Study Times - July 31, 2026

Important Remarks

To strengthen confidence and continue the struggle, we must adhere to the Party's basic theory, basic line, and basic policy. The Party's basic theory, basic line, and basic policy are major achievements obtained by the Party and the people through arduous exploration, and are the fundamental guidelines for the cause of the Party and the country. On the new journey, the whole Party must maintain the determination to keep the path unchanged and the ambition unswayed, adhere to the overall leadership of the Party and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, deeply implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture, 继往开来 (jì wǎng kāi lái - "carry forward the past and open up the future," to build on past achievements and forge ahead), 守正创新 (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn - "uphold what is right and innovate," to maintain fundamental principles while pursuing innovation), so as to be unafraid of floating clouds obscuring the view and to ride the wind and break the waves without losing the course.

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Uphold, Apply, and Develop Political Army Building as a Key Instrument

By: 国防大学习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心

This year marks the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China (中国人民解放军). As a people's army under the absolute leadership of the Party, since its founding it has always taken political building of the military (政治建军) as the unique political advantage of our Party and our army, clinging to it tightly without letting go, ensuring that the military is 所向披靡 (suǒ xiàng pī mǐ - “wherever it goes, everything is swept away,” invincible) with political impregnability. President Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must uphold, apply, and develop the important magic weapon of political building of the military, unswervingly uphold and strengthen the Party’s absolute leadership over the military, give full play to the unique advantages of political building of the military, 凝心聚力 (níng xīn jù lì - “gather hearts and unite strength,” to pool collective efforts) to promote the 行稳致远 (xíng wěn zhì yuǎn - “proceed steadily and go far,” to make steady progress for long-term success) of national defense and military modernization.” Facing the urgent task of achieving the centenary goal of building the people’s army on schedule and advancing national defense and military modernization with high quality, we must earnestly implement President Xi Jinping’s important expositions, deeply understand the great significance of political building of the military for ensuring that the people’s army never degenerates in quality and that the socialist red rivers and mountains never change color, for giving full play to the unique advantages of political building of the military, and for concentrating efforts to promote the steady and long-term progress of national defense and military modernization; unswervingly uphold the Party’s absolute leadership over the military, strengthen political guidance, carry out ideological rectification (思想整风), deepen political rectification training (政治整训), strengthen political work, ensure that the Party firmly grasps the troops ideologically, politically, and organizationally, and use high standards of political construction to ensure high quality in national defense and military modernization.

Political building of the military is the foundation of the people’s army’s establishment; political strength is the most fundamental strength.

Political building of the military resolves the fundamental issues of what banner the people’s army raises, what path it takes, whose command it obeys, and for whom it fights. It concerns the overall situation of the cause of the Party and the military, the future and destiny of the people’s army, and the success or failure of the cause of strengthening the military. Our military is an armed group that executes the Party’s political tasks; grasping military construction must proceed from a political perspective, grasp it politically, and build it politically. To advance national defense and military modernization with high quality, we must, from the strategic height of ensuring that our military always upholds the Party’s absolute leadership over the military, achieving the Party’s goal of strengthening the military in the new era, and accelerating the building of the people’s army into a world-class military, grasp all work of political building of the military with higher standards, ensuring that national defense and military modernization have a firm and correct political direction.

Comprehensively advancing the political guidance for the cause of strengthening the military. Serving and ensuring the central tasks of the Party and the military is the mission and value of political building of the military. Throughout the various historical periods of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, our Party, grasping changes in the conditions of the times and adapting to the requirements of missions and tasks, has carried out political mobilization and political forging of our military, making full ideological, organizational, and work-style preparations to meet new challenges and tests. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, President Xi Jinping, with a view to forever preserving the nature, purpose, and character of the people’s army and better winning the historical initiative of strengthening and revitalizing the military, has always placed political building of the military in the strategic position of strengthening the country and the military, made strategic planning for forging the people’s army politically, scientifically answered major questions about why, what, and how to carry out political building of the military on the new journey, raising our Party’s understanding of political building of the military to a new height, and providing fundamental guidance for politically leading the strengthening and revitalization of the military. Political building of the military is an extremely important chapter in Xi Jinping thought on strengthening the military (习近平强军思想). The first of the “eleven clarifies” (十一个明确) theoretical system is “clarifying that the Party’s absolute leadership over the military is the foundation of the people’s army’s establishment and the soul of strengthening the military”; the first of the “five upholds” (五个坚持) of the contemporary Chinese Marxist military outlook and methodology is “upholding political guidance”; the first of the Party’s goal of strengthening the military in the new era is “obeying the Party’s command” (听党指挥); the first layout of the layout for strengthening the military in the new era is political building of the military; the only theoretical achievement condensed and formed from the perspective of the Party’s strategy for building and governing the military is the strategy of political building of the military for the new era (新时代政治建军方略). Political building of the military is an important strategic arrangement for the Party to lead the people’s army in advancing the cause of strengthening the military in the new era, reflecting the high regard and far-sighted planning of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core for political building of the military, with both comprehensive overall planning and scientific institutional arrangements, both macro-strategic design and micro-practical requirements, constructing a scientific ideological system for the Party to lead, govern, and strengthen the military politically.

Profound summary of the historical experience of building and governing the military. The glorious struggle history of the people’s army is also a history of political building of the military. In the great practice of creating and leading the people’s army, our Party has always focused on building and grasping the military ideologically and politically, and has conducted in-depth practical exploration and continuous theoretical summarization of political building of the military. During the Nanchang Uprising (南昌起义), our Party put forward that “Party organizations are the root of all organizations” and “the Party’s role is above everything”; during the Sanwan Reorganization (三湾改编), it creatively proposed “building Party branches on company-level units”; the Gutian Conference (古田会议) established the principles of building the Party ideologically and building the military politically, laying an important ideological and political foundation for the Party to firmly lead and control the military. Thereafter, whether it was the proposal of the three major principles of political work (政治工作三大原则) during the War of Resistance Against Japan, the new-style military rectification movement (新式整军运动) during the War of Liberation, or the series of principles and methods of military political work in the new period after reform and opening up, our military’s practical exploration and theoretical summarization of political building of the military have continuously deepened. Especially since the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has firmly grasped the foundation of the military’s establishment and the soul of strengthening the military—the Party’s absolute leadership over the military—led the people’s army with unprecedented determination and intensity to deepen political rectification training and advance political building of the military, and the historic changes brought to the people’s army through revolutionary forging have enabled our people’s army, led by the Party, to preserve its roots and soul, to quicken its pace of development, and to win the initiative in moving toward world-class status. Practice has fully proven that without political revolutionary forging, there would be no great transformation of the people’s army in the new era. Political building of the military is a great creation of our Party in founding, leading, and building the people’s army, a profound summary of our military’s long-term historical experience in building and governing the military, and must be doubly cherished, exemplaryly inherited, and continuously carried forward in combination with new practice.

The fundamental guarantee for tackling difficulties, moving toward strength, and striving for world-class status. “When success is at hand, the difficulties are greatest.” This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五) period and is also a critical year for fighting the decisive battle to achieve the centenary goal of building the people’s army. Currently, the world situation, national conditions, Party conditions, and military conditions are all undergoing complex and profound changes. The cause of strengthening the military is at a critical juncture. National defense and military modernization face new development opportunities as well as severe tests from various sides. Looking at the world, the once-in-a-century changes are accelerating, the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustments, major-power competition is becoming more complex and fierce, and the risk of conflict and war around our borders exists realistically, posing urgent demands for accelerating the improvement of strategic capabilities to safeguard national security. A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating breakthroughs, the world’s new military revolution is accelerating, and the forms of warfare and combat methods are accelerating their evolution. The comprehensive building of a world-class military faces both the historical task of catching up and surpassing, as well as the realistic threat from strong adversaries to 半渡而击 (bàn dù ér jī - “strike while half-crossing,” to attack when the opponent is in a vulnerable position). The great cause of rejuvenating the country through Chinese-style modernization places higher demands on national defense and military modernization. The Party’s construction achievements are brilliant, but the “four tests” (四大考验) and “four dangers” (四种危险) exist for a long time. Our military faces complex and intertwined political tests, and there are many factors that affect the Party’s absolute leadership over the military and erode the political nature of the people’s army. The more complex the situation, the more severe the challenges, and the greater the mission, the more we need to uphold, apply, and develop the important magic weapon of political building of the military, persist in 正本清源 (zhèng běn qīng yuán - “correct the root and cleanse the source,” to tackle problems at the root) from a political perspective, and set out fully equipped in action, promote political building of the military to go deeper and be implemented more solidly, continuously consolidate the ideological foundation of listening to the Party and following the Party, persistently advance rectification of work style, enforcement of discipline, and combating corruption, transform the unique advantages of political building of the military into powerful momentum for advancing national defense and military modernization with high quality, achieve unprecedented unity and solidarity under new historical conditions, and strive more vigorously for the centenary of the military and for world-class strengthening of the military.

The strategy of political building of the military for the new era is the fundamental guidance for politically leading the cause of strengthening and revitalizing the military and advancing national defense and military modernization.

When deliberating the Regulations on Political Work of the Military in 2020, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中央政治局) pointed out the need to promote the comprehensive implementation of the strategy of political building of the military for the new era. In 2024, the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference (中央军委政治工作会议) profoundly elucidated the connotation and essence of the strategy of political building of the military for the new era, marking that our Party’s understanding of the regularities of political building of the military has reached a new height, providing fundamental guidance for our Party to politically lead the strengthening and revitalizing the military. Upholding, applying, and developing this important magic weapon of political building of the military is an important task for the current and long-term period: deeply studying and implementing the strategy of political building of the military for the new era. President Xi Jinping pointed out, “The strategy of political building of the military for the new era must be studied and comprehended comprehensively and accurately, implemented unswervingly, and continuously enriched and developed in practice.” This strategy has both political foresight and theoretical profound thinking, as well as systematic scientific design and comprehensive work deployment. It contains the essence and core meaning of the political building of the military of the proletarian party and shines with the truth of Marxist military outlook and methodology. It must be deeply studied, comprehended, fully understood, and mastered, to promote the better study, firmer establishment, and more solid implementation of the strategy of political building of the military for the new era.

Grasping the essence of the strategy with systematic thinking. The strategy of political building of the military for the new era integrates major categories such as political building of the military, political work, and political rectification training. It takes the “ten clarifies” (十个明确) as its main content, forming a “theoretical integrated steel” (理论整钢), which condenses the Party’s historical experience, political wisdom, and far-sighted insight in building the people’s army politically. It must be grasped in terms of its integrity and systemicity to understand its ideological connotation, internal connections, and profound implications. This ideological system presents a structure of general discussion plus specialized discussions. The “first three clarifies” (前三个明确) are the general discussion: “clarifying that political building of the military is the foundation of the people’s army’s establishment” elucidates the extremely important status and role of political building of the military; “clarifying that political work is forever the lifeline of our military” reveals the implementation path of political building of the military; “clarifying that political rectification training should highlight politically correcting the root and cleansing the source” indicates the strategic starting point for deepening political building of the military. The “latter seven clarifies” (后七个明确) are the specialized discussions: namely, “clarifying that mastering ideological leadership is the foundation for mastering all leadership; clarifying that the Party’s strength comes from organization and the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the troops come from organization; clarifying that the gun barrel must always be held in the hands of those who are loyal and reliable to the Party; clarifying that strictness can rectify discipline, strictness can purify military prestige, and strictness can produce combat effectiveness; clarifying that there must be no place for corrupt elements in the military; clarifying that fine work style can shape heroic troops; clarifying that military-government and military-civilian unity is our military’s magic weapon for victory.” These respectively elucidate the foundation project, organizational support, key points, important guarantees, urgent issues, eternal themes, and sources of strength for political building of the military in the new era, expanding the theoretical connotation and practical dimensions of our military’s political work. To comprehensively study and implement the strategy of political building of the military for the new era, we must pay attention to the internal coherence of political building of the military, political work, and political rectification training; pay attention to combining with the fine traditions of political work long formed by our Party and our military and the vivid practice of strengthening Party leadership and Party building in the new era; comprehensively comprehend the original contributions of this strategy, achieving the goal of knowing its words and also knowing its meaning, knowing why it is so and also knowing the reasons behind it.

Grasping the requirements of the times with a dynamic perspective. Political building of the military has epochal issues to solve in every era, and has corresponding epochal requirements in every era. President Xi Jinping, at the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference, put forward the epochal requirements of “ensuring that the people’s army forever preserves its nature and purpose, always dares to fight and win, always unites and strives, always produces talents in abundance, always remains pure and honorable, and always maintains strict discipline and law” (六个确保). These scientifically answer major questions about how to strengthen political building of the military on the new journey, where to go, and how to act, endowing political building of the military with new mission and responsibility. The epochal requirements of these “six ensures” (六个确保) enrich and expand the connotation of the epochal theme of military political work from six aspects: consolidating the people’s army’s foundation and lifeline, fundamental functions, source of strength, key support, political background, and important guarantee. They establish the mission guidance for political building of the military on the new journey, making the goals and direction of political building of the military clearer, with important theoretical value and practical significance. We must consciously consider political building of the military in the grand chess game of strengthening the country and the military, place it in the system of maintaining sobriety and determination to solve the unique challenges facing a large party (大党独有难题) and advancing political building of the military without pause, base ourselves on our military’s current historical position, the missions and tasks it shoulders, and the complex environment it faces, study new situations and solve new problems with a political perspective and strategic vision, promote the integration of goals, aggregation of work, and fusion of forces, ensure that our military better grasps the initiative in military struggle, seeks development advantages, and improves development effectiveness.

Grasping key work with practical requirements. The strategy of political building of the military for the new era contains both strategy and methods, both theoretical support and deployment requirements. President Xi Jinping pointed out at the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference: enhance the consciousness and thoroughness of ideological transformation, improve the leadership, organizational capacity, and execution of Party organizations, strengthen the building of the cadre contingent, eliminate the soil and conditions for corruption to breed, boost the spirit of entrepreneurship and dedication to work, and restore and promote the fine traditions of political work. This important exposition systematically deploys six aspects of key work to be done in advancing political building of the military on the new journey, drawing a road map and construction drawing for promoting various works of political building of the military to go deeper and be implemented more solidly, providing “bridges” and “boats”. We must always adhere to a problem-oriented approach and carry forward the spirit of self-revolution, target the deep-seated contradictions and problems that need to be solved in current political building of the military, take up the weapon of ideological rectification, tighten the general switch of worldview, outlook on life, and values, polish the political background through ideological tempering, integrate political training into daily life and make it a regular practice, consciously strengthen practical training and sharpen political responsibility in completing urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks and participating in major military operations, continuously improve ideological awareness and elevate spiritual realm, strengthen political loyalty, lay a solid ideological foundation, and forever preserve the military’s character through practical forging.

Advancing political building of the military without pause, continuously strengthening our military’s political advantages under new era conditions.

The Party’s guiding theory for building and governing the military originates from practice and in turn guides new practice. The strategy of political building of the military for the new era uses systematic thinking to plan political building of the military, constructing a work pattern of ideological leadership, organizational foundation, virtue as the key, anti-corruption and poison removal, vitality drive, and tradition consolidation. To uphold, apply, and develop this important magic weapon of political building of the military, we must shoulder the heavy responsibility of studying and implementing the strategy of political building of the military for the new era with strong political responsibility, consciously establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, advance political building of the military without pause, continuously strengthen our military’s political advantages, forge the heroic army led by the Party to be even stronger, and continuously open up new prospects for political building of the military.

Preserving the original character in inheriting and promoting fine traditions. Our Party and our military have formed a complete set of fine traditions in political work. President Xi Jinping summarized and generalized the fine traditions of “eleven upholds” (十一个坚持) at the All-Army Political Work Conference (全军政治工作会议), and emphasized that “these fine traditions are the fundamental principles and content of our military’s political work. We must deeply understand the important status and major role of our military’s political work, and pass down the fine traditions forged with the blood and lives of our predecessors from generation to generation.” One of the six aspects of key work to be done in advancing political building of the military on the new journey is “restoring and promoting the fine traditions of political work.” We must continue to grasp the study and application of the Party’s fine traditions, especially the fine traditions of political work, persist in implementing the “red gene passed down from generation to generation project” (红色基因代代传工程), start with leading cadres to set an example in promoting fine traditions, vigorously advance the construction of a culture of strengthening the military in the new era, restore and promote the basic principles of unity between officers and soldiers, consistency between words and deeds, and leading by example, create a good atmosphere of respecting heroes, upholding models, and striving to be advanced, unify the truth force and personality force of political work, make new winds and positive energy more abundant, promote political work to return to its true nature, preserve its original character, and give play to its characteristics, further establish the prestige of political work, continuously stimulate the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of officers and soldiers in doing business and starting undertakings, allow the wisdom for advancing national defense and military modernization to fully flow and the vitality for strengthening and revitalizing the military to burst forth, and make the foundation of troop construction and combat effectiveness more solid.

Correcting problems in continuously deepening political rectification training. Political rectification training is an important means for our military to strengthen its own construction politically, and an effective way to strengthen political construction, improve political capability, and prevent political risks in the new era. We must highlight enhancing the consciousness and thoroughness of ideological transformation, firmly and unequivocally struggle against all people and things that are not political, highlight solving problems existing in ideals and beliefs, Party spirit cultivation, official morality, and personal character, strengthen ideological tempering, political training, practical exercise, and professional training, strictly observe political discipline and political rules, and implement the requirement of being political into the entire practice of advancing the cause of strengthening and revitalizing the military. Improve the targeting and precision of political rectification training, focus on key points of power operation, weak points of supervision and governance, and risk-prone points where problems easily occur, tighten supervision on key links such as fund flow, power operation, and quality control, continue to grasp the rectification of thinking, rectification of personnel selection, rectification of organization, rectification of work style, and rectification of discipline, highlight the key point of leading cadres, especially senior cadres, manage and constrain cadres with strict requirements, strict measures, and strict discipline, advance the integrated promotion of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, achieve targeted and symptomatic treatment, promote political rectification training to continuously achieve practical results, and create a clean and upright political ecology.

Enhancing practical effectiveness in active innovation and exploration. Military political work has rigorous scientific nature; only by consciously acting in accordance with its objective laws can we effectively unleash the power of political work and political building of the military, and always maintain strong development momentum. We must closely combine with the vivid practice of political building of the military in the new era, deeply study and research the theoretical results, practical results, and institutional results formed by political building of the military since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, deeply grasp the fundamental principles, main characteristics, mechanism of action, and epochal requirements of political building of the military, further deepen the understanding of the regularities of political building of the military in aspects such as Party construction, ideological soul-casting, and talent cultivation, and consolidate and develop political building of the military on the basis of new practice. Closely follow the development of the times, closely follow missions and tasks, closely follow the actual conditions of officers and soldiers, actively promote the innovative development of political work, especially study and grasp the characteristics and laws of political work in the information network era, actively explore new concepts, new platforms, and new means of digital-intelligence-empowered political work, adapt to the characteristics of significantly enhanced independence, selectivity, variability, and differences in officers’ and soldiers’ ideological activities, improve the targeting and effectiveness of ideological and political work, adapt to new organizational forms, new training characteristics, and new public opinion ecology, strengthen innovation in political work models and methods, promote the integration of traditional advantages of political work with the information advantages of network platforms and digital-intelligence technology, improve the modernization, digital-intelligence, and scientific level of political work, and provide strong and effective methodological and means support for political building of the military.

(Written by: Tang Junfeng (汤俊峰))

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The Era's Echo of 'Love the People, Love the Military'

By: 福建省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心

Supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, and supporting the government and cherishing the people, are the fine tradition and unique political advantage of our Party, our military, and our people. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has always placed double support work (双拥工作) in a prominent position, profoundly elucidating the fundamental direction and mission responsibility of double support work in the new era, and continuously promoting the consolidation and deepening of military-government and military-civilian unity. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the first National Double Support Work Conference. On the day before the conference opened, that is, January 9, 1991, Comrade Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, specially composed "Military-Civilian Feeling: Seven-Character Regulated Verse (军民情·七律)" to congratulate the conference being held in Fuzhou. Systematically reviewing Comrade Xi Jinping's exploration and practice regarding double support work during his work in Fujian, and deeply interpreting the political wisdom, strategic thinking, orientation toward the people, and practical character contained therein, has important theoretical value and practical significance for further profoundly understanding the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), strengthening the Four Consciousnesses (四个意识), consolidating the Four Confidences (四个自信), achieving the Two Upholds (两个维护), deeply grasping the internal logic and practical requirements of double support work in the new era, and continuing the fine tradition of "the military loves the people, the people support the military."

An important magic weapon for consolidating military and civilian hearts and serving the great cause of strengthening the country and the military

During his work in Fujian, Comrade Xi Jinping always treated double support work as a major political task, based on the reality of military-local coordination, planning the layout with profound strategic vision and grasping implementation with a pragmatic work style, laying a solid foundation for Fujian's double support work and also providing important guidance for promoting high-quality development of double support work in the new era.

Focusing on strengthening support for the military and front-line service, establishing a clear orientation of handling special matters with special procedures and grasping firmly while acting solidly for serving military construction. Efficiently implementing support for the military and front-line service is a key link in serving military preparation for combat. In response to the particularity and urgency of military affairs, Comrade Xi Jinping personally deployed and commanded from the front, promoting the implementation and effectiveness of support measures with a pragmatic style. In Xiamen, he ascended the "Heroic Three Islands (英雄三岛)" and, facing the harsh conditions of "no water, no electricity, no residents" on Jiaoyu Island (角屿岛), decided on the spot to implement the "Three Goods" project (三好工程) of "one good well, one good vegetable plot, one good pigsty," helping the troops solve practical difficulties such as water supply. In Ningde, to support militia participation in poverty alleviation work, he allocated 60,000 yuan for road building, school construction, and telephone installation in Dalin Village (大林村), Fu'an County (福安县). In Fuzhou, he went to military units many times for on-site work, clearly dividing responsibilities and assigning specific persons to lead the advancement of urgent issues such as household registration, housing, and water and electricity capacity expansion, efficiently solving the military's pressing needs with the style of "handling special matters with special procedures." At the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, he promoted the construction of Fujian Reserve Artillery Division, led responsible comrades from relevant departments to on-site work, allocated funds to build an officer training center for the reserve division, and provided strong support for reserve force construction. These important concepts and major practices always focused on the military's urgent needs and thought about officers and soldiers' concerns, solving practical difficulties in military construction and officers' and soldiers' lives with pragmatic measures, fully reflecting a profound sentiment of caring for national defense and officers and soldiers, as well as a work style of grasping firmly, acting solidly, taking responsibility, and fulfilling duties.

