight, certainly, win"), and considering the overall interests (顾全大局, gu quan da ju - "look after, whole, big, situation").

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March. Being able to participate in the recording of "Ode to the Long March" as the bugler of the "Dadu River Company" is, for me, a rare honor and an even more direct red baptism of the soul.

During the gala, I held the military bugle in my hand, as if crossing ninety years of time to echo with the revolutionary heroes from afar. In the past, the horn summoned troops to battle and dared to brave natural barriers; today, I hold the horn to pass on the torch and hold fast to my original aspiration. The small military bugle connects history with the present, making me deeply understand that the Long March spirit is not dusty text but a faith that must be practiced with dedication. Though my post is humble, my mission is as weighty as a mountain; though the bugle call is short, my faith is enduring.

Back at my combat post, I will turn the emotion from this recording into motivation for training, diligently hone my bugling skills, blow every call accurately, integrate the Long March spirit into training and duty performance, carry forward the glory of heroes with a resounding bugle, serve as a herald passing on the red torch, and walk well the Long March road of the new era for our generation of soldiers.

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Experiencing the glory of this era on behalf of our ancestors

By: 拉丹珠（中央民族大学学生）

As a child born and raised in the Daliang Mountains, I joined everyone else in the evening gala in performing the fate of the Yi compatriots of the Liangshan region during the Long March. That re-creation and dialogue across time and space stirred a myriad of emotions in my heart.

We wore coarse, worn ethnic garments, as if our bodies still carried the soil of the mountain wilds, making steady progress step by step (一步一个脚印, yi bu yi ge jiao yin - "one step, one, one, foot, print"), advancing toward the heights... At that moment, I seemed to see the suffering of the Yi compatriots of the old era buried deep in the years. Their fervent longing for light and for a better life vibrated in resonance within my own heart.

In the past, my hometown was cut off by mountain roads, and the people lived in hardship; today, having well-connected and convenient transportation (大道通衢, da dao tong qu - "great, road, through, thoroughfare"), education is universal, and life is flourishing and developing rapidly (蒸蒸日上, zheng zheng ri shang - "steam, steam, day, up"). In this prosperous and flourishing (繁荣昌盛, fan rong chang sheng - "prosper, flourish, prosperous, flourishing") era, we children of the Daliang Mountains sing songs of happiness. Standing on the stage, I also use song as a medium to look back on the trials and tribulations our forebears endured, and to truly feel the radiance of this flourishing age.

Forebears of the Daliang Mountains, this fine and happy life — we have seen it well on your behalf.

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A 90-Year Gaze Across Time

By: 林国进（夹金山隧道总设计师）

Invited by the CCTV director's team, I was honored to participate in the recording of the program as a guest audience member. On the big screen at the scene, snow fell thick and fast across the sky, as history and reality met here in deep emotional convergence. On the stage, the Red Army soldiers braved the wind and snow, and trod across the glaciers. Some, exhausted, collapsed into the snow, and their comrades bent down to help them up and pressed on under the heavy load; an old soldier carried a young soldier on his back, leaning on a staff as he walked through the snow; the dim kerosene lamp in a soldier's hand lit the road of hope forward amid the blinding wind and snow. More than 90 years ago, the Central Red Army conquered Mount Jiajin with iron will. Suffering from hunger and cold (饥寒交迫, ji han jiao po - "hunger, cold,迫 (urgent/pressing)"), they remained working with one mind and purpose (同心同向, tong xin tong xiang - "same heart, same direction"), relying on each other through life and death (生死相依, sheng si xiang yi - "life, death, rely on each other"), and with their flesh and blood trod out a road of revolutionary hope, forging the immortal Long March spirit. As builders, we are rooted deep in the hinterland of Mount Jiajin, launching assaults on world-class challenges such as high-altitude hypoxia, fractured surrounding rock, complex geology, and frequent geological disasters. Through years of day-and-night perseverance, striving for perfection (精益求精, jing yi qiu jing - "refine, seek, excellence"), and united struggle, following the spiritual foundation of the Red Army's united struggle and fearless defiance of hardship, we broke through technical bottlenecks and layer upon layer of difficulties.

The most moving scene on the stage was the overlap of history and reality across time and space: when the builders pressed the detonator for the final blast and the tunnel broke through smoothly, the whole audience cheered; at that very moment, the Red Army soldiers also reached the summit of Mount Jiajin, red flags fluttering in the wind, and the victories of two generations of strivers resonated across the void. When the whole audience sang in unison "Revolutionary ideals tower above the heavens," tears had already filled my eyes.

Back then, the Red Army crossed the snow mountain to seek a way out for the nation and to seek brightness for the people; today, we bore through the tunnel to open a smooth road for the old revolutionary base area and to seek happiness for the common people. The same Mount Jiajin, the same original aspiration and founding mission, gazing at each other with deep affection across 90 years — this, perhaps, is the finest inheritance of the Long March spirit: the mountains and rivers remain as they were, faith remains unchanged, and struggle never ceases!

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March On in "Our Long March"

By: 李梦涵（撰稿）

In drawing close to this stretch of history, we feel deeply a mission—the Long March is "ours," this great road forged by faith has now extended to beneath our feet.

The situational recitation Our Long March begins with Chairman Mao's summation of the Long March, which scattered many seeds, "sprouting, growing leaves, blooming, bearing fruit, and in the future there will be a harvest." When strivers from 15 provinces stood on the stage, when we saw their smiles, their undertakings, their hometowns, when we saw the small town in southern Jiangxi from which the Red Army set out now dispatching China-Europe (Central Asia) freight trains on the Belt and Road Initiative, the old battlefield sites where the Red Army fought bloody battles now covered with ten thousand mu of grapes that have lifted people out of poverty and enriched them, the Loess Plateau where the Red Army arrived transformed from lucid waters and lush mountains into mountains of gold and silver... we saw the blood the Red Army shed and the sweat it poured, here sprouting, growing leaves, blooming, bearing fruit, in an unending cycle of life.

The Communist Party of China blazed through blood and fire a revolutionary road toward rebirth and toward victory. In 1970, the "Long March-1" carrier rocket successfully launched carrying the "Dongfanghong-1" satellite. To this day, carrier rocket after carrier rocket, bearing the name "Long March," races toward the vast and boundless cosmos. And then think of "the Long March is a declaration, the Long March is a propaganda team, the Long March is a seeder." What extraordinary spirit and ambition this is, what soaring heroism!

This is our story, and this is the story of the Long March. Because the Long March has not ended. As long as our struggle remains fervent, as long as our ideals remain burning hot, our Long March will continue to march forward!

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Page editors: Ren Shanshan, Zhao Siru

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