Focusing on deepening two-way support and coordination between the military and local governments, exploring effective paths for the mutual promotion and coordinated development of economic construction and national defense construction. Promoting two-way support and complementary advantages between the military and local governments is an inherent requirement and important mission of double support work. Comrade Xi Jinping took serving the development of social productive forces and improving the combat effectiveness of the military as the starting point and goal of double support work, focusing on optimizing the two-way support mechanism between the military and local governments. In Xiamen, he organized the "Military-Civilian Joint Construction of Zhongshan Road" activity and helped the 31st Group Army build a combat readiness road, which not only improved officers' and soldiers' travel conditions but also enhanced local infrastructure levels. In Ningde, he advocated a "Military-Civilian Grand Chorus," using the method of military-civilian joint poverty alleviation to both train the militia reserve forces and assist in poverty alleviation work in eastern Fujian. In Fuzhou, he supported military infrastructure construction, helping the troops build a road supporting the military and a bridge supporting the military; troops stationed in Fuzhou also cared about local development, doing a great deal of work in afforestation, wind and flood resistance, emergency rescue and disaster relief, and other urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks. At the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, he cared about officers' and soldiers' lives and actively supported the construction of military non-staple food bases; the military also fully supported local construction, making contributions in flood fighting and emergency rescue, poverty alleviation and prosperity, key project construction, and other work. These important concepts and major practices always adhered to coordinating economic construction and national defense construction, promoting complementary advantages and coordinated development between the military and local governments, gathering military-local joint force through two-way support, fully reflecting the systematic concept of overall consideration and coordinated development and the strategic thinking of embracing the overall situation and overall planning.

Focusing on promoting the institutionalization and standardization of double support work, providing a solid guarantee for the orderly and long-term advancement of double support work. Institutional construction is the fundamental guarantee for the sustained and healthy development of double support work. Comrade Xi Jinping always treated institutional construction as an important lever to promote the quality and efficiency of double support work, focusing on building a complete, standardized, and orderly double support work institutional system. In Xiamen, he actively played the role of the military-government joint conference system, served as the leader of the Municipal Double Support Work Leading Group, attended joint conferences, and ensured the implementation of various agreed matters. In Ningde, during key periods such as New Year's Day, the Spring Festival, and "August 1st," he visited and comforted officers and soldiers stationed in Ningde, convened forums for old Red Army soldiers, military retirees, and revolutionary martyrs' and servicemen's families, soliciting their opinions on local economic construction and other aspects. In Fuzhou, he promoted the inclusion of double support work in the important agendas of Party committees and governments at all levels, explored long-term mechanisms such as policy support for the military, material support, technological support, and service support, promoted the establishment and improvement of four work systems between the military and local governments in Fuzhou, issued multiple policy documents, and effectively protected the legitimate rights and interests of military personnel and their families. At the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, he promoted the formulation of the country's first local regulation on double support work, the Fujian Province Several Regulations on Supporting the Military and Giving Preferential Treatment to Military Families (福建省拥军优属若干规定), and during institutional reform insisted on retaining the Front Support Office, making Fujian the only province in the country to retain front support office institutions at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. These important concepts and major practices always adhered to using institutions to consolidate foundations, promote standardization, and benefit long-term development, fully reflecting the work philosophy of focusing on establishing rules and regulations and improving operational mechanisms, and the governance strategy of focusing on long-term goals and seeking practical results.

Focusing on creating a strong atmosphere of military-government and military-civilian unity, cultivating fertile soil for the social trend of "the military loves the people, the people support the military" to take root in people's hearts. The unity between the military and government and between the military and the people has its foundation in the people's hearts and its strength in popular sentiment; it must be deepened and consolidated through sustained and extensive propaganda, guidance, and vivid and effective activity carriers. Comrade Xi Jinping ran the concept of "love the people and love our military" throughout double support work, actively exploring practical forms that the masses enjoy. In Xiamen, he participated in the Xiamen-Gulangyu Strait crossing activity together with troops commanders and fighters and people from all walks of life in Xiamen, enhancing military-civilian emotional exchange through mass activities with local characteristics. In Ningde, he attached great importance to national defense education and revolutionary tradition propaganda, expanding the coverage of education and enhancing cadres' and the masses' awareness of double support by selecting and promoting models, telling heroic stories well, and organizing national defense education speech contests and other activities. In Fuzhou, he facilitated the convening of the first National Double Support Work Conference in Fuzhou, clearly put forward the concept of "love the people and love our military," emphasized extensively carrying out national defense education for all the people, and promoted a series of double support joint construction activities. At the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, he continuously strengthened double support propaganda and education, enhanced the effectiveness of social mobilization, and constantly improved the dissemination and influence of propaganda on supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families. These important concepts and major practices always adhered to taking propaganda and education as an important lever for deepening double support work, consolidating military-civilian consensus through rich and diverse activity carriers and extensive and in-depth propaganda and education, fully reflecting the value pursuit of consolidating military hearts and gathering popular sentiment and the mission responsibility of consolidating military-government and military-civilian unity and dedicating to strengthening the military.

Double support work can only be strengthened, not weakened

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that under the new situation, double support work can only be strengthened, not weakened. His exploration and practice regarding double support work during his work in Fujian, based in Fujian and looking at the overall situation, conforming to the trends of the times, contain important concepts, working methods, and practical pathways that have been continuously enriched and developed in the national double support work in the new era, fully demonstrating enduring practical value and contemporary significance.

Concentrating efforts to serve combat preparation, the pattern of supporting the military and front-line service oriented toward combat has been continuously improved. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, national double support work has insisted on focusing on serving combat preparation and warfighting, continuously improving the work system for supporting the military and front-line service, and promoting the continuous enhancement of military-local collaborative support capabilities. Fujian has always kept in mind the "great affairs of the state" (国之大者) and closely focused on "important matters of the military" (军之要事), taking serving combat preparation and warfighting as the focal point of double support work, supporting military infrastructure construction, ensuring the construction needs of training bases and national defense projects, supporting military construction in various fields such as science and technology, culture, and daily life through multiple channels and forms, and resolutely completing various support tasks for major exercises and drills. Practice has fully proven that adhering to serving combat preparation and warfighting as the core orientation of double support work, continuously improving the work mechanism for supporting the military and front-line service, promoting efficient coordination of military-local resources and overall improvement of combat support capabilities, has effectively promoted the expansion of front-line support work from solving practical difficulties to serving combat effectiveness construction, establishing the main line of work for further improving the quality and effectiveness of serving the strengthening of the military.

Concentrating efforts on preferential treatment and guarantees, the social atmosphere of respecting military professions has become increasingly strong. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, service guarantees for military personnel, their families, and retired servicemen across the country have been continuously strengthened, preferential treatment policies have been constantly improved, and the social trend of respecting the military and honoring the armed forces has become more pronounced. Fujian has continuously improved the service guarantee system for military personnel, their families, and retired servicemen, insisting on combining policy guarantees with warm-hearted services, and focusing on solving the "three rear" (三后) issues of officers and soldiers: "rear route, rear courtyard, rear generation." The proportion of transferred military officers placed in Party and government organs and reference public institutions has remained above 93.5%, and retired soldiers meeting government placement conditions have achieved 100% placement and employment; over the years, more than 10,000 cases of placement and employment for accompanying military family members and education preferences for military children have been resolved cumulatively; 28 provincial departments in Fujian jointly launched 153 preferential treatment items, cumulatively issued more than 800,000 preferential treatment cards for retired servicemen, promoting more precise preferential treatment and more considerate service guarantees. Practice has fully proven that insisting on caring for military personnel and their families and safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests as important content of double support work, continuously improving the precision level of service guarantees, has effectively promoted better protection of military personnel's legitimate rights and interests and continuously enhanced their professional honor, adding contemporary warmth to further improving preferential treatment and guarantee work for military personnel and their families and making respecting military personnel a common social trend.

Concentrating efforts on system construction, the organizational guarantee level of double support work has been continuously improved. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the organizational leadership system for national double support work has been continuously improved, military-local coordination mechanisms have been increasingly perfected, and the level of institutionalization and standardization has steadily risen. Fujian has further improved the institutional system for supporting the military and front-line service in the new era, successively issuing policy documents such as strengthening the work of supporting the military and front-line service in the new era and serving military preparation with high quality. Relying on double support work leading groups at all levels, military-local coordination groups for supporting the military and front-line service have been established, plans and emergency response mechanisms have been improved, promoting the formation of a smoother and more efficient work pattern between the military and local governments in areas such as demand docking, resource coordination, and collaborative advancement; the achievements of creating national double support model cities have been continuously consolidated and expanded, promoting the deep integration of double support creation with grassroots governance, national defense education, and spiritual civilization construction, continuously improving the organizational mobilization capability and service guarantee level of double support work. Practice has fully proven that insisting on strengthening organizational leadership, improving the work system, deepening military-local coordination, and continuously enhancing the organizational guarantee capability of double support work has effectively promoted the transformation of double support work from experience-based exploration to standardized operation and from single-item advancement to systematic coordination, providing important support for further promoting the high-quality development of the double support cause.

Concentrating efforts on military-civilian joint construction, the good situation of military-government and military-civilian unity has been further consolidated. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the fine tradition of supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, and supporting the government and cherishing the people, has been continuously promoted, military-civilian joint construction activities have been carried out in depth, and military-government and military-civilian unity has been continuously consolidated and developed. Fujian has continuously deepened the activities of "jointly studying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, jointly building socialist spiritual civilization, jointly promoting military-government and military-civilian unity in the new era." There are more than 1,200 military-local joint construction pairs in the province, and military-local joint study and joint construction are constantly deepening; innovative double support practice carriers have been created, and special activities such as "province-ship joint construction" (省舰共建), "city-company joint construction" (城连共建), and "one city, one county, one brand" (一市一县一品牌) have been continuously promoted. Troops stationed in Fujian actively serve local economic and social development, pair up to assist 113 key townships and villages, have invested more than 300,000 person-times and over 50,000 vehicle-machine sorties in participating in urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks such as emergency rescue and disaster relief and epidemic prevention and control; more than 60 events such as "Fujian products into military camps, double support to promote consumption" (闽货进军营·双拥促消费) have been held, driving consumption of over 13 million yuan, achieving mutual promotion between supporting the military and benefiting the military and serving local development. Practice has fully proven that insisting on promoting the glorious tradition of "the military loves the people, the people support the military," continuously deepening military-civilian joint construction and innovating double support practice, has effectively promoted a more solid foundation for military-government and military-civilian unity, closer interaction between the military and local governments, and continuously enhanced vitality of double support work, gathering immense strength for further promoting the fine tradition of double support, advancing the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation.

Promoting double support work to continuously achieve new progress

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "We must adhere to the guidance of Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the Party's overall leadership, deepen reform and innovation, improve policies and mechanisms, and promote double support work to continuously achieve new progress." We must deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on double support work, inherit and promote a series of important concepts and major practices initiated by Comrade Xi Jinping during his work in Fujian, draw ideological guidance from them for doing a good job in double support work in the new era, and strive to create a new situation of military-government and military-civilian unity.

Adhere to using the Party's leadership to grasp the political direction of double support work. Double support work is essentially political work; it must adhere to the Party's leadership, strengthen ideological and political guidance, and ensure that double support work always serves the overall work of the Party and the state and serves the mission of the times to strengthen the country and the military. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double support work, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply implement Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military and Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building, earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech on July 1, adhere to the Party's overall leadership over double support work, profoundly understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), resolutely achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护), and ensure that the Party Central Committee's various decisions and deployments on double support work are implemented and effective; strictly implement and consolidate the main responsibilities of Party committees and governments at all levels, promote the establishment and practice of a correct view of political achievements, incorporate double support work into the overall deployment of economic and social development and national defense construction, forming a work situation of joint management and coordinated advancement; fully leverage the Party's political and organizational advantages, deepen military-local joint construction, and gather broader political consensus and strong joint forces for achieving the goals of strengthening the country and the military in the new era.

Adhere to using systematic thinking to enhance the overall effectiveness of double support work. Double support work is a systematic project involving both military and local governments and covering multiple fields and levels; it must adhere to overall consideration and holistic advancement. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double support work, we must establish systematic concepts and strategic thinking, strengthen forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and holistic advancement, improve work mechanisms for military-local coordination, departmental linkage, resource sharing, and demand docking, coordinate the advancement of key tasks such as serving military combat preparation, solving the "three rear" issues of military personnel and their families, and strengthening two-way military-local support, promote organic linkage among various fields of double support work, coordination and cooperation among all aspects, and concerted efforts of various policies, continuously improve the overall effectiveness and quality level of double support work, and better serve the overall situation of national defense and military modernization.

Adhere to upholding fundamental principles and innovating to maintain the vitality of double support work. The fine traditions and valuable experience accumulated in double support work must be carried forward, while keeping pace with the times and closely following mission requirements, continuously advancing innovative development. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double support work, we must uphold the political essence of double support work, carry forward fine traditions, develop in inheritance, and innovate in development; actively adapt to the new requirements of strengthening the country and the military and the new changes in economic and social development, promote innovation in concepts, mechanisms, and methods of double support work, continuously expand new fields and pathways such as socialized support for the military, technological support, and industry support; fully mobilize the initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity of both military and local governments and all sectors of society, inherit and promote red culture, build the Changting and Ninghua Long March National Cultural Parks well, advance the construction of the Fujian Revolutionary Military Museum, deepen the research and interpretation of revolutionary historical materials and revolutionary cultural relics, create double support brands with the characteristics of the times, continuously enhance the influence and appeal of double support work, and make new contributions to consolidating and developing rock-solid military-government and military-civilian unity.

Adhere to normalized and long-term mechanisms to promote double support work to go deep and be solid. Double support work is a long-term and foundational task; it must focus on the long term and persist for a long time (久久为功 - jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "persist for long to achieve success"), constructing a work pattern of normalized implementation and long-term fulfillment. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double support work, we must improve the policy system and work deployment, improve work mechanisms for demand docking, service guarantees, supervision and implementation, and ensure that various policies for supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families are precisely implemented and effectively realized; strengthen military-local coordination and resource integration, strengthen policy linkage, force integration, and work coordination, promote coordinated linkage and continuous deepening of various fields of double support work; focus on long-term development, promptly summarize practical experience, optimize working methods, promote double support work to be grasped through to the end and produce results, strive to achieve a "full house of red" (满堂红) and "seven consecutive championships" (七连冠) of national double support model cities, inject lasting momentum into the high-quality development of Fujian's double support cause in the new era, and jointly continue to write a new chapter of the times of loving the people and loving our military.

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Resolutely overcome complacency and侥幸心理

By: 李志明

We are currently in the critical period of flood prevention and disaster relief known as the "peak of the July-to-August rainy season." General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on flood prevention and disaster relief work, emphasizing the need to resolutely overcome the mindset of complacency and the mentality of侥幸心理 (jiǎoxìng xīnlǐ - "trusting to luck," wishful thinking that misfortune will not strike), to firmly tighten and压实 (yāshí - "solidify through pressure") the responsibility for disaster prevention and relief, and to ensure the safety of people's lives and property. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions directly target the risk pain points and responsibility shortcomings in flood prevention and disaster relief work, providing fundamental guidance and pointing out the practical direction for doing a solid job in all aspects of disaster prevention and relief.

The mindset of complacency and the mentality of trusting to luck are the greatest enemies and the biggest hidden dangers in flood prevention and disaster relief work. Looking at the practice of flood prevention and disaster relief over the years, many safety risks and hidden dangers have not originated from a lack of contingency plans, insufficient materials, or inadequate technology, but rather from laxity in thinking and slackness in mentality. Some places, having not experienced major flooding for a long time, breed a complacent mindset of "yearly flood prevention, no major danger," dealing perfunctorily with routine risk investigations and turning a blind eye to minor hidden dangers. Some cadres harbor a侥幸心理 (jiǎoxìng xīnlǐ) of "probably no disaster, minor hidden dangers won't matter," believing that extreme weather and major dangers will not occur locally, thus implementing deployments with reduced standards and going through the motions in advancing work. Some units display empiricism and slackness, relaxing vigilance and lowering standards in the later stages of the flood season, leading to breaks in the prevention and control chain and idle responsibility implementation. All such cases are "ant nests" that must be sealed off on the safety defense line.

Natural disasters are merciless and wait for no one; risks and hidden dangers show no favoritism. In flood prevention and disaster relief, there is no room for "good enough" or "roughly so," still less leeway for "gambling on it" or "taking a chance." River and lake water levels rise and fall rapidly; risks are highly concealed and sudden; the uncertainty of extreme weather continues to increase. Any trace of complacency or any bit of侥幸疏忽 (jiǎoxìng shūhū - "negligence born of wishful thinking") can nullify all previous prevention and control efforts, causing small hidden dangers to evolve into major risks and small problems to ferment into great disasters. The calmer the situation and the more stable the flood season, the more it is necessary to keep a clear head and tighten the string of safety.

The foremost priority is to compact responsibility and fulfill the duty of guarding one's territory, putting into practice the philosophy of putting the people first and life first. Flood prevention and disaster relief concerns the well-being of the people, the overall development situation, and the bottom line of safety; it is a political responsibility that must be firmly shouldered and grasped. All localities and departments must deeply grasp the core essence of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, always prioritize ensuring the safety of people's lives and property, firmly establish the work philosophy of "prevention first, prevention above all," and completely abandon the erroneous mindsets of slackness, complacency, and投机侥幸 (tóujī jiǎoxìng - "opportunism and wishful thinking"). Tighten and压实 (yāshí) the main responsibilities, supervisory responsibilities, and post responsibilities for disaster prevention and relief, transmitting pressure level by level and压实 (yāshí) duties step by step, ensuring that every deployment, every plan, and every measure takes root and yields results.

The key is to act early on small matters and prevent problems before they arise 防微杜渐 (fáng wēi dù jiàn - "guard against tiny matters to prevent gradual development," nip problems in the bud), and to conduct hidden danger investigation and rectification throughout the entire process. Hidden dangers are more dangerous than open flames; prevention is better than disaster relief. To prevent and resolve flood prevention safety risks, we must take the initiative, act precisely, and plug loopholes and eliminate hidden dangers at the source. Focusing on key areas and critical positions such as rivers and lakes, dangerous and weak reservoirs, areas prone to mountain torrents and geological disasters, urban low-lying areas, and projects under construction, we must carry out dragnet-style, bottom-up, and routine hidden danger investigation and rectification, establish hidden danger ledgers, clarify rectification deadlines, and implement rectification responsibilities, practicing closed-loop management and dynamic elimination, resolutely resolving risks and hidden dangers in their nascent state before they become disasters. Establish bottom-line thinking of proactive prevention: better to have prepared and not need it than to need it and not have prepared; better to have prevented ten times and failed than to fail once unprevented; build a solid flood prevention safety barrier in all aspects.

The foundation lies in normalizing preparedness and precise policy implementation, putting emergency support and readiness into practice. In flood prevention and disaster relief work, the effort lies in peacetime, and the effectiveness lies in readiness. All localities and departments must base themselves on preventing major floods, tackling major dangers, and rescuing from major disasters, continuously strengthen the construction of monitoring and early warning systems, improve the joint early warning mechanism for meteorology, hydrology, mountain torrents, and geological disasters, accurately assess changes in rainfall, water conditions, flood conditions, and disaster situations, issue early warning information ahead of time, and move the prevention and control threshold forward. Refine and improve emergency response plans, carry out normalized emergency drills, shore up weak links and shortcomings in emergency supplies, rescue teams, and duty support, and enhance the actual combat capability of rapid response, scientific disposal, and efficient rescue. Strictly implement the 24-hour duty system, leadership on-duty system, and information reporting system, ensuring that flood conditions and dangers are discovered, reported, and dealt with early, firmly grasping the initiative in flood prevention and disaster relief work.

Safety and danger must never be forgotten for an instant; the alarm bell must never stop ringing. The current flood prevention and disaster relief situation remains complex and severe, and risks and challenges must not be underestimated. Party members and cadres at all levels must always maintain a mindset of reverence, responsibility, and caution, with a sense of responsibility of "always being unable to rest assured" and the executive ability of "ensuring everything is implemented to the letter," solidly investigating hidden dangers, meticulously monitoring and early warning, strictly preparing for emergencies, firmly tightening responsibility implementation, weaving a tight and dense safety net for flood prevention and disaster relief, using a full range of contingency plans to respond to the risk of one-in-ten-thousand, and building a solid safety foundation for high-quality economic and social development.

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This Issue at a Glance

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The Global Significance and Key Tasks of Continuously Promoting a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

By: 人类命运共同体研究中心

On July 1, 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, comprehensively reviewing and summarizing the glorious journey and great achievements made by the Communist Party of China in uniting and leading the Chinese people of all ethnic groups over the past 105 years. He pointed out that "we have promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind (人类命运共同体), contributing Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength to solving major issues facing humanity," and emphasized that "to strengthen confidence and continue our struggle, we must persistently promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind." We must deeply study, thoroughly understand, and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the conference, take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Foreign Affairs (习近平外交思想), as the guide, persistently promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, continuously open up new horizons in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, create a favorable external environment for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization, and make greater contributions to the cause of human peace and progress.

Comprehensively Grasp the Major Global Impact of Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that 105 years of unremitting struggle have profoundly influenced the course of world history. We have promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, contributing Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength to solving major issues facing humanity. Socialist China under the leadership of the Party is widely recognized as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.

Building a community with a shared future for mankind is a major original thought proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping and a core concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Foreign Affairs. Since the new era, under the personal planning and personal guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping, China has used firm conviction and solid actions to gather forces for peace and development, put forward four major global initiatives, actively promoted progress in the practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and injected valuable stability, certainty, and progress into a world fraught with change and turmoil. The theoretical innovation and practical creation of building a community with a shared future for mankind have continued to advance, exerting a positive and profound impact on the process of world development. Building a community with a shared future for mankind has become the greatest common divisor for people of all countries to jointly build a better world.

The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind has been continuously enriched and developed, forming a complete scientific system. Our Party is a party that attaches great importance to theoretical construction and theoretical guidance. General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of important speeches, advocating the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and continuously deepening the elaboration of this major proposition. From its first proposal at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 2013, to the clear articulation of the "five-in-one (五位一体) overall framework" at the general debate of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly in 2015, and then to the proposal of the overall goal of building a "five worlds (五个世界)" at the United Nations Office at Geneva in 2017, the scientific connotation of the major concept of a community with a shared future for mankind has been increasingly enriched and expanded. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference (中央外事工作会议) held in December 2023, further clarifying the "four beams and eight pillars (四梁八柱)" of the scientific system for building a community with a shared future for mankind: taking the building of a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and clean and beauty as the goal of effort; taking the promotion of global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits as the implementation path; taking the practice of the common values of all humanity as the universal guideline; taking the promotion of building a new type of international relations as the basic support; taking the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative (the Global Governance Initiative was proposed in September 2025) as the strategic guidance; and taking the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (一带一路) as the practical platform, forming the top-level design of China's diplomatic strategy on the new journey.

The construction of a community with a shared future for mankind leads the trend of the times, demonstrating strong practical power. Practicality is a distinctive feature that distinguishes Marxist theory from other theories. Through the joint efforts of China and various parties, the practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind has flourished and achieved comprehensive and fruitful results. At the bilateral level, China has reached important consensus with dozens of countries, including Laos, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, South Africa, Nigeria, Cuba, Brazil, and Serbia, on building bilateral communities with a shared future, opening a new chapter in inter-state relations characterized by a shared destiny and joint efforts for the global common good. At the regional level, China advocates and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for neighboring countries, deepens all-round cooperation with neighboring countries, strengthens exchanges in various fields, and builds "five common homes" of peace, tranquility, prosperity, beauty, and friendship; jointly builds an all-weather community with a shared future for Africa in the new era; and successively launches the construction of regional communities with a shared future with Central Asia, ASEAN, Arab states, Latin America, etc., injecting strong momentum into regional and cross-regional cooperation. At the global governance level, cooperation in areas such as the community with a shared future in cyberspace, the community with a shared future for nuclear security, the community of common health for mankind, the community of life for man and nature, the global development community, and the community of common security for mankind has been continuously deepened, forming a mighty force for the international community to consolidate broad consensus and address common challenges.

The implementation of the four major global initiatives has taken firm steps, contributing to the improvement of global governance. Answering and guiding the resolution of problems is the fundamental task of theory. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and protectionism have widened the development gap; intertwined and superimposed geopolitical crises have impacted regional security and stability; a few countries have clamored for "democracy versus authoritarianism," exacerbating concerns about a "new Cold War." Under the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, General Secretary Xi Jinping has successively proposed the Global Development Initiative (全球发展倡议), the Global Security Initiative (全球安全倡议), the Global Civilization Initiative (全球文明倡议), and the Global Governance Initiative (全球治理倡议), providing answers for the times to solve world problems and create a better future, which have received positive responses and support from over 100 countries and international and regional organizations. The Global Development Initiative has mobilized nearly 20 billion US dollars in development funds, carried out over 1,100 projects benefiting people in many countries, and injected Chinese strength into the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China initiated the establishment of the Group of Friends for Peace (和平之友小组) on the Ukraine crisis, facilitated the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the reconciliation among Palestinian factions, successfully mediated multiple rounds of peace talks among relevant parties in the Myanmar conflict, and proposed an Asian security model based on shared security, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and dialogue and consultation, making China's contribution to maintaining common and universal security. China has initiated and participated in a series of mechanisms such as the World Conference of Ancient Civilizations and the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, and promoted the UN General Assembly to establish the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, building new platforms for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and for mutual understanding and affinity among peoples. Once proposed, the Global Governance Initiative received an active response from the international community, and has so far been welcomed and supported by nearly 160 countries and international organizations, with over 60 countries enthusiastically joining the Group of Friends for Global Governance (全球治理之友小组). The Global Governance Initiative has transformed from a Chinese proposal into international practice, increasingly demonstrating strong vitality.

The awareness of a community with a shared future for mankind is increasingly taking root in people's hearts, promoting the joint building of a better world. As long as a theory is thorough, it can convince people. Since the new era, building a community with a shared future for mankind has evolved from a concept and proposition into a scientific system, from a beautiful vision into rich practice, and from a Chinese initiative into an international consensus. It is winning increasingly broad understanding and recognition from the international community and is increasingly becoming a public good with significant symbolic value. At present, dozens of countries and regions have reached consensus with China on building different forms of communities with a shared future, and the construction of communities with a shared future in various fields such as cyberspace, nuclear security, health, man and nature, and the oceans is also advancing steadily. The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind has been written into UN General Assembly resolutions for eight consecutive years and has been included in many bilateral and multilateral declarations. More and more countries realize that building a community with a shared future for mankind is the future of all peoples. King Felipe VI of Spain stated that the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind brings peace, development, and hope to the world. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that Serbia firmly supports the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi Jinping, and together with China, will jointly promote the implementation of the four major global initiatives and continue to advance the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the purpose of our practice of multilateralism is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Facts have proven that building a community with a shared future for mankind has become the greatest common divisor for people of all countries to jointly build a better world, and it will inevitably increasingly demonstrate strong influence, vitality, and appeal, becoming a glorious banner guiding the progress of the times.

Accurately Understand the Main Tasks of Persistently Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that to strengthen confidence and continue our struggle, we must persistently promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. As the once-in-a-century transformation accelerates, the world has entered a new period of turmoil and transformation, and humanity once again stands at a crossroads of where to go. On the new journey, we must follow the aspirations of the people and the trend of the times, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, promote the common values of all humanity, promote the building of a new type of international relations, promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, and inject more positive energy into world peace and development.

Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is the lofty goal pursued by major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. We must take the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China as a new starting point, be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the conference and Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building (习近平党建思想), the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, study, think, and practice Xi Jinping Thought on Foreign Affairs, deeply advance major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, persistently promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and join hands to create an even better future for humanity.

Advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. This is the Chinese solution we offer to address the major issues and challenges facing the world today, enhancing the practicality and guiding nature of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Advocating an equal and orderly multipolar world means insisting on the equality of all countries, big or small, effectively promoting the democratization of international relations, ensuring that the multipolar process is generally constructive, and that all countries can find their own place and play their due role. Advocating a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization means following the common aspirations of all countries, especially developing countries, to solve the development imbalances between and within countries caused by the global allocation of resources, support countries in following development paths that suit their national conditions, and promote the maintenance of growth momentum and vitality in the global economy.

Deepen development integration with neighboring countries. Neighboring areas are key to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Since the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed the diplomatic concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness (亲诚惠容) for neighboring countries, and advocated and promoted the building of a community with a shared future for neighboring countries. Led by head-of-state diplomacy, we have deepened all-round cooperation with neighboring countries, strengthened exchanges in various fields, and jointly maintained regional peace and stability. The strategic mutual trust between China and its neighboring countries has been continuously consolidated, the level of connectivity has been steadily improved, and cooperation in industrial and supply chains has been increasingly deepened. We have established the common goal of building a community with a shared future with 17 neighboring countries, achieving full coverage in the Indochina Peninsula and Central Asia. China's relations with its neighbors have entered the best period since modern times, while also facing deep interaction between the neighboring landscape and world changes. We must examine neighboring areas with a global perspective, enhance the sense of responsibility and mission in neighboring work, continuously deepen development integration with neighbors, join hands with neighboring countries to create a shared bright future, and create a friendly neighboring environment for China's reform, development, and stability.

Maintain overall stability in major-country relations. Major countries bear special responsibilities and should uphold the awareness of a community with a shared future, demonstrate historical initiative, and promote historical progress. Since the new era, Chinese diplomacy has actively promoted coordination and positive interaction among major countries, and promoted the formation of a major-country relationship pattern featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability, and balanced development. We have deepened the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, blazing a new path of mutual respect, harmonious coexistence, and win-win cooperation between major countries and neighboring countries. We are committed to the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-US relations, promoting the US side to jointly establish the new positioning of "China-US constructive strategic stability relations." We connect the two major forces, two major markets, and two major civilizations of China and Europe, promoting the building of a China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership with global influence. We actively promote cooperation with emerging major countries, jointly promoting the high-quality development of "BRICS Plus" cooperation. Positive interaction among major countries is conducive to maintaining global strategic stability and helps provide a solid guarantee for China to deepen all-round external cooperation and maintain a favorable external environment.

Deepen solidarity and cooperation with developing countries. The vast number of developing countries are China's natural allies in international affairs and have always been at the forefront of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. As the world's largest developing country and an important member of the Global South, China has always upheld the concept of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith (真实亲诚) and the correct understanding of righteousness and benefit (正确义利观) advocated by General Secretary Xi Jinping, strengthening solidarity and cooperation with developing countries and firmly safeguarding the common interests of developing countries. In particular, in recent years, China and Africa have jointly advanced the "six modernizations" and jointly implemented the "ten partnership actions"; launched the "five major projects" with Latin American countries; advanced the "eight major common actions" with Arab states and built a "five cooperation framework"; built "seven cooperation platforms" with Pacific Island countries; and continuously consolidated traditional friendships and raised cooperation levels with the vast number of developing countries.

Implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. The four global initiatives are important public goods contributed by General Secretary Xi Jinping to the world and are the strategic guidance for building a community with a shared future for mankind. The Global Development Initiative focuses on international development cooperation, providing assistance for the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Global Security Initiative focuses on resolving international disputes through dialogue and consultation, providing new ideas for international security cooperation. The Global Civilization Initiative is committed to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, clarifying a realistic path for building a diverse and inclusive civilizational ecology. The Global Governance Initiative targets the principles, methods, and paths of reforming the global governance system and institutions, injecting strong impetus into building a more just and equitable global governance system. The four global initiatives have their own focus but are not contradictory; together, from the four dimensions of development, security, civilization, and governance, they provide important support for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Promote the building of a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and clean and beauty. The "five worlds" are the overall goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind and also the extension of the "five-in-one" overall layout of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics at the international level. Building a world of lasting peace means adhering to dialogue and consultation to better resolve disputes and contradictions and eliminate war and conflict. Building a world of universal security means adhering to joint contribution and shared benefits to address traditional and non-traditional security threats in a coordinated manner. Building a world of common prosperity means adhering to cooperation and mutual benefit to promote an open, inclusive, balanced, and win-win economic globalization. Building a world of openness and inclusiveness means adhering to exchanges and mutual learning, promoting the common values of all humanity, and encouraging different civilizations to learn from each other's strengths and progress together. Building a world of clean and beauty means adhering to green and low-carbon development and seeking a path of sustainable development. The "five worlds" are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, forming an organic whole, providing a worldview foundation and methodological guidance for building a better world, and pointing the direction for the future and destiny of humanity.

(Written by: Chen Xiaodong (陈小冬), researcher at the Research Center for the Community with a Shared Future for Mankind (人类命运共同体研究中心))

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NATO's functional expansion and geographic enlargement disrupt Asia-Pacific security order

By: 关健斌

The NATO Ankara Summit concluded on July 8, 2026. The summit released the Ankara Summit Declaration, which reaffirms NATO's concept of "360-degree deterrence and defense," coordinates security issues related to Eurasia, designates the Ukraine crisis, Middle East affairs, and the Asia-Pacific situation as long-term security agendas, and explicitly states that "the Atlantic and Asia-Pacific security are interconnected," thereby establishing a new policy basis for NATO's deep involvement in Asia-Pacific affairs.

NATO was born during the Cold War and was initially positioned as a regional defensive alliance. In recent years, this traditional military organization has continuously broken through its traditional geographical jurisdiction and inherent functional scope, gradually extending its geostrategic forces to the Asia-Pacific region. Its regional deployment and forms of cooperation have exhibited many new developmental characteristics.

First, the geographical coverage has extended across regions, and the strategic layout has gradually expanded from the Atlantic region to the entire Asia-Pacific region. NATO's traditional defense zone and functional setting were concentrated in the North Atlantic region, and the scope of application of "Article Five of collective defense" was long limited to Europe and North America. In recent years, NATO has continuously established a cognitive orientation that "Eurasian security is indivisible," gradually breaking the constraints of inherent geographical boundaries and incorporating the Asia-Pacific into its overall security layout. Unlike the large-scale expansion method in Eastern Europe, NATO has not admitted Asia-Pacific countries to the alliance but instead has built a layered and categorized partnership architecture, designating Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand as "Indo-Pacific Partner Countries" (IP4), signing exclusive cooperation agreements tailored to each country's strategic positioning, and carrying out differentiated collaboration. The 2022 Madrid Summit invited the heads of state of these four countries to attend for the first time, and the Ankara Summit further established an annual participation mechanism, steadily advancing the Asia-Pacific strategic layout and exploring the construction of a transoceanic security linkage architecture connecting the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.

Second, cooperation mechanisms continue to be established, and the form of interaction has shifted from non-substantive exchanges to substantive coordination. Early interactions between NATO and Asia-Pacific countries were mainly political exchanges such as high-level meetings and joint statements, lacking rigid constraints and implementation platforms. The two sides have now formed a multi-dimensional, normalized cooperation system, with a steady improvement in practical operational levels. At the level of industrial collaboration, defense procurement and supply chain cooperation have been carried out in an orderly manner. South Korea has initiated negotiations on NATO's Procurement Basic Agreement (《采购基本协定》), allowing its domestic enterprises to participate in NATO's tens-of-billion-level joint procurement system and to engage in special projects for critical defense raw materials. At the level of technological coordination, the two sides have built cooperation platforms for cyber defense, space intelligence, and defense innovation research and development, and have carried out joint research on unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence defense technologies using real-world operational data. At the level of training and exercise coordination, activities such as maritime security, anti-submarine warfare, anti-drone exercises, and intelligence sharing have become normalized, covering both traditional defense and new security scenarios, with the degree of strategic cooperation continuously deepening.

Third, the scope of security coverage continues to expand, and the field of protection has extended from traditional defense to new security domains. NATO's initial function focused on the territorial defense of member states and collective military security. After multiple rounds of functional adjustments, the boundary of security coverage has continuously expanded. NATO has incorporated industrial chain and supply chain security into the collective defense framework, establishing a transnational strategic mineral reserve, joint procurement, and unified certification system, bringing the supply of critical strategic resources into the alliance's security agenda and promoting the securitization of ordinary economic issues. At the same time, it has incorporated emerging fields such as cyberspace, outer space, and artificial intelligence governance into its defense layout, integrating alliance resources to build a cross-regional technical security cooperation network, participating in global security governance through new security affairs, and continuously broadening its own strategic functional boundaries.

There are the following deep-seated motivations behind NATO's continuous breakthrough of geographical and functional boundaries.

First, to maintain the operation of the alliance and improve the situation of weakened legitimacy. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the disbandment of the Warsaw Pact, the global bipolar confrontation pattern ended. NATO has long faced problems of ambiguous strategic positioning and insufficient rationale for its existence. To improve its development situation and consolidate alliance consensus, NATO has continuously promoted strategic transformation and functional expansion. It has implemented the "NATO 3.0" transformation plan, restructuring the transatlantic defense division of labor, with European member states assuming primary responsibility for conventional defense and the United States focusing on nuclear deterrence and strategic reserve force construction, reconciling differences over burden-sharing in military spending and adapting to the pace of global strategic contraction. At the same time, it has identified new security threats, established new security agendas, reconciled differences within the alliance on strategic autonomy, defense investment, and regional policies, and consolidated alliance consensus. Functional expansion and geographical extension have become the main pathways for NATO to consolidate its strategic position.

Second, to align with major-power deployment and serve global strategic competition. The United States regards the Asia-Pacific as a key main battlefield for global strategic competition, but relying solely on its own strength and the Asia-Pacific bilateral alliance system cannot form a complete strategic deterrence and balancing capability. Therefore, the United States promotes NATO's involvement in Indo-Pacific affairs, guiding European defense forces to integrate into its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" framework. Relying on the strategic logic of "Eurasian security linkage," it pushes European member states to coordinate in areas such as troop deployment, high-end technology controls, and global supply chain restructuring, to compensate for the shortcomings of strategic forces in the Western Pacific, integrate Western defense resources, and build a cross-regional strategic camp. NATO's expansion into the Asia-Pacific is a concrete manifestation of the U.S. global strategy in the military security field.

Third, the docking and coordination of regional countries, which take up the extraterritorial strategic deployment. Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and other Asia-Pacific countries have actively aligned with NATO's cooperation system, becoming front-line supports for NATO's involvement in Asia-Pacific affairs. Japan hosts NATO foreign affairs exchange activities, participates in multilateral exercises on a normal basis, conducts defense exchanges, integrates into NATO's defense system, and blatantly promotes the expansion of its military forces. South Korea, based on its own global development positioning, aligns with NATO's defense procurement and cybersecurity cooperation mechanisms, using multilateral cooperation to expand its defense industry development space and enhance regional influence. These relevant countries, by leveraging multilateral strategic collaboration and relying on NATO's resources and rule systems, seek their own developmental dividends.

Fourth, the updating of security agendas provides conditions for cross-regional expansion. With the continuous evolution of economic globalization and the technological revolution, new cross-regional security issues such as supply chains, high-end technology, and outer space and cyberspace have received increasing attention. Such security issues are not constrained by geography and require multinational coordination to address, creating favorable conditions for NATO to break through its traditional regional positioning. The normalization of various cross-border security risks has pushed NATO to expand its functional scope by relying on new security issues, gradually transforming from a regional defensive alliance into a cross-regional security governance vehicle.

NATO's continuous advancement of its Asia-Pacific strategic layout has changed the original development trend of the region and poses challenges to the long-term stable security order in the Asia-Pacific.

First, it fosters geostrategic camp differentiation and undermines the region's open and inclusive pattern. The Asia-Pacific security order has long adhered to characteristics of consultation, joint construction, openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, relying on mature multilateral mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to form a diversified, inclusive, and non-confrontational benign cooperation system. NATO introduces the exclusivity and camp-based confrontational thinking of European military alliances into the Asia-Pacific, joining with Indo-Pacific partner countries to build parallel security mechanisms that break away from the existing regional multilateral framework, creating a situation where dual security architectures coexist. This disrupts the regional cooperation pattern and exacerbates the latent risk of geostrategic confrontation.

Second, it disrupts the regional security governance system and diminishes the regional tradition of dialogue and consultation. While geopolitical conflicts are intensifying in many parts of the world, the Asia-Pacific has maintained an overall peace and stability, and various differences and frictions within the region can be properly handled through normalized dialogue and consultation mechanisms. The Cold War mentality and zero-sum game thinking introduced by NATO continuously compress the space for regional multilateral cooperation and impact the long-accumulated cooperative consensus in the region. The deep involvement of extraterritorial military forces breaks the inherent strategic balance of the Asia-Pacific, pushes some countries toward confrontational security orientations, amplifies regional geostrategic risks, and causes regional security governance to become loose and unbalanced.

Third, it confuses the boundary between development and security, impacting the foundation of regional multilateral development. Asia-Pacific regional cooperation has always been centered on economic and trade mutual benefit, industrial coordination, and inclusive development, adhering to a pragmatic cooperation logic that prioritizes development. NATO deliberately severs the original cooperation system, categorizing normal development affairs such as strategic mineral supply, industrial chain layout, smart technology research and development, and maritime corridor security into the category of geostrategic security competition. Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries benchmark NATO's defense and technology control rules, causing industrial and technological exchanges that were originally meant for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes to acquire a nature of competition and politicization, continuously disturbing the stable foundation of Asia-Pacific multilateral cooperation.

In the face of the various regional challenges brought by NATO's Asia-Pacific layout, countries in the Asia-Pacific region should base themselves on the overall interests of the region, prudently respond to the various risks arising from external involvement, and safeguard the overall situation of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. First, consolidate the multilateral cooperation architecture and stabilize the region's open and inclusive development pattern. Continue to rely on ASEAN centrality, activate the vitality of multilateral mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, and RCEP, and strengthen the autonomy and integrity of Asia-Pacific regional cooperation. Continue to promote the principles of consultation, dialogue, and equal treatment, maintain the region's non-confrontational and inclusive cooperative tradition, weaken the interference of extraterritorial camp-based thinking on regional order, and consolidate the Asia-Pacific's development pattern of pluralistic coexistence and mutual benefit. Second, improve regional security governance and maintain geostrategic balance. Based on the actual security needs of the Asia-Pacific region, build a normalized security dialogue platform suited to the region's development characteristics, smooth communication channels among countries, and properly handle regional differences and security risks. Adhere to resolving contradictions by peaceful means, abandon confrontational security thinking, build consensus on regional security governance, optimize the regional security governance model, effectively hedge against geopolitical fluctuations caused by external force intervention, and maintain the overall stability of the regional strategic situation. Third, deepen mutually beneficial industrial and technological cooperation and consolidate the foundation of regional development. Focus on key areas such as industrial and supply chains, strategic resources, smart technology, and maritime corridors, promote practical collaboration among Asia-Pacific countries, and build a region-specific industrial coordination and technological exchange system. Strengthen regional resource coordination and technology sharing, consolidate development consensus, return to the mutually beneficial essence of economic, trade, and technological cooperation, strip away the political gaming attributes brought by non-regional factors, and continuously reinforce the economic and social foundation of Asia-Pacific multilateral cooperation.

(The author is the Director of the Institute of Asian and African Development under the Development Research Center of the State Council (国务院发展研究中心亚非发展研究所).)

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Adhere to using the Party's innovative theories to unite minds and forge souls

By: 李俊伟

Persisting in using the Party's innovative theory to consolidate the soul (凝心铸魂) means persisting in using the Party's innovative theory to arm the mind and transform the subjective world, and is the fundamental task of the Party's ideological construction. This major theoretical judgment is both an inheritance and promotion of Marxist thought on Party building, and a new summary and new requirement for the theoretical development and practical experience of Party building in the new era.

Persisting in using the Party's innovative theory to consolidate the soul has profound theoretical implications and historical foundations.

Building the Party ideologically is an important Marxist principle of Party building, and also a distinctive feature and political advantage that runs through the CCP's century-long construction. Engels, pointing to the situation at the time where some in the workers' movement did not emphasize theoretical construction, noted, "Our Party has a great advantage: it has a new scientific worldview as its theoretical foundation." Lenin, in leading the revolutionary movement, established Marxism as a scientific ideology, understood it as a complete worldview, and thereby guided the Russian proletarian revolution to new victories. Mao Zedong, based on China's special national conditions, established a working-class party with peasants as its main component, solved the problem of ideological entry into the Party, and established the important principle of ideological Party building. During the Yan'an period, our Party used Marxist ideological education to popularize scientific theory, and promoted the combination of theory and practice to a greater degree. On this basis, it consolidated the will of the entire Party to form Mao Zedong Thought, which played a major role in further guiding Party building. At the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, ideological emancipation promoted practical innovation. The Party Central Committee systematically summarized practical experience and answered ideological perplexities. At the 14th National Congress, the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics was formed. To implement the various tasks of Party building proposed by the 14th National Congress and to adapt Party building to the reform of establishing a socialist market economic system, the "Decision on Several Major Issues Concerning Strengthening Party Building" clearly proposed the new great project of Party building. The 19th National Congress established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guiding ideology that our Party must adhere to for a long time. The 2023 National Organization Work Conference highly summarized the core content of the Party's ideological construction in the new era as building the Party ideologically and strengthening it theoretically (思想建党、理论强党), and summarized it as: possessing guidance by Marxist scientific theory is the fundamental reason for our Party's firm beliefs and faith and its grasp of historical initiative; persisting in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific reality and with the finest traditional Chinese culture is the basic path of theoretical innovation; unremittingly using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate the soul, and carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party (伟大建党精神), to consolidate the foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of spirit, and steady the helm of thought.

Persisting in using the Party's innovative theory to consolidate the soul has a distinct mission orientation and problem orientation.

Our Party regards Marxism as a powerful ideological weapon for transforming the objective world and the subjective world. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "Our Party takes Marxism as its founding principle, takes the realization of communism as its highest ideal, and takes serving the people wholeheartedly as its fundamental purpose. This is the foundation of Communists. Without these, we are like trees without roots. The logical relationship of our entire path, theory, and system lies here." Faith in Marxism and belief in socialism and communism are the political soul of Communists and the spiritual pillar that enables Communists to withstand any test. This determines the basic positioning of the Party's ideological construction and its long-term and fundamental nature. Centering on the major era-defining question of what kind of long-term ruling Marxist party to build and how to build it, only with strong theory can the direction be clear, the people united, and the confidence sufficient. To resolve the danger of mental laxity under long-term ruling conditions, to address the problems of confused faith and lost spirit among some Party members and cadres over a period of time, as well as the actual gaps in truly studying, truly believing, truly applying, and in learning thoroughly, understanding thoroughly, and implementing practically (学懂弄通做实), how ideological construction plays a fundamental role becomes particularly important. For a political party, the establishment of thought is the true establishment; for Party members and cadres, ideological maturity is a sign of political maturity; for education in ideals and beliefs, clarifying the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the spiritual pillar and political soul of Chinese Communists, and also the ideological foundation for maintaining the Party's unity and solidarity. Further, ideological unity is the deepest, most enduring, and most reliable guarantee of the Party's unity and solidarity. To achieve the unity of the thought, will, and action of the entire Party, the most fundamental is to arm the whole Party with the Party's basic theory. Therefore, the primary task of the Party's ideological construction is to strengthen the ideals and beliefs of all Party members, use innovative theory to consolidate the soul, and forge an indestructible body (金刚不坏之身).

Persisting in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate the soul.

Since the 18th National Congress, our Party has persisted in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific reality and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and opened up a new realm of Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is extremely rich in content, covering new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies in all aspects of reform, development, and stability; internal affairs, foreign affairs, and national defense; and governance of the Party, the state, and the military. In particular, the scientific worldview and methodology contained therein and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that run through it are the golden key for us to observe, analyze, and solve problems. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era answers the fundamental question of what flag to hold and what path to take in the new era, puts forward a series of major judgments that are full of the spirit of the times, creativity, and strategic nature, is clear-cut and 正本清源 (zhèng běn qīng yuán - "to rectify the source and clear the stream," to fundamentally correct and clean up) on what to uphold and what to oppose, and collectively reflects the Party's political will, political stance, and political propositions, fully demonstrating the truth power of Marxism. This is the ideological foundation for the united struggle of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country. The Party's guiding ideology is the crystallization of the collective wisdom and practical experience of the Party and the people, and is the action guide for the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to think with one mind and exert their strength in one direction. Party members and cadres must learn from it to strengthen firm ideals and beliefs, sincere feelings for the people, high historical confidence, and fearless spirit of responsibility, to consolidate the foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of spirit, and steady the helm of thought.

Normalizing and institutionalizing the study and application of the Party's innovative theory.

Basic methods of innovative theory learning. To achieve a higher degree and greater effectiveness of theoretical arming, the first, fourth, and sixth collective study sessions of the 20th Politburo of the Central Committee made scientific arrangements respectively concerning the content quality of scientific theory, the orientation, direction, and methods of theoretical innovation, and the methods and systems of theoretical arming. In terms of learning content, emphasis is placed on linking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era with the study of the basic tenets of Marxism, clarifying the national conditions basis and policy basis of innovative theory by exploring its theoretical origins, and firmly establishing the "Four Matters of Confidence" (四个自信) in socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era; emphasis is placed on combining theoretical study with the study of the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of socialist development, guiding Party members and cadres to understand the basic reasoning of why the CPC can do it, why Marxism works, and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is good, deepening their understanding and grasp of the Party's history, and deepening their understanding and recognition of the Party's theory. In terms of methods and approaches for arming with innovative theory, emphasis is placed on adhering to the combination of regular education and centralized education, the combination of theoretical arming and practical application, and the combination of strengthening Party spirit and increasing capabilities, and improving and implementing the long-term mechanisms of learning to forge the soul, learning to increase wisdom, learning to correct conduct, and learning to promote action (以学铸魂、以学增智、以学正风、以学促干). Since the 18th National Congress, the nine centralized Party education campaigns that have been organized have all started with ideological education, focusing on solving the problems of insufficient learning, ideological disunity, and lagging action. Centralized education uses theoretical arming to add spiritual impetus to solving practical problems and to remove ideological obstacles, and uses examination, analysis, and implementation of rectification measures to provide realistic teaching materials and genuine insights. Taking the "Two Studies, One Action" education campaign (两学一做) as an example, it promotes the expansion of intra-Party education from the "key minority" to the vast majority of Party members, from centralized education to regular education, strengthens the Marxist stance of the vast number of Party members, ensures that the entire Party always maintains a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in thought, politics, and action, and makes our Party always a Marxist party with ideals and beliefs.

Promoting the normalization and institutionalization of theoretical arming. Our Party consolidates the practical experience and effective methods of ideological construction and theoretical education through institutional regulations and implements them through organizational management methods, continuously promoting theoretical arming to go deeper and more solid (走深走实) and to enter the mind and heart (入脑入心). In the theoretical education system, it constitutes a system with the study system of the theoretical study center group as the leading link, the study system for young cadres and youth theoretical study groups as the core link, the theoretical interpretation and propaganda system as the expansion link, and the theoretical interpretation inspection system as the implementation link. From the coverage of theoretical education, based on the "Regulations on Cadre Education and Training" and others, it clearly regards the education campaign on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the political task of cadre education, proposing that cadre education focus on high quality and high level, and that Party members and cadres should learn to have faith, learn to be loyal, and learn to have responsibility; based on the "Regulations on the Education and Management of CPC Members", it clearly regards arming the whole Party with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the primary political task of Party member education and management, guiding Party members to fully understand the great significance of studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, consciously learn, understand, grasp, and implement it thoroughly, and become steadfast believers and loyal practitioners of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The realization of thought requires organizational promotion, and ensuring learning and education through organizational guarantee is a traditional advantage. From the "Regulations on the Work of the CPC Central Committee" to the "Regulations on the Work of CPC Branches (Trial)", all clarify the responsibilities of Party organizations in promoting theoretical arming. For example, the "Regulations on the Work of CPC Organization" clearly stipulate that leading bodies must deepen theoretical arming. Using institutional forms to expand theoretical arming of the whole Party to theoretical education of the people, the "Regulations on the Ideological and Political Work of the CPC" promotes the improvement of the ideological and political work system, promotes the use of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to arm the mind, unify thought, build consensus, and guide practice, and promotes Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to enter enterprises, villages, communities, schools, the internet, and new employment groups, ultimately letting theory fly into the homes of ordinary people (飞入寻常百姓家).

The effectiveness of theoretical study lies in application; the effectiveness of transforming the subjective world must be reflected in the practice of transforming the objective world. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has both rich ideological connotations and methods for promoting work. Party members and cadres must be adept at mastering scientific theory, this essential skill (看家本领), internalizing it in the mind and externalizing it in action (内化于心、外化于行), unifying thought in the midst of emancipating the mind, raising understanding in the midst of deepening understanding, building political firmness through theoretical clarity, and leading action through ideological consciousness, thereby driving the entire society to form strong cohesion and appeal, and truly transforming the Party's theoretical advantages and political advantages into the actual effectiveness of national governance.

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Advancing the Party's innovative theories to take root in the people's hearts

By: 唐宝全

Thought is the forerunner of action; theory is the guide to practice. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that it is necessary to “truly make vivid ideas vivid, and make thorough theories thorough, powerfully advancing the penetration of the Party’s innovative theories into the hearts of the people.” This profoundly reveals the inner mechanism by which the Party’s innovative theories transform from a scientific system into ideological consensus, and from the power of truth into practical force. Without a thorough and profound theoretical core, vivid expression can easily become superficial; without vivid and effective modes of expression, no matter how profound the theory, it is difficult to truly enter the hearts of the vast number of cadres and the masses. The two penetrate each other, are 相辅相成 (xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng - “mutually complementary and reinforcing,” meaning two things complement each other), and are unified in the great practice of using the Party’s innovative theories to consolidate the soul and forge the spirit and to guide Chinese-style modernization.

The inherently vivid quality of the Party’s innovative theories is rooted in the fertile soil of the magnificent great practice of the new era, is a theoretical crystallization formed by basing itself on the “two combinations” to respond to the questions of the times and the questions of the people, and is continuously enriched and developed in the cycle of guiding reform and development practice and responding to the real demands of the masses. Theoretical propaganda and explanation must not turn the Party’s innovative theories into abstract concepts divorced from reality and solidified doctrinal conclusions; rather, it must link theoretical viewpoints with the historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the state, clearly explaining the era background of their emergence, the real-world issues they respond to, and the practical logic they contain. It must both use facts to explain why the theory is “effective,” and also theoretically reveal the fundamental reasons and internal laws behind the achievements, preventing the presence of cases without thought, or stories without reason.

To respond to concerns, it is necessary to identify problems accurately. Be adept at capturing the entry points of theoretical propaganda from major issues in reform, development, and stability, from real difficulties in grassroots governance, and from the urgent, difficult, anxious, and longing issues around the masses, understanding the specific demands of different groups in areas such as livelihood security, employment and entrepreneurship, and grassroots governance, so that wherever the masses’ concerns are concentrated, that is where the principles are explained. Be adept at linking theory with practice, connecting grand themes with concrete work and life realities, and linking theoretical logic with practical problems, so that every propaganda session becomes a targeted ideological supply, achieving popularity without losing its reason, diversity without deviating from its core, so that theory has both ideological depth and emotional warmth, continuously enhancing the affinity, appeal, and penetrating power of the Party’s innovative theories.

Marx pointed out: “Theory can convince people as long as it is thorough; and theory can be thorough as long as it grasps the root of things.” To make thorough theories thoroughly explained and thoroughly studied, it is necessary to make efforts in systematization, academicization, and precision, both clearly explaining important thoughts, important viewpoints, major judgments, and major measures, and also clearly explaining their theoretical basis, historical logic, and practical foundation, constructing a panoramic cognitive framework; both answering “what is it,” and also answering “why,” “how to see it,” and “how to do it,” deeply excavating the principles, academic principles, and philosophical principles contained in the theory, forming a comprehensive and systematic theoretical understanding.

Theoretical learning cannot stop at memorizing a number of concepts and conclusions; what is more important is to master the Marxist worldview and methodology that runs through them. Guide Party members and cadres to know its words and even more to know its meaning, to know its what and even more to know its why, and also to take the lead in truly believing, truly learning, and truly practicing the Party’s innovative theories. They must not understand various deployments as isolated work items, but must grasp their internal connections from the overall perspective of the cause of the Party and the state, clearly explaining the fundamental connection between Party building and the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.

The Way cannot be discussed while sitting idle; principles cannot be talked about in empty words. On the new journey, the ideological and public opinion environment is complex and volatile, and the mission of consolidating the soul and forging the spirit is even more arduous. It is necessary to enhance ideological appeal through segmented and vivid narratives, making vivid ideas vivid; to demonstrate theoretical thoroughness through systematic and academic theoretical research and explanation, making thorough theories thorough; and continuously promote the Party’s innovative theories to enter the mind and heart, and to be seen in action and produce results.

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Deepen Study and Implementation of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building

By: 林娜

To deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building, the symposium on “Deepening the Systematic and Theoretical Research and Interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building (习近平党建思想)” was held on July 24 at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) (中央党校（国家行政学院）). The meeting was organized by the Press and Publication Agency of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) and undertaken by the editorial office of the Journal of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance). Nine experts and scholars delivered keynote speeches, conducting an in-depth discussion on deepening the systematic and theoretical research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building.

Interpret from the perspective of philosophical and social science research methods. Deeply comprehend Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building’s “Fourteen Persistences” (十四个坚持) and its intrinsic relationships. Li Junru (李君如), former Vice President of the Central Party School, pointed out that Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building, with the “Fourteen Persistences” as its scientific connotation, is a scientific thought system that is both sharply targeted and full of philosophical wisdom. In studying, implementing, deepening the systematic and theoretical research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building, we must recognize and handle five major relationships: the relationship between Party leadership, Party building, and the Party’s cause; the relationship between the strategic policy of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and the value orientation of managing and governing the Party; the relationship between the Party’s political construction, ideological construction, and Party spirit tempering; the relationship between the Party’s organizational construction, cadre team construction, and the Party’s work style construction and discipline construction; and the relationship between persisting in the anti-corruption struggle and governing the Party by institutions and by rules. Only by correctly understanding and handling these intrinsic relationships can we help promote the entire Party’s profound understanding of the decisive significance of the “two establishments” (两个确立) and resolutely achieve the “two safeguards” (两个维护), help deepen the arming of the Party’s innovative theories and promote the entire Party’s continuous improvement of ideological and theoretical levels, and help persistently (chí zhī yǐ héng - “persist with constancy,” to persevere steadfastly) advance the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and promote the steady and long-term progress (xíng wěn zhì yuǎn - “walk steadily to reach afar,” to proceed steadily and far) of Chinese-style modernization.

Grasp four basic issues. Wang Tingda (王庭大), Director and Researcher of the Party History and Party Building Research Center of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, believes that the systematic and theoretical research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building mainly include: first, grasping the research theme, namely upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership and advancing the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party; second, grasping the constructed categories and their logical system, taking political construction as the lead to accurately analyze comprehensive and strict governance of the Party; third, studying the expression of the discourse system, such as discourse systems loved and recognized by the people like “the country is the people, the people are the country” (江山就是人民，人民就是江山); fourth, analyzing the theoretical structure: political construction stipulates the fundamental political nature and forward direction, ideological construction and organizational construction consolidate the ideological foundation and tighten the organizational system, work style, discipline, and institutional construction tighten the institutional cage of governing the Party by rules, and the anti-corruption struggle systematically answers the question of how to build a long-term governing Marxist political party in the new era.

Take philosophical epistemology as the explanatory framework and “to forge iron, one must be strong oneself” (打铁必须自身硬) as the main research line. Han Qingxiang (韩庆祥), a national first-class professor of philosophy and social sciences and former member of the Central Party School Committee, proposes to elevate “to forge iron, one must be strong oneself” into a philosophical paradigm of two-way interaction between subject and object, between transforming the subjective world and transforming the objective world, and to place the “Fourteen Persistences” within the understanding and grasp of “forging iron” and “being strong oneself.” As the subject of “forging iron,” the Chinese Communists themselves must be strong, reflected in “remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind” (不忘初心、牢记使命), being strong in the original aspiration and mission; as the strength of the leadership subject, reflected in “upholding Party leadership” and “upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Party,” being strong in Party leadership; as the strength of the governance object, being strong in strictness, strong in politics, strong in theory, strong in Party spirit, strong in organization, strong in the ranks, strong in work style, strong in discipline, strong in purity, strong in institutions, and strong in responsibility.

Research from historical logic and contemporary practice. Correctly understand the dialectical unity relationship between strong mission responsibility and scientific thought methods. Yang Deshan (杨德山), Professor of the School of Marxism at Fudan University, believes that the six theoretical characters of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building contain three sets of dialectical unity relationships: the dialectical unity of firm ideals and convictions and deep feelings for the people, the dialectical unity of high historical initiative and distinct problem orientation, and the dialectical unity of strong mission responsibility and scientific thought methods. The dialectical unity of strong mission responsibility and scientific thought methods is embodied in: mission responsibility provides practical impetus for thought methods, penetrating the responsibility of strengthening the Party and the country, and is the spiritual state and conscious action of Chinese Communists in taking responsibility, daring to struggle, and being good at acting; thought methods provide scientific guidance for mission responsibility, tempering the ability to strengthen the Party and the country, and are the methodological safeguard in the methodological dimension, and the way of thinking and working methods of Chinese Communists in understanding and transforming the world.

Deeply grasp two major theoretical cornerstones. Xin Xiangyang (辛向阳), Researcher of the School of Marxism at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that whether viewed from the scientific connotation of the “Fourteen Persistences” or from the distinctive theoretical character, the two major theoretical cornerstones of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building are the view of the Chinese Communist Party and the theory of the most essential characteristic. The view of the Chinese Communist Party is the basic viewpoint that answers questions about the nature, purpose, original aspiration, mission, and leadership role of the Chinese Communist Party. The theory of the most essential characteristic is the major judgment creatively proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping: “The most essential characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, and the greatest advantage of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party” (中国特色社会主义最本质的特征是中国共产党领导，中国特色社会主义制度的最大优势是中国共产党领导). Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building deeply answers the extreme importance of Party leadership to the country, the people, and the nation, emphasizing the need to uphold and improve the Party leadership system and place it first in China’s system.

Grasp well the distinctive theme of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. Zhao Chaofeng (赵朝峰), Professor of the School of Marxism at Beijing Normal University, believes that any scientific theory has a core theme that runs through it; the theoretical theme is the logical main line for constructing a complete theoretical system, with concepts, viewpoints, principles and other theoretical constituent elements unfolding and interrelating in an orderly manner around this main line, promoting the systematic construction and theoretical interpretation of the theory. The theme is the soul of the theoretical system; if there is no clear and unified theme to guide it, various ideological viewpoints can only be in a fragmented and scattered state, making it difficult to form a logically rigorous and connotationally complete scientific theoretical system. Comprehensively and strictly governing the Party is not only the fundamental strategy for responding to the era’s topic of building a long-term governing Marxist political party, but also the strategic main axis and practical main line that runs through Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building, and moreover the practical foundation for the formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building. The three are progressive and internally unified, constituting the fundamental theme of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building.

Recognize from the perspective of original theoretical contributions. Refine systematic answers into categories, propositions, and principles. Song Fufan (宋福范), second-level professor of the School of Marxism at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), believes that deepening the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building should not be satisfied with separate interpretations of important judgments, but should further reveal its central issues, internal structure, and principled contributions, promoting the transformation of research from content research to problem research, from sub-topic research to system research, from status interpretation to principle refinement, from political discourse to academic categories, and from theoretical interpretation to autonomous knowledge system construction. The essence of the theorization of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building is to refine the systematic answers to building a long-term governing Marxist political party into theoretical categories, basic propositions, and principled understandings of Marxist party building theory; the key to systematization is to reveal the internal connections among these categories, propositions, and principles.

Deeply comprehend major theoretical innovations with emblematic significance. Zhou Jingqing (周敬青), second-level professor of the School of Marxism at East China Normal University, believes that the original contributions of establishing and practicing a correct view of performance in Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building can be fully grasped from five dimensions: the political dimension is the fundamental political requirement, the people’s dimension is the distinctive value orientation, the advanced nature dimension is the fundamental Party spirit marker, the practical dimension is the core key requirement, and the normative dimension is the institutionalized requirement of behavioral norms.

Systematically grasp the theoretical system of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on governing the Party by rules. Lyu Pin (吕品), Deputy Director of the Party Building Teaching and Research Department of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), believes that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important discourses with pioneering significance on governing the Party by institutions and by rules are progressive and closely interlinked (层层递进、环环相扣), systematically answering a series of major issues in the new era such as the strategic positioning, political direction, system construction, functional role, and construction policy of governing the Party by rules, forming a complete, deeply connotative, and distinctly original scientific theory that permeates the historical logic of more than a century of Party management and governance, the theoretical logic of Marxist party building doctrine, and the practical logic of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party in the new era.

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Zhu De: From Nanchang Public Security Bureau Chief to "Advisor and Guide" of the Nanchang Uprising

In April 1927, the Provisional Provincial Affairs Meeting Minutes of the Jiangxi Provincial Government (江西省档案馆藏)

The provisional provincial affairs meeting minutes of the Jiangxi Provincial Government of the Republic of China, dated April 9, 1927, recorded several "items for discussion." Among them was an item noting, "The resignation of Nanchang Public Security Bureau Director Dai Shifu (戴石浮) and Deputy Director Fu Liangbi (傅良弼); discussion on the issue of selecting successors." The resolution stated, "The resignations of Dai Shifu and Fu Liangbi are both approved; the resulting vacancy for the position of Director of the Public Security Bureau shall be filled by Zhu De (朱德), Commander of the Third Army Officer Training Regiment." This original meeting record, stored in the Jiangxi Provincial Archives (江西省档案馆), though its paper has yellowed, still bears clear ink traces. After Zhu De served as Commander of the Officer Training Regiment (军官教育团) of the Third Army of the National Revolutionary Army, he legally became Director of the Nanchang Public Security Bureau. This not only placed a significant urban armed force under his control but also laid a crucial groundwork for the successful launch of the Nanchang Uprising a few months later.

Receiving orders to enter Jiangxi: the revolutionary spark within the Officer Training Regiment

In January 1927, Zhu De, acting on instructions from the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (中共中央军委), went to Nanchang, Jiangxi, to enter the service of Zhu Peide (朱培德) in the Third Army of the National Revolutionary Army.

Zhu De's work in Nanchang had a special historical connection and base of personal ties. The Third Army, stationed in the Nanchang, Jiujiang, and Ji'an areas, was a Yunnan force. Its overall commander, Zhu Peide, army commanders Wang Jun (王均) and Jin Handing (金汉鼎), and division commanders Yang Ruxuan (杨如轩) and Yang Chisheng (杨池生), were all Zhu De's classmates at the Yunnan Military Academy (云南陆军讲武堂) and later served alongside him for a long time in the Yunnan Army. From being a probationary officer, Zhu De grew into a famous general of the Yunnan Army known far and wide (远近驰名, yuǎn jìn chí míng - "far and near spread fame," renowned extensively), and he had "deep friendships" with them. It was precisely by relying on this special historical relationship that Zhu De was able to smoothly enter the Third Army. As soon as he arrived in Nanchang, Zhu Peide appointed him Commander of the Third Army Officer Training Regiment, and soon afterward appointed him General Staff Officer of the Fifth Front Army (第五方面军). At that time, due to work requirements, Zhu De's status as a member of the Chinese Communist Party was kept secret; his public political identity remained that of a Kuomintang member.

The Officer Training Regiment was established at the former Jiangxi Army Military Academy. The trainees comprised two parts: the majority were active-duty junior officers of the Third Army, organized into the 1st and 2nd Battalions, totaling over 700 men. There was also a 3rd Battalion, a student soldier battalion, which mainly recruited middle school students from within the province and some young people from Shanghai, totaling over 400 men. On the surface, the establishment of the Officer Training Regiment was a routine measure taken by Zhu Peide to retrain junior and mid-level officers and improve military quality. However, in Zhu De's hands, the Officer Training Regiment went beyond the scope of routine military training, becoming a secret base for the Communist Party to cultivate military cadres and develop revolutionary strength.

Zhu De demonstrated outstanding political foresight and organizational ability in running the school. In terms of educational content, he placed equal emphasis on political education and military training, offering political courses on the Chinese Revolution, the Peasant Question, and Social Problems, and often inviting Communists such as Zeng Tianyu (曾天宇) to give lectures. In terms of organizational construction, he was well aware that cultivating only military skills was far from enough; this force had to be brought under the political leadership of the Communist Party. Zhao Rong (赵镕), then Chief of the General Affairs Department of the Nanchang Officer Training Regiment, recalled that the Officer Training Regiment "had a Communist Party organization, a point that was public, but the party's organization and activities were of a covert nature. The party organization developed party members among the progressive trainees. Initially, each company developed one or two to four or five members; by the end of the term, each company had developed ten or more members, and in one battalion, some companies even reached about one-third of the total company trainees." Communist Party member Chen Qihan (陈奇涵) served as Chief of Staff and Party Branch Secretary of the Officer Training Regiment, responsible for Party work.

Zhu De also extended the revolutionary influence of the Officer Training Regiment from the campus to society. He repeatedly sent trainees to cities and counties such as Wan'an, Taihe, Ji'an, Pingxiang, Fuzhou, Jiujiang, and De'an to assist in establishing local trade unions and peasant associations and to carry out the worker and peasant movement. He himself often went to lecture and guide work in mass organizations such as the Peasant Movement Training Classes, trade unions, peasant associations, women's associations, and student unions. Thus, the Officer Training Regiment became an important driving force for the revolutionary movement in Nanchang and even throughout Jiangxi.

Concurrently serving as Bureau Director: legally controlling the urban armed force

On April 7, 1927, Zhu Peide was formally inaugurated as Chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Government. Two days later, on April 9, the provisional provincial affairs meeting of the Jiangxi Provincial Government passed a resolution appointing Zhu De as Director of the Nanchang Public Security Bureau. On the surface, this was merely an ordinary personnel change—the original Director Dai Shifu and Deputy Director Fu Liangbi resigned, and Zhu De took over. However, this appointment was by no means accidental. Li Shizhang (李世璋), then Director of the Political Department of the Sixth Army of the National Revolutionary Army, later recalled: "It happened that Zhu Peide was also a good friend of Zhu De, so Zhu De was invited by Zhu Peide to go to Nanchang, serving as Commander of the Third Army Officer Training Regiment and concurrently as Director of the provincial capital Nanchang Public Security Bureau."

After taking over as Director of the Public Security Bureau, Zhu De used this identity to carry out a series of tasks. At a general assembly of all bureau personnel, he admonished everyone to "truly assume responsibility, protect the people, and restore order in Nanchang as quickly as possible." At the same time, he promptly allocated over 100 rifles from the Public Security Bureau to arm the peasant self-defense force organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Peasant Association. At the critical juncture when the Kuomintang-Communist cooperation was about to break down, every rifle under Communist control was 弥足珍贵 (mí zú zhēn guì - "more than enough to be precious," extremely precious).

Zhu De's work style at the Public Security Bureau left a deep impression on his subordinates at the time. Bao Yuzhu (鲍玉柱), who worked in the Bureau's Seal Office, recalled: "Zhu De spoke to us all several times. What he talked about was encouraging us to work hard and to carry out revolution. He said: 'Before the revolution is victorious, everyone must bear more hardships, do more work, and always think of the broad masses of the people.'" Xu Guanghe (胥光和), who served as a clerk in the Bureau's Administrative Section, recalled that at the inauguration ceremony, Zhu De admonished all officers and police, "Work hard; do not seek out people to speak for you, nor ask anyone to write an 'eight-line' (i.e., a letter of introduction) to guarantee you. Whether you can continue working here or not depends entirely on whether you yourselves work hard or not."

The significance of Zhu De concurrently serving as Director of the Public Security Bureau lay not only in his personal acquisition of a post but also in the fact that the Party, through him, legally took control of an urban armed force. Although only a small part of this force participated in the Nanchang Uprising, the Public Security Bureau's police and firefighters were familiar with the terrain and understood the situation; their value for intelligence and cover should not be underestimated. During this period, Zhu De was ordered to lead the Officer Training Regiment to the Fuzhou area in eastern Jiangxi to suppress bandits. In the areas of Linchuan, Guixi, and Chongren, they struck at armed forces of landlords and bandits, guided the development of the peasant movement, and sent cadres from the Officer Training Regiment to serve as Director of the Fuzhou Public Security Bureau and Captain of the Linchuan County Peasant Self-Defense Force. They also left a number of trainees to work in the countryside, enabling the peasant movement in eastern Jiangxi to be protected and developed as the White Terror increasingly approached.

Entrusted with a mission at a critical moment: secret preparations before the Nanchang Uprising

In June 1927, Zhu Peide openly shifted his stance, ordering that Communist Party members be "escorted out" ("礼送" - courteous send-off) and announcing the suspension of the worker and peasant movement throughout the province. After learning of this news, Zhu De voluntarily resigned from his position as Director of the Public Security Bureau, and graduated the trainees of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Officer Training Regiment early, keeping only the 3rd Battalion to continue their studies. Aside from a few who returned to their original units, the vast majority of the trainees of the 1st and 2nd Battalions were dispersed according to a planned arrangement. They were assigned to various counties along the Gan River basin and to the railway lines, engaging in trade union and peasant association work or serving as cadres for worker pickets and peasant self-defense forces. Zhu De also arranged for a number of Communist Party members and students to go to the divisions commanded by Yang Ruxuan and Yang Chisheng under Zhu Peide. These students, during the Nanchang Uprising and later when the two Yangs fought the Red Army at Jinggangshan, played a role of acting in coordination from within (里应外合, lǐ yìng wài hé - "inside respond, outside coordinate," collaborate from inside and outside). Shortly thereafter, Zhu Peide demanded that Zhu De leave Nanchang under the pretext of a "courteous send-off." Zhu De traveled via Jiujiang to Wuhan.

On July 15, the Wuhan Nationalist Party Central Committee, controlled by Wang Jingwei (汪精卫), publicly announced the "expulsion of the Communists." The first Kuomintang-Communist cooperation completely collapsed, and the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party decided to launch an armed uprising in Nanchang. Because Zhu De was familiar with the situation in Jiangxi and had favorable working conditions, the Center sent him back to Nanchang in advance to prepare for the uprising. On July 21, Zhu De secretly returned to Nanchang. Taking advantage of the fact that Zhu Peide had already gone to Lushan, Zhu De used his social status and prestige to make frequent contact with the original Yunnan Army officers stationed in Nanchang, and through various relationships, he learned in detail about the troop deployments in and around Nanchang. He meticulously drew a map of the Nanchang urban area marking key military points, clearly noting the enemy's garrison bunkers, firepower positions, and attack routes.

On July 27, Zhou Enlai (周恩来) secretly arrived in Nanchang and that night stayed at Zhu De's residence at No. 2 Huayuandong. Zhu De immediately reported the enemy situation in detail to Zhou Enlai: there were 6 regiments of Nationalist troops stationed inside and outside Nanchang city, plus scattered guard units, totaling about 10,000 men; most of the regimental commanders of the 3rd and 9th Armies remaining in Nanchang were close followers of Zhu Peide and were difficult to win over; the remaining three companies of the 3rd Battalion left by the Officer Training Regiment and the police and firefighters of the Public Security Bureau that could be won over numbered about 400-500. Although small in number, because they were familiar with local conditions, they were of no small value to the uprising. Zhou Enlai later highly appraised Zhu De's role in the Nanchang Uprising, praising him as "an excellent staff officer and guide."

On the eve of the uprising, in order to create conditions for its smooth execution, Zhu De hosted a banquet for two regimental commanders and one deputy regimental commander of the 3rd Army stationed in Nanchang. The banquet lasted over two hours, after which he invited them to play mahjong. While they were playing, an officer from the 20th Army came to report an intelligence leak; upon hearing this, the men immediately took their leave. Zhu De could not stop them, but he quickly went to He Long's (贺龙) headquarters to report the enemy situation. Based on this sudden development, the Front Committee resolutely decided to advance the uprising by two hours.

At 2:00 a.m. on August 1, the gunfire of the Nanchang Uprising sounded. After several hours of fierce fighting, the uprising forces annihilated over 3,000 enemy troops stationed in Nanchang and occupied the city. After the victory of the uprising, Zhu De was appointed Deputy Commander of the 9th Army and soon afterward was reassigned as its Commander. On August 3, he led the 9th Army as the vanguard on the march south to Guangdong, continuing to fight to preserve the revolutionary spark.

An ostensibly ordinary record of a provincial affairs meeting carries the profound wisdom of a Communist Party member using a legal status to carry out revolutionary struggle under special historical conditions. It is a micro-level witness to the historical turning point when the Party turned to independently leading armed struggle. From receiving orders to enter Jiangxi in January 1927 to serve as Commander of the Officer Training Regiment, to concurrently serving as Director of the Nanchang Public Security Bureau on April 9, and then to participating in the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, it was 绝非偶然 (jué fēi ǒu rán - "absolutely not accidental," no coincidence at all) that Zhu De was able to play the role of "excellent staff officer and guide" in the Nanchang Uprising. In the short span of seven months, he cultivated a revolutionary backbone force that was politically reliable and strictly disciplined within the Officer Training Regiment; under the cover of his legal identity as Director of the Public Security Bureau, he mastered every aspect of the Nanchang city defense; in the actual combat of suppressing bandits in eastern Jiangxi, he tempered the military capability of his troops; through frequent exchanges with his old Yunnan Army comrades, he wove a reliable intelligence network. All of this laid a solid foundation for the successful launch of the Nanchang Uprising. It was precisely this working method of penetrating deeply into the masses, into practical realities, and into the enemy's rear, together with his unswerving revolutionary convictions and flexible and astute tactics, that enabled Zhu De to shoulder the heavy responsibilities entrusted to him by the Party and the people at the critical juncture of history.

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The Era's Echo of "Love the People, Love the Military"

By: 福建省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心

Supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, and supporting the government and cherishing the people, are the fine tradition and unique political advantage of our Party, our military, and our people. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has always placed the work of supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, and supporting the government and cherishing the people (双拥工作 — "double-support work") in a prominent position, profoundly clarified the fundamental direction and mission responsibility of double-support work in the new era, and continuously promoted the consolidation and deepening of unity between the military, government, and people. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the convening of the first National Double-Support Work Conference. On the day before the conference opened, that is, January 9, 1991, Comrade Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, specially composed "Feelings Between the Army and the People: A Seven-Character Regulated Poem" to congratulate the conference being held in Fuzhou. Systematically reviewing Comrade Xi Jinping's exploration and practice regarding double-support work during his work in Fujian, and deeply elucidating the political wisdom, strategic thinking, sentiment for the people, and practical character contained therein, has important theoretical value and practical significance for further deeply comprehending the decisive significance of the two establishments (两个确立), enhancing the four consciousnesses (四个意识), strengthening the four confidences (四个自信), achieving the two upholds (两个维护), deeply grasping the inner logic and practical requirements of double-support work in the new era, and continuing the fine tradition of "the army loves the people, the people support the army."

An important magic weapon for rallying the military's morale and the people's hearts, and serving the great cause of strengthening the country and the military

During his work in Fujian, Comrade Xi Jinping always treated double-support work as a major political task, based on the reality of military-local coordination, used profound strategic vision to plan the overall layout and a pragmatic work style to grasp implementation, laying a solid foundation for Fujian's double-support work and also providing an important guideline for promoting high-quality development of double-support work in the new era.

Focusing on strengthening the work of supporting the military and supporting the front line, establishing a clear orientation of handling special matters with special measures and genuinely grasping implementation for serving military construction. Efficiently implementing the work of supporting the military and supporting the front line is a key link in serving the military's preparation for war and combat. In response to the particularity and urgency of military affairs, Comrade Xi Jinping personally deployed and commanded from the front, using a pragmatic style to promote the implementation of support measures and ensure they took effect. In Xiamen, he ascended the "Heroic Three Islands" (英雄三岛) and, facing the harsh conditions of Jiaoyu Island (角屿岛) — "no water, no electricity, no residents" — decided on the spot to implement the "Three Goods" project (三好工程 — "one good well, one good vegetable plot, one good pigsty") to help the troops resolve practical difficulties such as water supply. In Ningde, to support militia participation in poverty alleviation work, he allocated 60,000 yuan for road building, school construction, and telephone installation in Dalin Village, Fu'an County. In Fuzhou, he went to military units multiple times to work on-site, clearly dividing responsibilities and assigning specific individuals to lead the advancement of urgent problems such as household registration, housing, and water and electricity capacity expansion, efficiently resolving the military's pressing needs with the work style of "handling special matters with special measures." At the provincial party committee and provincial government, he promoted the construction of the Fujian Reserve Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division, led relevant department heads to work on-site, allocated funds to build an officer training center for the reserve division, providing strong support for the construction of reserve forces. These important concepts and major practices always focused on the urgent needs of the troops and the concerns of officers and soldiers, using pragmatic measures to solve practical difficulties in military construction and the lives of officers and soldiers, fully reflecting the deep feelings of caring for national defense and officers and soldiers, and the work style of truly grasping implementation, taking responsibility, and fulfilling duties.

Focusing on deepening two-way support and coordination between the military and local authorities, exploring effective paths for the mutual promotion and coordinated development of economic construction and national defense construction. Promoting two-way support and complementary advantages between the military and local authorities is the intrinsic requirement and important mission of double-support work. Comrade Xi Jinping took serving the development of social productive forces and improving the combat effectiveness of the troops as the starting point and goal of double-support work, and focused on optimizing the two-way support mechanism between the military and local authorities. In Xiamen, he organized the "military-civilian joint construction of Zhongshan Road" activity and helped the 31st Group Army build a combat readiness road, which not only improved the travel conditions for officers and soldiers but also raised the level of local infrastructure. In Ningde, he advocated "military-civilian grand chorus," using the method of joint military-civilian poverty alleviation to both train the militia reserve forces and assist the poverty alleviation work in eastern Fujian. In Fuzhou, he supported the construction of military infrastructure, helping the troops build a support-the-military road and a support-the-military bridge; the troops stationed in Fuzhou also cared about local development, doing a great deal of work in afforestation, wind and flood resistance, emergency rescue and disaster relief, and other urgent, dangerous, and heavy tasks. At the provincial party committee and provincial government, he cared about the lives of officers and soldiers and actively supported the construction of non-staple food bases for the troops; the troops also fully supported local construction, making contributions in flood relief, poverty alleviation and prosperity, and key project construction. These important concepts and major practices always adhered to coordinating economic construction and national defense construction, promoted complementary advantages and coordinated development between the military and local authorities, gathered military-local joint force through two-way support, fully reflecting the systematic concept of overall consideration and coordinated development, and the strategic thinking of bearing the overall situation in mind and planning holistically.

Focusing on promoting the institutionalization and standardization of double-support work, providing solid guarantees for the orderly and long-term advancement of double-support work. Institutional construction is the fundamental guarantee for the sustained and healthy development of double-support work. Comrade Xi Jinping always treated institutional construction as an important lever for promoting the quality and efficiency of double-support work, and focused on building a complete, standardized, and orderly system of institutions for double-support work. In Xiamen, he actively leveraged the role of the military-political joint meeting system, served as the head of the municipal double-support work leading group, attended joint meetings and ensured the implementation of all matters agreed upon. In Ningde, on occasions such as New Year's Day, Spring Festival, and "August 1st" (Army Day), he visited and expressed condolences to officers and soldiers stationed in Ningde, convened forums with old Red Army soldiers, retired military cadres, and families of martyrs and military personnel, soliciting their opinions on local economic construction and other aspects. In Fuzhou, he promoted the inclusion of double-support work in the important agendas of party committees and governments at all levels, explored long-term mechanisms such as policy support for the military, material support for the military, scientific and technological support for the military, and service support for the military, promoted the establishment and improvement of four work systems between the military and local authorities in Fuzhou, and issued multiple policy documents to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of military personnel and their families. At the provincial party committee and provincial government, he promoted the formulation of the first local regulation on double-support work in the country, the "Fujian Province Several Provisions on Supporting the Military and Giving Preferential Treatment to Military Families," and insisted on retaining the front-line support office during institutional reforms, making Fujian the only province in the country to retain the front-line support office at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. These important concepts and major practices always adhered to using institutions to consolidate foundations, promote standardization, and benefit the long term, fully reflecting the work philosophy of focusing on establishing rules and regulations and improving operational mechanisms, and the governance strategy of focusing on the long term and seeking practical results.

Focusing on creating a strong atmosphere of unity between the military, government, and people, cultivating a deep soil for the social trend of "the army loves the people, the people support the army" to take root in the hearts of the people. The unity between the military, government, and people has its foundation in the hearts of the people and its strength in public sentiment; it must be deepened and consolidated through sustained and extensive propaganda and guidance, as well as vivid and effective activity vehicles. Comrade Xi Jinping integrated the concept of "love my people, love my army" throughout double-support work, actively exploring practical forms that the masses are happy to see and willing to participate in. In Xiamen, he participated together with military commanders and fighters and people from all walks of life in Xiamen in the cross-strait swimming activity between Xiamen and Gulangyu, enhancing emotional exchange between the military and civilians through mass activities with local characteristics. In Ningde, he attached great importance to national defense education and revolutionary tradition propaganda, expanding the coverage of education and enhancing the dual-support awareness of cadres and the masses through activities such as selecting and promoting models, telling heroic stories well, and organizing national defense education speech contests. In Fuzhou, he facilitated the convening of the first National Double-Support Work Conference in the city, clearly put forward the concept of "love my people, love my army," emphasized extensively carrying out national defense education for all, and promoted a series of joint construction activities between the military and civilians. At the provincial party committee and provincial government, he continuously strengthened double-support propaganda and education, enhanced the effectiveness of social mobilization, and constantly raised the dissemination power and influence of propaganda on supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families. These important concepts and major practices always adhered to making propaganda and education an important lever for deepening double-support work, gathered consensus between the military and civilians through rich and diverse activity vehicles and extensive and in-depth propaganda and education, fully reflecting the value pursuit of rallying the military's morale and gathering the people's hearts, and the mission responsibility of consolidating the unity between the military, government, and people, and committing to strengthening the military and rejuvenating the armed forces.

Double-support work can only be strengthened, not weakened

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that under the new situation, double-support work can only be strengthened, not weakened. His exploration and practice regarding double-support work during his work in Fujian, based in Fujian and looking at the overall situation, conformed to the trend of the times. The important concepts, working methods, and practical paths contained therein have been continuously enriched and developed in the national double-support work in the new era, fully demonstrating their enduring practical value and contemporary significance.

Focusing on serving combat readiness, the pattern of supporting the military and supporting the front line oriented toward war and combat has been continuously improved. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, national double-support work has insisted on focusing on serving combat readiness and war fighting, continuously improving the work system for supporting the military and supporting the front line, and promoting the continuous enhancement of military-local coordinated support capabilities. Fujian has always been mindful of the great matters of the state (国之大者) and kept a close eye on the important matters of the military (军之要事), making serving combat readiness and war fighting the focus of double-support work, supporting the construction of military infrastructure, ensuring the construction needs of training bases and national defense projects, supporting military construction in science and technology, culture, and daily life through multiple channels and forms, and resolutely completing support tasks for various major exercises and drills. Practice has fully proven that insisting on making serving combat readiness and war fighting the core orientation of double-support work, continuously improving the work mechanism for supporting the military and supporting the front line, promoting efficient coordination of military and local resources and overall improvement of operational support capabilities, has effectively expanded the work of supporting the military and supporting the front line from solving practical difficulties to serving combat effectiveness construction, thereby establishing the main line of work for further improving the quality and efficiency of serving the strengthening of the military and rejuvenating the armed forces.

Focusing on preferential treatment and guarantees, the social atmosphere of respecting military professions has become increasingly strong. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the service guarantee work for military personnel, their families, and retired soldiers across the country has been continuously strengthened, preferential treatment policies have been constantly improved, and the social trend of respecting the military and holding it in esteem has become more pronounced. Fujian has continuously improved the service guarantee system for military personnel, their families, and retired soldiers, insisted on combining policy guarantees with warm-hearted services, and focused on solving the "three after" issues (三后问题 — "rear route, rear courtyard, offspring," i.e., career transition, family relocation, children's education) of officers and soldiers. The placement rate of demobilized officers into party and government organs and reference management units has remained above 93.5%, and retired soldiers who meet the conditions for government-arranged employment have achieved 100% placement and employment; over 10,000 cases of placement and employment for family members accompanying military personnel and preferential education for children of military personnel have been coordinated and resolved; 28 provincial-level departments in Fujian jointly launched 153 preferential treatment items, and over 800,000 preferential treatment certificates for retired soldiers have been issued, promoting more precise preferential treatment and more considerate service guarantees. Practice has fully proven that insisting on making caring for military personnel and their families and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of military personnel an important part of double-support work, continuously improving the precision level of service guarantees, has effectively promoted better protection of the legitimate rights and interests of military personnel and their families, and continuously enhanced the sense of professional honor of military personnel, adding the warmth of the times to further doing a good job in preferential treatment and guarantee work for military personnel and their families and making respecting the military a common social trend.

Focusing on system construction, the organizational guarantee level of double-support work has been continuously improved. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the organizational leadership system for national double-support work has been continuously improved, the military-local coordination mechanism has been continuously perfected, and the level of institutionalization and standardization has steadily risen. Fujian has further improved the institutional system for supporting the military and supporting the front line in the new era, successively issuing policy documents such as strengthening the work of supporting the military and supporting the front line in the new era and serving the military's combat readiness with high quality. Relying on double-support work leading groups at all levels, it has established military-local coordination groups for supporting the military and supporting the front line, improved plan proposals and emergency response mechanisms, and promoted the formation of a smoother and more efficient work pattern between the military and local authorities in terms of demand docking, resource coordination, and collaborative advancement; it has continuously consolidated and expanded the achievements of creating national double-support model cities, promoted the deep integration of double-support creation with grassroots governance, national defense education, and the construction of spiritual civilization, and continuously improved the organizational mobilization capability and service guarantee level of double-support work. Practice has fully proven that insisting on strengthening organizational leadership, improving the work system, deepening military-local coordination, and continuously enhancing the organizational guarantee capability of double-support work has effectively promoted the transformation of double-support work from experience-based exploration to standardized operation, from single-item advancement to systematic coordination, providing important support for further promoting the high-quality development of the double-support cause.

Focusing on military-civilian joint construction, the good situation of unity between the military, government, and people has become more consolidated. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the fine tradition of supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, and supporting the government and cherishing the people in national double-support work has been continuously carried forward, military-civilian joint construction activities have been deeply carried out, and the unity between the military, government, and people has been continuously consolidated and developed. Fujian has continuously deepened the activities of "jointly studying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, jointly building socialist spiritual civilization, and jointly promoting unity between the military, government, and people in the new era," with over 1,200 military-local joint construction pairs in the province, and deepening military-local joint study and joint construction; it has innovated double-support practice vehicles, continuously promoting characteristic activities such as "province-warship joint construction" (省舰共建), "city-company joint construction" (城连共建), and "one city, one county, one brand" (一市一县一品牌). Troops stationed in Fujian actively serve local economic and social development, with 113 key townships and villages linked for assistance, mobilizing over 300,000 person-times and over 50,000 vehicle-machines to participate in emergency rescue and disaster relief, epidemic prevention and control, and other urgent, dangerous, and heavy tasks; they have held over 60 events such as "Fujian products enter military camps, double-support promotes consumption" (闽货进军营·双拥促消费), driving consumption of over 13 million yuan, achieving mutual promotion between supporting the military and benefiting the military and serving local development. Practice has fully proven that insisting on carrying forward the glorious tradition of "the army loves the people, the people support the army," continuously deepening military-civilian joint construction and innovating double-support practice, has effectively promoted a more solid foundation for unity between the military, government, and people, closer interaction between the military and local authorities, and continuously enhanced vitality in double-support work, gathering immense strength for further carrying forward the fine tradition of double-support and advancing the great cause of strengthening the country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Promoting double-support work to continuously achieve new progress

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must adhere to the guidance of Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the comprehensive leadership of the Party, deepen reform and innovation, improve policies and mechanisms, and promote double-support work to continuously achieve new progress." We must deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on double-support work, inherit and carry forward the series of important concepts and major practices pioneered by Comrade Xi Jinping during his work in Fujian, draw from them the ideological guidance for doing a good job in double-support work in the new era, and strive to open up a new situation of unity between the military, government, and people.

Adhere to the Party's leadership to firmly grasp the political direction of double-support work. Double-support work is essentially political work; it must adhere to the Party's leadership, strengthen ideological and political guidance, and ensure that double-support work always serves the overall situation of the Party and the country's work and serves the mission of the times to strengthen the country and the military. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double-support work, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply implement Xi Jinping's thinking on strengthening the military and Xi Jinping's thinking on Party building, seriously study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech on July 1, adhere to the comprehensive leadership of the Party over double-support work, deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the two establishments (两个确立), resolutely achieve the two upholds (两个维护), and ensure that the Party Central Committee's various decisions and deployments on double-support work are implemented and effective; strictly implement and tighten the main responsibilities of party committees and governments at all levels, promote the firm establishment and practice of a correct view of political achievement, incorporate double-support work into the overall deployment of economic and social development and national defense construction, and form a work situation of joint management and coordinated advancement; fully leverage the Party's political and organizational advantages, deepen military-local joint construction, and gather broader political consensus and strong joint force for realizing the goal of strengthening the country and the military in the new era.

Adhere to systematic thinking to enhance the overall effectiveness of double-support work. Double-support work is a systematic project involving both military and local authorities and covering multiple fields and levels; it must adhere to overall consideration and holistic advancement. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double-support work, we must establish systematic concepts and strategic thinking, strengthen forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and holistic advancement, improve the working mechanism of military-local coordination, departmental linkage, resource sharing, and demand docking, coordinate and advance key tasks such as serving military combat readiness and war fighting, solving the "three after" problems of military personnel and their families, and strengthening two-way military-local support, promote organic connection in various fields of double-support work, coordinated cooperation in all aspects, and concerted efforts in all policies, continuously enhance the overall effectiveness and quality level of double-support work, and better serve the overall situation of national defense and military modernization.

Adhere to upholding the fundamentals and innovating to maintain the vitality of double-support work. The fine traditions and valuable experiences accumulated in double-support work must be inherited and carried forward, while at the same time keeping pace with the development of the times, closely following the requirements of missions and tasks, and continuously promoting innovative development. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double-support work, we must adhere to the political essence of double-support work, carry forward fine traditions, develop in inheritance, innovate in development; actively adapt to the new requirements of strengthening the country and the military and the new changes in economic and social development, promote innovation in the concepts, mechanisms, and methods of double-support work, continuously expand new fields and paths such as socialized support for the military, scientific and technological support for the military, and industry support for the military; fully mobilize the initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity of both military and local authorities and all sectors of society, inherit and promote red culture, build the Changting and Ninghua Long March National Cultural Parks well, advance the construction of the Fujian Revolutionary Military Museum, deepen the research and interpretation of revolutionary historical materials and revolutionary cultural relics, create double-support brands with the characteristics of the times, continuously enhance the influence and appeal of double-support work, and make new contributions to consolidating and developing the rock-solid unity between the military, government, and people.

Adhere to normalcy and long-term effectiveness to promote the deep and solid development of double-support work. Double-support work is a long-term and foundational task; it must focus on the long term and persist for a long time, building a work pattern of normal development and long-term implementation. On the new journey of the new era, to do a good job in double-support work, we must improve the policy system and work deployment, perfect the working mechanisms of demand docking, service guarantee, supervision and implementation, and promote the precise implementation and effective implementation of various policies for supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families; strengthen military-local coordination and resource coordination, strengthen policy cohesion, force integration, and work cooperation, promote coordinated linkage and continuous deepening in various fields of double-support work; focus on long-term development, timely summarize practical experience, optimize working methods, promote double-support work to be grasped to the end and achieve results, strive to create a national double-support model city with a full house red (满堂红 — "all targets achieved") and seven consecutive championships (七连冠 — "seven consecutive titles"), inject lasting impetus into the high-quality development of the double-support cause in Fujian in the new era, and jointly write a new chapter of the times of loving my people and loving my army.

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Let AI, the Thoroughbred, Run Fast and Steady

By: 朱保锋

On July 17, 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the High-level Meeting on Global Governance of AI, stating, "China always attaches equal importance to development and security, grasps the trends and laws of artificial intelligence, continuously improves relevant laws and regulations, policies and systems, application norms, and ethical standards, ensures that artificial intelligence is safe, reliable, and controllable, and enables this thousand-li horse of artificial intelligence to both run fast and run steadily."

The original meaning of "thousand-li horse" refers to a fine steed that can travel a thousand li in a day, often used as a metaphor for outstanding talents with exceptional abilities or transformative development forces with great potential. General Secretary Xi Jinping uses "thousand-li horse" as a metaphor for artificial intelligence, a strategic technology leading a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. The metaphor is vivid, apt, and profound, deeply revealing the intrinsic logic of the two sides of the same coin—innovation-driven development and safety governance of AI—and emphasizing the need to promote the healthy and orderly development of artificial intelligence in a direction that is beneficial, safe, and fair.

A thousand-li horse travels a thousand li in a day, its foundation lies in strong bones and abundant strength. The key to enabling this thousand-li horse of artificial intelligence to run fast is to consolidate the foundation of autonomous and controllable technology. Computing power, chips, underlying algorithms, etc., constitute the core technologies of artificial intelligence and are the underlying support for technological iteration and industrial application. If the development of underlying core technologies lags behind, it is like a fine steed with congenital deficiencies in its bones and tendons; the development of artificial intelligence will be weak and feeble, and may even be constrained by others at every turn. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen original innovation and tackle key core technologies, comprehensively enhance the comprehensive strength of scientific and technological innovation, and consolidate the "skeleton" of technological autonomy in all aspects. We must fully leverage the advantages of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources (新型举国体制), focus on key areas such as large models, general intelligence, and high-end chips for concentrated research, solve the "bottleneck" problems, open up the entire chain from basic research to technology breakthroughs to industrial transformation, so that domestically produced artificial intelligence has the solid confidence to run independently.

A thousand-li horse must not be trapped in a small stable; otherwise, even if it has great skills, it cannot display them. Only by placing it in a vast world can it gallop freely and fully show its strengths. The same logic applies to the development of artificial intelligence. To promote AI development, it is necessary to step out of the laboratory, break through the narrow track of a single industry, and expand the application space toward the broad scenarios of the real economy. On the one hand, we must break down the barriers and boundaries of technology application, fully implement the "AI+" action (人工智能+), and continuously expand the application boundaries of AI in various fields, from digital transformation of manufacturing, smart planting in modern agriculture, to government convenience services and inclusive education and healthcare. On the other hand, we must further relax the space for industrial development, break down industry barriers and data barriers, promote the free flow of computing power, algorithms, and data elements, and build a broad practical platform for technology implementation. At the same time, we must adhere to open and win-win cooperation, continuously deepen global technological exchanges and open-source collaboration, broaden the development track in international competition and cooperation, and allow artificial intelligence to fully release its huge potential for empowering economic and social development in the global innovation field.

For a thousand-li horse to successfully reach its destination, it also needs reins to restrain and track regulations. Without standardized guidance, a fine steed will run wild, easily deviating from the right path and going astray. Currently, artificial intelligence technology is iterating and evolving at an unprecedented speed, deeply integrating into all areas of production and life. While enjoying the technological dividends, we must be clear-headedly aware of the endogenous and derivative risks it may bring, such as data leakage, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, and ethical lapses. Therefore, to promote the healthy and orderly development of artificial intelligence, we must strengthen risk awareness and ensure safety and controllability, so that it can truly become a trustworthy tool for humanity. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "ensure that artificial intelligence remains under human control at all times," and "promote the construction of a system of laws and regulations, technical monitoring, risk early warning, and emergency response, strengthen the safety bottom line, and prevent misuse and malicious use." This is precisely to tighten the reins of governance on the galloping artificial intelligence, ensuring that its forward path is stable and orderly.

"Running fast" and "running steadily" support each other; they are 相辅相成 (xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng - "mutually complement and mutually achieve," meaning things complement each other) and dialectically unified. In the process of AI development, blindly seeking speed and indulging leniency will eventually breed systemic risks and overdraw long-term development; while blindly seeking stability and constraining innovation will miss strategic opportunities of the technological revolution and fall into a passive state of development. Therefore, to coordinate the relationship between the two, the key is to adhere to the dialectical methodology of "regulate in development, develop in regulation." Accurately grasp the scale of innovation speed and governance, precisely find the balance between technological breakthroughs and risk prevention and control, and avoid both the "absence" of laissez-faire and the "overreach" of excessive constraints. Adopt a tolerant and prudent regulatory model, reserve space for trial and error in frontier innovation areas, and tighten regulation in mature high-risk areas, achieving a dynamic balance between innovation vitality and safety bottom line. Only in this way can we ensure that this thousand-li horse of artificial intelligence both accelerates its stride and does not deviate from the control track, forging a high-quality development path for AI where innovation empowers and safety escorts.

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Balancing Five Key Relationships in Economic Development

By: 樊继达

Ensuring Our Country’s Economic Ship Rides the Wind and Breaks the Waves, Proceeds Steadily and Goes Far is a portion of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech delivered at the Central Economic Work Conference on December 11, 2024, and is included in Volume 1 of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Economy. This important document systematically expounds the five pairs of significant relationships that must be coordinated to ensure that our country’s economic ship rides the wind and breaks the waves, proceeds steadily and goes far. It is a major judgment made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on economic development in the new era, a law‑governing summary of our Party’s continued creation of the miracle of rapid economic development, and provides scientific guidance for promoting high‑quality development of our country’s economy.

To ensure that our country’s economic ship 乘风破浪 (chéng fēng pò làng – “ride the wind, break the waves,” to forge ahead boldly) and proceeds steadily and goes far, it is necessary to coordinate well the five pairs of important relationships.

In his speech at the rally celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we have completed in only a few decades the industrialization process that took developed countries centuries, creating the two miracles of rapid economic development and long‑term social stability. The reason we have been able to create the miracle of rapid economic development lies in the fact that, under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, we have continuously deepened our understanding of the laws governing economic work. In this important document, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly discusses the five pairs of important relationships that must be coordinated to ensure that our country’s economic ship rides the wind and breaks the waves and proceeds steadily and goes far.

Coordinating the relationship between an effective market and a well‑functioning government is the decisive weapon for continuing to write the miracle of economic development. Handling the relationship between the market and the government is the core content running through the entire process of economic system reform. When the government is proactive but does not overstep, absent itself, or misplace its role, the potential of the unified national market can be fully demonstrated, and the “invisible hand” of the market can be fully exerted. Coordinating the relationship between aggregate supply and aggregate demand is an important foundation for continuing to write the miracle of economic development. Supply‑demand balance is an important mechanism of the market economy and the lever for the smooth circulation of the national economy. High‑quality development requires the formation of a higher‑level dynamic balance where supply creates demand and demand drives supply work in tandem. Practice shows that both economic development and economic security are inseparable from the synergistic and mutually reinforcing efforts of demand and supply. Coordinating the relationship between cultivating new drivers and upgrading old drivers is an inevitable choice for continuing to write the miracle of economic development. The continuous ascent of our country’s economy over hurdles and obstacles (爬坡过坎) is due to the successive thrust and smooth transition between old and new drivers. While developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions, developing and strengthening emerging industries, and prospectively planning future industries, it is also necessary to take into account the quality upgrading of traditional industries. Coordinating the relationship between optimizing increments and revitalizing stocks is an inherent requirement for continuing to write the miracle of economic development. Stocks and increments are mutually conditional and transform into each other; stocks are the foundation and prerequisite of increments, and increments are the transformation and leap of stocks. Doing a good job in economic work requires both optimizing increments and revitalizing stocks, comprehensively improving the efficiency of resource allocation. Coordinating the relationship between enhancing quality and expanding total volume is an important prerequisite for creating the miracle of economic development. Improvement in quality provides momentum for growth in quantity, and growth in quantity creates conditions for improvement in quality. At the critical moment of entering the ranks of high‑income countries, we should, by leveraging the advantages of the super‑large market and cultivating rich application scenarios, unify the effective improvement of quality and the reasonable growth of quantity throughout the entire process of high‑quality development, achieving development that is of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, and more sustainable.

Our country’s economy demonstrates strong resilience and vitality.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “In practice, we have continuously deepened our understanding of the laws governing economic work. The greatest consensus formed by the entire Party is that the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is the fundamental guarantee for doing good economic work. At critical moments and important junctures, the Party Central Committee promptly assesses the situation and makes decisions and deployments, ensuring that our country’s economic ship rides the wind and breaks the waves and proceeds steadily and goes far.” In the past two years, facing a turbulent and transformative external environment, pronounced contradictions such as strong supply and weak demand at home, and structural divergence, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has kept the overall situation in view and made forward‑looking arrangements, driving our country’s economy forward under pressure. In the first half of this year, our country’s economy maintained strong resilience and vitality, continuing the development trend of overall stability and progress toward the new and the excellent.

Economic growth has stayed within a reasonable range. In the first half of the year, our country’s GDP grew by 4.7% year‑on‑year, creating the largest increment for the same period in nearly five years, achieving an effective improvement in quality and a reasonable growth in quantity. This result is in line with the scientific assessment of economic development made by the Party Central Committee at the beginning of the year, ranks among the top of major global economies, and the accumulated momentum remains very considerable, fully demonstrating the strong potential and strong resilience of the Chinese economy.

The transition between old and new drivers has been pushed forward in depth. In recent years, our country has continuously deepened its efforts in upgrading old drivers and cultivating new drivers. Economic development has shifted and upgraded from factor‑driven and investment‑driven to innovation‑driven. In the first half of the year, the contribution rate of new drivers to economic growth exceeded 40%, and new quality productive forces are taking shape at an accelerated pace. While the “new three items” (新三样) – new‑energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaics – continue to lead globally, the “new new three items” (新新三样) – represented by artificial intelligence, robots, and innovative drugs – have amazed the world. Our country’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index has jumped to 10th place, making it one of the fastest‑improving economies in innovation capacity.

The security barrier has become more solid. In terms of energy security, the Party Central Committee exercised strategic planning, proposing a package of policies to ensure supply and stabilize prices, reducing the risk of global stagflation. Some Western media outlets praised “China saving the world economy for the second time.” In terms of food security, summer grain output reached a new record high, laying a solid foundation for the year’s grain production, and the Chinese people’s rice bowl is held more firmly and securely. Key areas such as local government debt and real estate risk resolution have been advanced steadily, and the capacity to ensure high‑quality development with a high level of security has been continuously strengthened.

Livelihood security has been effective and forceful. The starting point and ultimate goal of economic development are to improve people’s well‑being. In the first half of the year, by continuously increasing investment in people’s livelihoods, promoting the coordinated development of producer services and consumer services, emphasizing the close integration of investment in things and investment in people, coordinating the construction of the “six networks” (六张网), advancing urban renewal and comprehensive rural revitalization, the foundation of economic “stability” has become solid and reliable, and the people’s sense of gain has continued to rise.

Diligently honing internal skills to promote steady and long‑term progress of our country’s economy.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that our country’s economic foundation is stable, its advantages are numerous, its resilience is strong, and its potential is great. We must strive to transform all positive factors into development achievements. Looking at the overall situation, the supporting conditions and basic trends for our country’s economy to perform well in the long run have not changed. In the future, we must diligently hone internal skills, introduce a batch of more pragmatic and effective measures, seek dynamic balance among multiple objectives, form a joint force for high‑quality development, and respond to the uncertainty of the external environment with the certainty of our own development.

Work hard on coordinating the relationship between the market and the government. The more standardized government behavior is, the more effective the market’s role becomes; the more optimized the market environment is, the more sufficient the endogenous motivation of business entities becomes. We must anchor the goal of building a high‑level socialist market economy system, consolidate the foundation of the rule of law and credit, construct a unified, open, competitive, and orderly market system, put an end to various forms of small cycles and local protection, break down all kinds of “involution‑style” (内卷式) competition, and create a world‑class business environment that is market‑oriented, law‑based, and internationalized. Be adept at using reform methods to stimulate market vitality, stabilize employment, stabilize enterprises, stabilize the market, and stabilize expectations, forming an economic order that is both “able to be let loose” and “able to be managed well,” further liberating and developing social productive forces, and stimulating and enhancing social vitality.

Work hard on smoothing the circulation of the national economy. Coordinate the relationship between aggregate supply and aggregate demand, paying attention to enhancing the adaptability and balance between supply and demand. On the one hand, continue to deepen supply‑side structural reform, enhance the adaptability and flexibility of supply to demand, expand the supply of high‑quality services, and meet the diverse, personalized, and differentiated needs of the masses. On the other hand, persist in implementing the strategy of expanding domestic demand, systematically apply policies to release domestic demand potential, increase the income of urban and rural residents, raise the level of social security, increase support for childbirth, education, and child‑rearing, and eliminate the worries that hinder consumption. Optimize the consumption environment and cultivate new consumption scenarios. At the same time, smooth private investment channels, reduce financing costs, boost the confidence of private enterprises, and increase the willingness of private investment, so that domestic demand truly becomes the main driver of economic growth.

Work hard on promoting the transition between old and new drivers. In cultivating new drivers, implement industrial innovation projects, encourage central and state‑owned enterprises to take the lead in opening up application scenarios, develop and strengthen emerging pillar industries such as integrated circuits, aerospace, biomedicine, and the low‑altitude economy, and prospectively plan future industries such as future energy, quantum technology, biological manufacturing, and embodied intelligence. Deepen and expand “artificial intelligence +,” and promote the deep integration of advanced manufacturing and modern service industries. In upgrading old drivers, implement a new round of high‑quality development actions for key manufacturing industry chains, deploy a batch of major technological transformation and upgrading projects, build a batch of smart factories and smart supply chains, and create a batch of national advanced manufacturing clusters. At the same time, create an environment more conducive to the transition between old and new drivers, accelerate the formation of new production relations that adapt to new quality productive forces. Build a mechanism to promote the development and growth of specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative (专精特新) small and medium‑sized enterprises, and efficiently utilize the National Venture Capital Guidance Fund. Government investment funds should take the lead in acting as patient capital (耐心资本), innovate science and technology financial services, promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, and form a strong joint force for developing new quality productive forces.

Work hard on comprehensively improving the efficiency of resource allocation. The focus of optimizing increments lies in concentrating on key areas such as new quality productive forces and new‑type urbanization, enhancing the growth momentum of market‑led effective investment, and increasing the proportion of government investment in people’s livelihoods. Coordinate the use of various types of government investment funds and strengthen the supervision of project funds. Improve the long‑term mechanism for private enterprises to participate in the construction of major projects, and guide private investment to expand into new tracks such as high‑tech and modern services. The key to revitalizing stocks lies in clearing inventory and optimizing supply according to city‑specific policies, and exploring multiple channels to revitalize existing commercial housing. Use special bonds to replace the hidden debts of local governments’ stock, and strictly prevent false debt resolution. Promote urban renewal with high quality, steadily implement the renovation of old urban communities and urban villages, and revitalize and utilize existing land and idle housing facilities.

Work hard on enhancing quality and expanding total volume. Economic development is a spiral upward process. When quantity accumulates to a certain stage, it must turn to quality improvement. Our country’s economic development must also follow this law. Our country is still in and will long remain in the primary stage of socialism. To solve the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development and realize Chinese‑style modernization, it is necessary to maintain a certain economic growth rate, enlarge the total volume of the economic “cake,” fully leverage the effects of the super‑large market, and at the same time pay attention to quality and efficiency, improve the quality of the economic “cake,” make the economic structure more optimized, and enhance coordination. To this end, we must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development concept, continue to promote quality change, efficiency change, and power change, so that the economy evolves toward a stage of more advanced form, more complex division of labor, and more reasonable structure. At the same time, we must ensure and improve people’s livelihoods in the course of development, pay attention to identifying the focal points and breakthrough points of reform from the urgent and pressing concerns of the people, and cultivate new economic growth points in the process of solving those concerns.

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"Only by taking a path can one achieve results and make contributions"

By: 吕文浩

On April 25, 2026, the Department of Sociology of Tsinghua University held a centennial commemorative seminar, during which a name was frequently mentioned — Chen Da (陈达, 1892–1975). He was the founder of the Tsinghua University Department of Sociology and served as its chair for a long time; during the War of Resistance he served as director of the Tsinghua University Institute for National Census Research (清华大学国情普查研究所), making important contributions to the development of the Department of Sociology. Chen Da's writings are voluminous and far-reaching in influence. He produced Chinese-language monographs in the three fields of population, labor, and overseas Chinese, and also had an English-language monograph published abroad in each of these fields. Profound specialized research and international impact made him one of the most renowned scholars in the sociological community at that time.

More than one hundred years ago, the literati-official mentality of studying to become an official still had considerable currency, but Chen Da very early on consciously identified himself as a modern professional scholar. Apart from contributing the results of sociological research to the government, he never entertained the thought of seeking any official post for himself. This spirit of devoting himself entirely to academic work was the basic prerequisite for his ability to achieve important academic accomplishments. As early as 1924, Chen Da began to pay attention to China's population problem and explored how to advance a national census. Consequently, in the autumn of 1928, he was invited to serve as Director of the National Government's Bureau of Statistics (国民政府统计司) to prepare for a national census. However, because he was unaccustomed to officialdom, he returned to teach at Tsinghua after less than a year in office. In 1935, a journalist from Tsinghua Summer Weekly wrote: "Ordinary people always say that for so-called scholars in China, scholarship is nothing but a stepping-stone. I used to think so too, but now I have found my error. If there truly are scholars in China, Mr. Tongfu [Chen Da's courtesy name] can be called one." Most people regard investigation, research, and writing as hard labor, but Chen Da considered such work to contain its own pleasure; work was not hardship but enjoyment. His student Quan Weitian (全慰天) remarked with feeling: "Mr. Chen has never sunk or risen in the sea of officialdom; he seems quite pleased with himself. Of course, he is undoubtedly a victor in the academic world."

Although Chen Da did not aim to become an official, he was not a bookworm who buried himself in his study oblivious to the world. In order to conduct social surveys smoothly, he maintained broad contacts and cooperation with all sectors of society and with government departments, and he contributed his research findings to government policy-making as a reference, making him a typical policy-oriented sociologist. According to incomplete statistics, from 1929 to 1952, Chen Da led or participated in 24 surveys, including not only small-scale and domestic ones but also large-scale and foreign ones; the survey periods ranged from three or four weeks to six or seven years. During the War of Resistance, the multiple population surveys and agricultural surveys he organized while directing the Tsinghua University Institute for National Census Research were conducted in cooperation with the Yunnan provincial government. Many staff members participated in the surveys and liaison work, and the largest population surveyed at one time reached 600,000 people. During the War of Resistance, he participated in numerous meetings or activities related to social policy, such as the National Accounting Conference, the Ministry of Interior's Training Course for Household Registration Cadres from All Provinces and Cities, the Ministry of Social Affairs' Population Policy Research Committee, and the National Social Administration Conference.

In July 1947, the Population Bureau of the National Government's Ministry of Interior printed and distributed the First Revised Draft of the First Draft of the National Household Census Plan (第一次全国户口普查计划草案) to more than twenty domestic population statistics experts for comments. As the preeminent population research expert in China at the time, Chen Da naturally appeared on this list. Chen Da did not agree with conducting a national household census during this period of war and chaos, with vast territory and huge population yet shortages of manpower and materials; he personally favored using scientific sampling and a low-cost "slip method" (条纸法) to estimate the national population total. In January 1948, Chen Da published a series of articles in newspapers such as Ta Kung Pao (大公报) in Tianjin, North China Daily News (华北日报) in Beiping, Century Review (世纪评论) in Nanjing, and The Observer (观察) in Shanghai. On the one hand, he detailed the insurmountable obstacles facing a national census at that time from three aspects — training of staff, funding, and public security; on the other hand, he positively expounded how a national census suited to China's national conditions should be conducted. In March 1948, when the Executive Yuan passed the national census plan, an article co-signed by ten socioeconomic scholars led by Chen Da, titled "Our Views on the Government's Conduct of a National Household Survey" (我们对于政府举办全国户口调查的意见), criticized the infeasibility of the First Draft of the National Household Census Plan from both technical and financial perspectives, and was published in major national newspapers.

As a policy-oriented sociologist, Chen Da used scholarship to assist governance, daring to uphold his independent views, and left behind many moving stories.

Chen Da was well aware that he did not possess extraordinary natural talent; all he could do was to accumulate materials based on scientific methods and work hard to delve deeply into the specialized field he had identified. He often said: "Apart from my own field, I am an amateur in everything else." On one occasion, when reviewing his scholarly path, he said meaningfully to his student Yuan Fang (袁方): "I feel that it is not easy for a person to become broadly learned. My method is to follow one path; only by following one path can one achieve results and contributions." The expression on his face as he weighed and savored the three characters "one path" left a deep impression on Yuan Fang. In research, Chen Da devoted far more time and energy than ordinary people. He did not watch plays or movies, rarely received guests, rarely attended meetings; once at work he was completely absorbed and absolutely would not allow anyone to arbitrarily interfere with his work. But when it came to investigation and research, Chen Da never grudged time; he often personally led assistants in conducting direct surveys, with extremely meticulous content and scrupulously careful records. For questionable data, he would not let go until accuracy was ensured, even willing to walk dozens of li of mountain roads back and forth if necessary.

On May 26, 1943, Chen Da gave a speech on "Scholarly Methods" at the farewell party for graduating students of the Department of Sociology at Southwest Associated University. He said that there are some "born scholars" in the world whose methods cannot be learned; but some scholars' methods of doing research are scientific and can be learned. For example, our country's scholar Liang Qichao had an extraordinarily strong innate memory, which ordinary people cannot emulate. On the contrary, our country's scholar Wang Guowei and the British scholar Mrs. Webb both read extensively and diligently copied materials; this kind of scholarly method can be imitated by ordinary people. Chen Da himself was a model of the latter type of scholar. Not only did he accumulate and work hard over the long term on research topics, but he also recorded whatever he saw, heard, and thought in daily life at any time. He said: "The people and things I pay attention to, the relationships between people, the relationships between people and things, and the relationships between things — all these often contain sociological meaning. My observations and thoughts sometimes unconsciously enter the realm of sociology." He truly achieved the integration of sociological research work itself with his own daily life.

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Leading TCM Culture in Global Outreach to Build a Shared Community of Health for All

By: 吴韬　季光

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping has on many occasions issued important instructions on promoting traditional Chinese medicine to go global, fully leveraging the important role of traditional Chinese medicine in promoting mutual learning among civilizations, responding to global health challenges, and promoting the building of a community of shared health for mankind. “Traditional Chinese medicine is a treasure of Chinese civilization, and inheriting, innovating, and developing traditional Chinese medicine is a major undertaking. We must inherit, develop, and make good use of this precious wealth left to us by our ancestors, and promote traditional Chinese medicine to go global,” “Deeply explore the essence of the treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicine, fully leverage the unique advantages of traditional Chinese medicine, advance the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, and promote traditional Chinese medicine to go global.” The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China clearly put forward the goals of “promoting the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine” and “enhancing the communication power and influence of Chinese civilization,” and the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan put forward the specific task of “promoting the culture of traditional Chinese medicine and promoting traditional Chinese medicine to go global.” Institutions of higher education of traditional Chinese medicine, in the process of promoting the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent in traditional Chinese medicine, should naturally play a unique and important role in advancing the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine culture, leading the international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture, and assisting in building a community of shared health for mankind.

Civilization Dialogue: Understanding the Strategic Positioning of International Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture

President Xi Jinping pointed out: “The study of traditional Chinese medicine is a treasure of ancient Chinese science and also the key to unlocking the treasure trove of Chinese civilization.” This important exposition profoundly reveals the civilizational attributes and strategic value of traditional Chinese medicine. The study of traditional Chinese medicine embodies the health preservation concepts and practical experience of the Chinese nation over thousands of years, containing profound philosophical wisdom. Continuously enhancing the international communication capacity of traditional Chinese medicine culture has important theoretical and practical significance for strengthening cultural confidence, promoting mutual learning among civilizations, and promoting the building of a community of shared health for mankind.

Civilizations exchange due to diversity, learn from each other through exchange, and develop through mutual learning. Traditional Chinese medicine is the most vivid and most recognizable concrete expression of China’s excellent traditional culture. Traditional Chinese medicine culture, with its unique philosophical wisdom and diagnostic and therapeutic concepts, provides the world with a health cognition model and life philosophy different from Western medicine. International dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture helps promote the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine culture. International dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture, taking the common pursuit of human health as its starting point, effectively transcends differences in language, religion, and ideology, promoting understanding and trust between people and between countries at the most fundamental level.

Participating in global health governance, promoting the building of a community of shared health for mankind. Traditional Chinese medicine, as an outstanding representative of global traditional medicine, is widely recognized by people in many countries for its unique advantages in disease prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. International dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture not only allows people in more countries to understand and use traditional Chinese medicine, but is also an important path to strengthen mutual learning among traditional medicines, promote the deep integration of traditional Chinese medicine into the global health system, and reshape the international health order, contributing Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom to building a community of shared health for mankind, so that traditional Chinese medicine can better benefit the people of all countries.

Education Opening: Cultivating High-Quality Talents for International Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture

President Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must cultivate and create a group of talents skilled in disseminating China’s excellent culture, to make China’s voice heard, tell China’s stories well, and continuously enhance the influence of international communication, the appeal of Chinese culture, the affinity of China’s image, the persuasiveness of Chinese discourse, and the guidance of international public opinion.” “We must inherit, develop, and make good use of this precious wealth left to us by our ancestors, and promote traditional Chinese medicine to go global.” This series of important expositions profoundly elucidates the dialectical relationship between promoting traditional Chinese medicine to go global and cultivating high-quality talents for international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture. Institutions of higher education of traditional Chinese medicine, as the main battlefield for cultivating traditional Chinese medicine talents, should focus on enhancing the awareness and ability to cultivate high-quality talents for international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture.

Making full use of the “Study in China” brand and expanding the opening up of high-level traditional Chinese medicine education is an important way to cultivate high-quality talents for international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture who understand China and are friendly to China. “International students” who come to China to study traditional Chinese medicine are an important subject for carrying out international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture now and in the future. Taking Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine as an example, the total number of long-term international students enrolled has increased year by year, with over 3,000 international students from more than 60 countries, and international undergraduate degree students account for over 20% of the university’s total students. Foreign students choosing to come to China to study traditional Chinese medicine itself reflects their acceptance and recognition of traditional Chinese medicine, and they are the natural subjects for carrying out the dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture. As institutions of higher education of traditional Chinese medicine, on the one hand, we must make full use of the golden period of international students’ study in China to guide them to carry out “experiential” dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine through various media. On the other hand, we must fully leverage the localized dissemination and radiation role of overseas alumni of institutions of higher education of traditional Chinese medicine.

Constructing an interdisciplinary training system for high-quality talents in international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture. Currently, there is a severe shortage of compound talents who are proficient in professional knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine and also possess cross-cultural communication skills, which has become a bottleneck restricting communication effectiveness. Institutions of higher education of traditional Chinese medicine must break down disciplinary barriers, promote the cross-integration of traditional Chinese medicine majors with disciplines such as foreign languages, communication, and international relations, establish talent training programs for international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture, and cultivate compound talents who understand both “observation, auscultation/olfaction, inquiry, and palpation” and are versed in “cross-cultural narrative.”

Standard Leadership: Constructing Institutional Discourse for International Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture

Standardization of traditional Chinese medicine is a foundational, strategic, and overall work. President Xi Jinping put forward the need to “establish and improve the evaluation system and standard system suitable for the development of traditional Chinese medicine,” “comprehensively and deeply participate in the formulation of relevant international standards, norms, and guidelines, share Chinese solutions and Chinese experience, enhance our country’s influence and voice in the global health governance system, and jointly build a community of shared health for mankind.” International standards are an important technical foundation for the global governance system and the development of economic and trade cooperation. The world needs the coordinated development of standards, and standards promote world connectivity.

In the process of promoting traditional Chinese medicine to go global and building a community of shared health for mankind, the construction of international standards for traditional Chinese medicine is crucial. International standards have become the “common language” of the world, and international standards are the core carrier of international discourse power. The construction of international standards for traditional Chinese medicine is not only rule-making at the technical level but also a deep channel for the transmission of cultural values. The International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine (ISO/TC249) has become an important platform for traditional Chinese medicine to go global. As the secretariat of the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine (ISO/TC249), the Shanghai International Standardization Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (上海市中医药国际标准化研究院) has led the formulation and release of 135 international standards for traditional Chinese medicine, including 84 for Chinese materia medica, 20 for traditional Chinese medicine terminology, and 31 for medical devices and equipment.

In the process of promoting the formulation of international standards for traditional Chinese medicine, it is necessary to deeply integrate standard formulation with cultural interpretation, promote the transformation of core elements such as the theoretical system, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, and quality safety of traditional Chinese medicine into internationally accepted rule language, and use “standards going global” to drive “culture going global.” On the one hand, embed cultural interpretation in the development of standards, focus on solving the problem of “distortion” in the cross-language dissemination of core concepts, promote the international standardization of terminology translation to achieve accurate expression in the international context, and allow the international community to understand the cultural logic behind the standards while adopting them. On the other hand, promote the globalization of traditional Chinese medicine service trade through standard mutual recognition, rely on the pilot development of integrated traditional Chinese medicine service consumption and service trade, promote the localized application of traditional Chinese medicine standards in countries along the Belt and Road, and achieve the deep transformation from “standards going abroad” to “culture taking root.”

Health Services: The Practical Orientation of Assisting in Building a Community of Shared Health for Mankind

President Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must adopt precise communication methods that are close to audiences in different regions, different countries, and different groups, promote the global expression, regional expression, and segmented expression of Chinese stories and Chinese voices, and enhance the affinity and effectiveness of international communication.” Health services are the practical field for traditional Chinese medicine culture to take root and also the touchstone for testing the effectiveness of international communication. Expand the practical space of global communication through scene integration. The influence of culture ultimately depends on perceptible and experienceable practical scenes. The global dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture cannot stop at text output and theoretical interpretation; it must construct diverse and integrated communication scenes, allowing traditional Chinese medicine culture to win international recognition in a “tangible and perceptible” manner. On the one hand, create inbound cultural tourism integration scenes. Combine historical and cultural districts with health service resources to create a demonstration base for traditional Chinese medicine cultural tourism integrating traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment, cultural experience, health preservation tourism, and study and exchange. Incorporate traditional Chinese medicine cultural tourism projects into Shanghai’s “World Famous Tourist City” promotion system, allowing inbound tourists to experience the charm of traditional Chinese medicine culture through experiencing traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment, learning health preservation exercises, and tasting herbal cuisine. On the other hand, expand overseas localized communication scenes. Fully leverage the communication functions of overseas traditional Chinese medicine centers, Tai Chi centers, and other institutions, plan a number of localized communication projects, upgrade overseas traditional Chinese medicine centers from single medical service platforms to cultural communication hubs, carry out targeted traditional Chinese medicine culture experience activities in the local area, and let traditional Chinese medicine culture take root and grow in foreign soil.

President Xi Jinping places high hopes on the vast number of traditional Chinese medicine workers, emphasizing the need to “strengthen national confidence, bravely scale the heights of medicine, deeply explore the essence of the treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicine, fully leverage the unique advantages of traditional Chinese medicine, advance the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, and promote traditional Chinese medicine to go global.” Gather the joint action force of global communication through coordination and linkage. The global dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture is a systematic project; it must break through the limitations of a single subject and build a collaborative pattern of multiple linkages. Establish a cross-departmental coordination mechanism involving departments such as publicity, culture and tourism, health and hygiene, education, and commerce, coordinate policies, resources, and projects, and form a full-chain work pattern of “content creation - cultural tourism integration - overseas dissemination - talent support - coordinated promotion.” Universities should play a hub role, linking mainstream media, external communication centers, publishing institutions, and other social forces, to promote traditional Chinese medicine culture from “single-unit advance” to “coordinated going abroad.”

Traditional Chinese medicine belongs to China and also to the world. Facing the future, we should adopt a more open attitude and more pragmatic measures to lead the global dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture, let this treasure of Chinese civilization better benefit the people of all countries, and contribute Chinese wisdom to building a community of shared health for mankind.

(The authors are respectively the Party Secretary of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the President of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.)

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A gentleman is dignified but not arrogant.

By: 孙世会

“The gentleman is at ease but not arrogant” comes from the Analects, Zilu. The original text reads: “The gentleman is at ease but not arrogant; the petty man is arrogant but not at ease.” It means that the gentleman is serene and composed, but does not act arrogantly or overbearingly toward others; the petty man is arrogant and overbearing, but cannot be serene and composed. “At ease” (Tai, 泰) in its original sense means “smooth.” The Shuowen Jiezi, Water Section, states: “Tai means ‘smooth,’” signifying something that flows easily. The Book of Changes contains the “Tai” hexagram, whose image has Qian (Heaven) below and Kun (Earth) above, symbolizing the intercourse of Heaven and Earth and the unimpeded flow of all things. “Tai” is further extended to mean unimpeded ease, serenity, magnanimity, and the like. Here it refers to the gentleman’s broad-mindedness, composed demeanor, and unhurried handling of affairs. “Arrogant” (jiao, 骄) means pride, self-conceit, haughtiness; it depicts the petty man’s inflated self-importance, restless agitation, and domineering manner. Through the contrast in demeanor and state of mind between the “gentleman” and the “petty man,” Confucius vividly portrays two entirely different types of personal character and reveals the fundamental difference in their inner moral cultivation.

The gentleman’s “ease” arises from the strength and steadfastness of his own inner power. Zhu Xi comments: “The gentleman follows principle, therefore he is calm and relaxed, not arrogant or放肆.” The Great Learning says: “Wealth adorns a house; virtue adorns the person.” The gentleman is replete in virtuous conduct, possessing robust inner cultivation and moral character, so his mind is at peace, his demeanor serene and composed, and he acts unhurried. The gentleman “with humility shepherds himself,” “daily examines himself thrice,” and “inwardly reflects without guilt.” He has a correct understanding of himself, needs no external show to prove himself, and does not need to belittle others to elevate himself. Hence the saying, “The gentleman is open and innocent,” and “He does not rejoice over external gains nor grieve over personal losses.” In dealing with others, he is modest and self-effacing, and therefore “he is not arrogant.”

The petty man’s “arrogance” is rooted fundamentally in inner weakness and feebleness. The character for “arrogance” (骄) is composed of “horse” (马) and “tall” (乔), taking the meaning of an untamed wild horse that is self-important and overbearing. Confucius said: “If a person has the beauty of the Duke of Zhou’s talent, but is arrogant and stingy, then the rest is not worth observing.” The petty man is arrogant but not at ease; the crux of the matter lies entirely in the word “arrogance.” Such people are “full of ambition and bursting with vigor”; they constantly indulge their own desires, become complacent when satisfied, and strive to show strength when their ambitions are fulfilled. Zhu Xi calls this “indulging desires.” Boasting of oneself and despising others, being discourteous and contemptuous — these often stem from inner emptiness and inferiority, and a genuine lack of moral cultivation. Hence the saying, “The petty man is always worried and distressed.” They may appear domineering, but in fact they are anxious about gain and loss, and so cannot achieve serenity and composed ease.

“The gentleman is at ease but not arrogant” is not only an attitude toward others and the world, but also a reshaping of one’s inner cultivation.

Guard against “arrogance and pride,” and strive to “seek inwardly.” Confucius said: “The gentleman seeks it in himself; the petty man seeks it in others.” We must turn our focus from the external to the internal, and put effort into “rectifying one’s own mind.” Laozi says: “Attain the utmost emptiness, hold fast to the quiet steadfast.” The reason the gentleman is perfectly composed is precisely that he pursues inner value and inner measure, and does not rely on external evaluation or recognition. “Seeking inwardly” is cultivating the mind, is self-examination, is tempering oneself in affairs. Wang Yangming says: “The Way of the sage is complete within our own nature,” meaning that the answers are all in one’s own mind; everyone has the potential to become a sage or a worthy. Zhang Juzheng says: “Ease arises from moral power; arrogance arises from power and profit.” When moral power is full within, one is naturally calm and peaceful, unimpeded and serene.

Guard against “self-conceit,” and always cherish “a heart of reverence.” A heart of reverence is the foundation of establishing oneself in the world. Chapter 53 of the Daodejing says: “If I had the slightest knowledge, walking on the Great Way, my only fear would be of straying.” Laozi emphasizes the importance of reverence for knowing the Way, walking the Way, and preserving the Way, and points out that “the Great Way is very level, but people like bypaths.” This means the Great Way is very smooth, and he warns people not to go astray because of excessive desire, the pursuit of novelty, or opportunism. At its core, reverence is respect for and gratitude toward nature, history, and life — as the saying goes, “We are like mayflies floating in Heaven and Earth, like a single grain in the vast ocean.” To constantly cherish a heart of reverence is the great wisdom of conducting oneself in the world. Only when one holds reverence in the heart, and removes the heart of self-conceit and arrogance, acting as the Book of Songs, Lesser Court Hymns says — “trembling and cautious, as if approaching a deep abyss, as if treading on thin ice” — can one be restrained in speech and measured in action, and thereby be fearless.

Guard against “arrogance and contempt,” and thickly cultivate “empathy.” “Arrogance” reifies people in the mind, believing that others are inferior to oneself; “ease” contains respect for and tolerance of others. The Analects, Yang Huo says: “If you are respectful, you will not be insulted; if you are generous, you will win the multitude.” People who are arrogant and contemptuous often think very highly of themselves and look down on others with disdain; this is generally because they lack broad vision and deep knowledge. We must enlarge our scope and learn to empathize. Empathy begins with respect. Humans are social, not individual; the interaction between people is essentially learning how to respect and coexist. The Caigentan says: “Where the path is narrow, leave a step for others to pass; where the flavor is strong, reduce a portion for others to taste.” Empathy is understanding — it is putting oneself in another’s place and thinking from their perspective; it is understanding you in a way that you understand. Empathy is also tolerance — accepting oneself while also being lenient toward others. The Analects, Yao Yue says: “Does not the gentleman, regardless of whether there are many or few, regardless of whether matters are small or great, dare not treat anyone with contempt — is this not being at ease yet not arrogant?” When we set aside the mind of discrimination and without any neglect respect, understand, and tolerate others, we have perhaps reached the gentlemanly state of being “at ease but not arrogant.”

The concept “the gentleman is at ease but not arrogant” is in the same lineage as the later Confucian ideal of “inner sage, outer king,” and developed into the complete cultivation system of the 三纲领八条目 (sān gānglǐng bā tiáomù — “three guiding principles and eight steps”), which Liang Qichao called “sufficient inwardly for self-cultivation and outwardly for managing the world.” These ideas hold great significance for us today.

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Steel Hides Time, Artifacts Carry Loyal Souls

By: 刘维杰

The river of time surges on without cease; the smoke of gunpowder and flames of war have long dissipated into the depths of the years, yet those extraordinary pasts inscribed with the warm blood of family and country have never been buried by the passage of time. Standing before the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution (中国人民革命军事博物馆), the lofty and solemn building stands in silent stillness. Stepping slowly into the exhibition halls, as light and shadow shift, cold iron artifacts and mottled revolutionary relics come into view one after another. Every gun, every battle robe, every yellowed relic of the fallen is a scalding mark left by the years, bearing the hope that mountains and rivers remain safe, and condensing the loyal souls of the martyrs who were 至死不渝 (zhì sǐ bù yú - "to the death, unchanging," steadfast unto death). Here, using steel as the scroll and artifacts as the brush, it awaits every visitor to hear the sincere echoes that traverse time and space. The Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution (hereinafter referred to as the Military Museum) is China’s first comprehensive military museum, located at No. 9 Fuxing Road, Beijing. The main exhibition of the Military Museum takes the people’s army under the leadership of the Party as its main subject; in terms of exhibition forms, it includes narrative-type military history displays, artifact-type weaponry displays, fine-art-type art displays, popular science-type technology displays, and so on. The Tongzhou branch (通州分馆), currently under preparation, focuses on the history of New China’s weaponry and equipment development and China’s ancient, medieval, and modern military history, supplemented by displays of modern and contemporary world military collections.

“No matter how far we have gone, we must not forget the road we came from.” Stepping into the central hall on the first floor, silver-white jet fighters shine brilliantly under the lights; beside the 17.68-meter-tall Dongfeng-1 ground-to-ground missile (东风一号地地导弹) stand two statues depicting flight instruction, and behind the statues is a propeller-driven aircraft with a camouflage fuselage and worn appearance. Why does this old, dusty-looking airplane occupy such a good position? It is the type most used by the Northeast Old Aviation School (东北老航校) — a Japanese-built Tachikawa Type 99 advanced trainer (日制立川九九式高级教练机). Eighty years ago, when the Northeast Old Aviation School was first established, equipment was insufficient, so various waste materials were used as substitutes; lacking gasoline, alcohol was used as fuel. Under such extremely difficult material and technical conditions, the first batch of People’s Air Force pilots, navigators, and ground crew were trained, and Wang Hai (王海), Liu Yudi (刘玉堤), Zhang Jihui (张积慧) and others grew into combat heroes in the air battles of the Korean War. Not far to the south of this trainer sits a MiG-15 fighter bearing number 079, which Wang Hai once piloted to shake the Korean battlefield, shooting down and damaging nine U.S. Air Force fighters. The young Chinese Air Force grew amid the flames of war and stepped into the jet age within a short time.

The Military Museum currently holds 210,000 pieces/sets of artifacts, of which 1,793 are first-grade items; the stories behind them would probably fill more than one book. But several artifacts of great historical significance are “hidden” among the many star exhibits, and viewers may miss them if they are not careful. Among them, on the east side of the first-floor central hall, a huge iron-brown anchor is placed; against the backdrop of gleaming silver aircraft, the anchor appears even more dull and lustreless. Because the display area is near the escalator, many viewers do not stop to look at it. This artifact has spanned three centuries; it is the anchor of the Beiyang Fleet’s Zhenyuan (镇远). It is 4.15 meters long, 2 meters wide, and weighs about 4 tons. The Zhenyuan was one of the main ironclad warships of the Beiyang Fleet; it was captured by the Japanese during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895 and incorporated into the Japanese Navy. After the Zhenyuan was decommissioned and dismantled, Japan erected the anchors of the Zhenyuan and the Jingyuan (靖远) in Tokyo’s Ueno Park. After victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, at China’s demand, the anchor was reclaimed and returned to China in 1947; since 1959 it has been displayed at the Military Museum. Another anchor from the Zhenyuan still remains in a shrine in Okayama, Japan. This heavy anchor is precisely a witness to the rise and fall, the humiliation and suffering of China’s maritime power over the past century.

Weaponry and equipment often have nicknames and alternative names, a military cultural phenomenon both at home and abroad. For example, the American M3 submachine gun displayed on the second-floor gallery is also called the “Grease Gun” because its shape resembles a grease tool, a nickname given by U.S. soldiers. Among China’s anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians, various weapons were often referred to by easy-to-understand alternative names; later, with the spread of literary and artistic works, the popularity of these alternative names surpassed that of the original model designations. For instance, “Box Cannon” (盒子炮), “Broomhandle Pistol” (驳壳枪), “Quick-and-Slow Machine” (快慢机), “20-shots” (20响), and so on refer to the German Mauser C96 automatic pistol and its variants; “Hanyang-made” (汉阳造) refers to the German Model 1888 Commission Rifle copied by the Hanyang Arsenal, and because its early models were fitted with a full-length barrel sleeve, it was also called “Old Sleeve” (老套筒); “Crooked Stock” (歪把子) refers to the Japanese Type 11 light machine gun (大正十一式轻机枪), whose most prominent external feature is that the buttstock is skewed to the right for ease of aiming; “Turtle-shell Holster” (王八盒子) refers to the Japanese Type 14 pistol (南部十四式手枪), because its holster has a rounded shape that, when the lid is closed, resembles a softshell turtle… In the film The Founding of an Army (建军大业), there is a scene where Lu Deming (卢德铭), the commander-in-chief of the Autumn Harvest Uprising, fires a submachine gun. The weapon Commander Lu uses is the “Flower Machine Gun” (花机关), so named because the barrel jacket has many perforated cooling holes resembling floral patterns; it was the earliest submachine gun used on the battlefield. In the Red Army’s forced crossing of the Dadu River during the Long March and in the night raid of the twenty-ninth army’s broadsword team against Japanese troops, the “Flower Machine Gun” also appeared. These frequent guests in film and television hide among the many display cases; finding them and accurately identifying their variants requires some effort.

Leaving the Military Museum, the warmth of mortal life and the peace of a prosperous age are all around, yet the weight and fervor in one’s heart linger for a long time. Those steels that have undergone the baptism of gunfire have shed their former battle edge and become monuments guarding the mountains and rivers; those silent artifacts, crossing the barriers of the years, transmit the 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - “born and reborn without cease,” ceaselessly continuing) red loyal souls. A hundred years of wind and rain have tempered an iron-blooded army spirit; countless forebears, with passion fulfilling their mission and with life protecting the mountains and rivers, have exchanged their efforts for today’s 国泰民安 (guó tài mín ān - “the country is peaceful and the people are secure,” national peace and public security) and 岁月静好 (suì yuè jìng hǎo - “the years are calm and fine,” tranquil times). The extraordinary years have become the past, but the sincere spirit is passed on forever.

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Two newspapers that reported the Nanchang Uprising at an early date

By: 余玉

On August 1, 1927, the Nanchang Uprising broke out, firing the first shot of armed resistance against the Kuomintang reactionaries, marking the beginning of the Chinese Communist Party's independent creation of a people's army. The Nanchang Republican Daily (南昌民国日报) and the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News (江西《工商报》), both founded in the early 20th century, provided complementary reports on the Nanchang Uprising at an early stage, jointly recording this historic moment.

The birth of the Nanchang Republican Daily and Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News

In November 1926, to meet the needs of the Northern Expedition, under the background of the Kuomintang-Communist cooperation, the Nanchang branch of the Chinese Communist Party founded the Nanchang Republican Daily in the name of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Department of the Kuomintang, to serve as the organ of the General Headquarters of the Northern Expedition Army. The Communist Party member Hong Hongyi (洪宏义) served as director, Xu Xianzhao (徐先兆) as editor-in-chief, and Lu Gengfu (陆更夫) as supplement editor. Because the Communist Party members and the Kuomintang left wing played an important role in the Northern Expedition, and their position in the Jiangxi Provincial Party Department of the Kuomintang became increasingly important and stable, Chiang Kai-shek deeply felt that the development of Communist Party members and the Kuomintang left wing in local party departments and mass organizations was increasingly slipping out of his control. He therefore specially sent Duan Xipeng (段锡朋) and others to Nanchang to organize the anti-Communist secret society AB League (AB团), and assigned AB League members to take control of the newspaper. Thereafter, the Nanchang Republican Daily fell into the hands of the Kuomintang right wing for a time.

But the Communist Party members and the Kuomintang left-wing figures never gave up the struggle against the counter-revolutionary forces. On April 2, 1927, revolutionary masses, under the leadership of Communist Party members, surrounded the Jiangxi Provincial Party Department of the Kuomintang, which was controlled by AB League members such as Duan Xipeng and Zhou Lisheng (周利生). Duan Xipeng, Zhou Lisheng, and others fled in panic, while AB League members such as Cheng Tianfang (程天放) and Zeng Huaying (曾华英) were arrested. Afterward, the Nanchang Republican Daily returned to the hands of the Communist Party members and the Kuomintang left wing. Later, in the face of Chiang Kai-shek's open counter-revolutionary action of launching the April 12 Incident, the newspaper published in oversized characters the slogan "Down with Chiang Kai-shek!", and its supplement "Nahan" (《呐喊》) carried articles opposing the April 12 counter-revolutionary coup initiated by Chiang Kai-shek. Taking advantage of this situation, on the eve of the upcoming August 1 Nanchang Uprising, the newspaper stirred up a revolutionary climax in the news and public opinion circles.

If the Nanchang Republican Daily was the representative newspaper of Nanchang's political parties at the time, then the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News was the leader among Nanchang's commercial and industrial newspapers. In December 1914, the first newspaper oriented toward industry and commerce in Nanchang, the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News, was founded, initiated under the leadership of the Nanchang Commercial Guild Association. Its office was initially set at No. 116 Baihuazhou (百花洲), Zhongshan Road, Nanchang. Li Yaoyan (李耀延), director of the Nanchang Commercial Guild Association and the General Chamber of Commerce, and executive committee member of the city chamber of commerce, served as general manager; Wan Xingchen (万醒尘) as editorial director; and Zhang Chuqiao (张楚樵), Huang Yingqing (黄莹清), Wu Luge (吴鲁戈), and Deng Lihen (邓梨痕) as editors. The newspaper primarily reported commercial and industrial news within the market sector, and also included current affairs commentary, social services, and a literary and arts supplement. Although the newspaper mainly reported commercial and industrial news, at that time the revolutionary situation in Nanchang was running high, and the newspaper actively paid attention to and publicized the Nanchang Uprising.

The Nanchang Republican Daily first published the Nanchang Uprising declaration

On July 31, 1927, on the eve of the Nanchang Uprising, the Chinese Communist Party's Front Committee drafted and passed the "Declaration of the Central Committee" at the Jiangxi Provincial Women's Vocational School on Xima Zhuang (系马桩) in Nanchang. Deng Heming (邓鹤鸣), then director of the Nanchang Republican Daily (later renamed Jiangxi Republican Daily), recalled the situation after the declaration was drafted and passed: "Around two or three o'clock in the morning of August 1, he (Tan Pingshan (谭平山)) brought the August 1 Uprising declaration and asked me to send it to the Jiangxi Republican Daily office (I concurrently served as director) for typesetting, requiring it to appear in the newspaper the next day (the 2nd)." Deng Heming immediately rushed to the printing plant after receiving the declaration, working through the night to speed up printing for rapid publication. At that time, the night was deep, around two o'clock in the morning, and a burst of intense gunfire sounded inside and outside the city. The battle of the Nanchang Uprising thus began on August 1. The battle lasted approximately five hours and ended at daybreak. At that time, Chen Mianzai (陈勉哉), who was working at the Jiangxi Provincial Student Union, was on his way to work: "On the way, I passed by the printing plant of the Jiangxi Republican Daily (Baihuazhou), met some staff, learned that the newspaper was being printed, and that it reported the news of the uprising."

Thus, on August 1, the Nanchang Republican Daily published on its front page the full text of the "Declaration of the Central Committee" jointly signed by 22 Communist Party members and Kuomintang left-wing figures, including Soong Ching-ling, Deng Yanda (邓演达), Tan Pingshan, Mao Zedong, Yun Daiying (恽代英), and Deng Yingchao (邓颖超), as well as the "Premier's Testament." The declaration began by respectfully informing comrades nationwide: "Until the spring of this year, the traitor Chiang Kai-shek first attempted to move the Party headquarters and government to Nanchang to satisfy his personal desire for reactionary dictatorship; then he openly rebelled, carved up the Southeast, colluded with warlords and compradors, harmed comrades, and massacred the people," directly exposing the criminal acts of Chiang Kai-shek and his ilk in betraying the revolution and harming compatriots. The declaration analyzed the current situation and elucidated the program of struggle. The declaration finally proposed: "Oppose the few Central Committee members in Wuhan who issued directives and resolutions under the pretext of the Central Party Department" and "Support the Premier's realization of the Three People's Principles of a society of the people, by the people, and for the people, and the three major policies of alliance with the Soviet Union, alliance with the Communist Party, and assistance to the peasants and workers; oppose any propositions that distort or betray the principles and policies." Although the newspaper did not report on the process and details of the Nanchang Uprising, the August 1 Uprising Declaration published on its front page, in the form of a program, revealed to the public the political propositions and revolutionary demands of the Nanchang Uprising.

The Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News, following closely, used a great amount of space to report in detail to readers the Nanchang Uprising, as well as the grand occasion of the military-civilian joint celebration meeting, various declarations, and important chronicles, complementing the "Declaration of the Central Committee" published on the front page of the Nanchang Republican Daily, presenting to readers the detailed process of the Nanchang Uprising.

The Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News's multidimensional report on the Nanchang Uprising

On August 2, the Chinese Kuomintang Revolutionary Committee held the inaugural ceremony of the Revolutionary Committee and a military-civilian joint celebration meeting at the public sports ground, electing 25 members including Soong Ching-ling, Deng Yanda, and He Long. The attending masses came from all sectors—agriculture, industry, and commerce—numbering as many as tens of thousands. On August 3, the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News published "The Grand Inaugural Ceremony of the Revolutionary Committee Members," reporting on this grand event, including the layout of the hall, the inauguration ceremony, the seal presentation, as well as the collective oath, speeches by members, inaugural slogans, and other aspects. At the inauguration ceremony, member Tan Pingshan announced to the crowd that the Chinese Kuomintang Revolutionary Committee had become the new revolutionary authority, stating: "All party affairs, political affairs, military affairs... are all under the guidance of the committee." Member Han Linfu (韩麟符) also justified it, saying: "This Revolutionary Committee is the only organ now leading the revolution."

After the inauguration ceremony, the Nanchang military and civilians held a joint celebration meeting. On August 3, the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News published a report titled "Nanchang City Military-Civilian Joint Celebration Meeting," stating: "In the meeting grounds, the scorching sun hung in the sky, lasting for several hours, yet the attending masses were all in high spirits." On the same day, it published an article "Record of the Grand Inaugural Ceremony of the Revolutionary Committee Members," reporting that when the joint celebration meeting reached the segment of loudly shouting slogans, the participating masses were even more inspired, shouting slogans such as "Unite revolutionary forces, implement the three major policies, realize the Three People's Principles, complete the National Revolution, overthrow imperialism, overthrow all warlords, overthrow all reactionaries who betray the Party and the country." The article also described the scene of that day with the phrase 旌旗蔽日，欢声震天 (jīng qí bì rì, huān shēng zhèn tiān - "banners blot out the sun, cheers shake the heavens," describing a grand and enthusiastic scene), truly a spectacle unprecedented in Nanchang, fully displaying the support and endorsement of the Nanchang populace for the uprising.

The Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News reported in detail the enthusiasm and grand occasion of the military-civilian joint celebration after the August 1 Uprising, and then serialized for several days "Ye Ting's Letter to the Comrades of the Second Front Army" to inspire the soldiers' revolutionary fighting spirit. In the serialized article of August 3, it analyzed from many aspects such as geographical situation and revolutionary situation, 条分缕析 (tiáo fēn lǚ xī - "analyze item by item and strand by strand," to analyze in great detail) clarifying the reasons and purposes for the troops to march southward, and explicitly pointing out that to continue the revolution, "it is necessary to find a place that is neither surrounded by warlords internally nor blockaded by imperialists externally," and Guangdong exactly possessed these two conditions. Thereafter, the article approached from both emotional and rational angles, instructing the broad masses of soldiers to inherit the glorious tradition of the Iron Army, strengthen the revolutionary belief of "fighting for the most suffering people, that is, fighting for one's own interests," and closely connected it with the personal fate of "our soldiers' families back home, or when we survive the war and return to the countryside in the future, we can obtain the same liberation and benefits." Between the lines, there was a power of inspiration.

On the same day, Jiang Jihuan (姜济寰), acting chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Government, published two articles in the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News: "Submission from Jiang Jihuan, Acting Chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Government, to the Revolutionary Committee" and "Proclamation by Jiang Jihuan, Acting Chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Government," explaining to the broad masses the reasons and purposes of the Nanchang Uprising. The articles directly stated: "Wuhan and Nanjing have betrayed in the same way," and it was entirely "relying on our Central Committee members and revolutionary sages, and with the officers and men of the Second Front Army united in heart and mind," that they resolutely launched the uprising to denounce the counter-revolutionary forces. The articles also proposed: "All merchants, scholars, peasants, and workers must seek to have their own peaceful abodes... strive for the interests of the people, implement what should be promoted and what should be reformed." The writing adopted the posture of a reassuring notice, seeking to eliminate the public's doubts about the Nanchang Uprising, thereby stabilizing social order, promoting unity among all sectors, and winning the understanding and support of the people for advancing the revolution.

The survival of the two newspapers—the Nanchang Republican Daily of August 1, 1927, and the Jiangxi Commercial and Industrial News of August 3, 1927—is 弥足珍贵 (mí zú zhēn guì - "extremely precious and valuable," of great historical value) for the historic moment of the Nanchang Uprising. The former, with the "Declaration of the Central Committee" published on its front page as a document that appeared in the newspaper on the day of the uprising, directly recorded the political propositions and revolutionary demands of the Nanchang Uprising. The latter, with extensive coverage across multiple pages, reported in detail the grand occasions of the Revolutionary Committee's inaugural ceremony and the military-civilian joint celebration meeting after the Nanchang Uprising, covering dimensions such as mobilizing the masses, soothing public sentiment, and inspiring soldiers, reporting the situation within Nanchang city after the uprising. The two newspapers complemented each other: one used a document to proclaim and clarify the revolutionary direction, the other used factual recording to witness history, together forming precious historical materials witnessing the Nanchang Uprising.

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Zhang Zhidong's Approach to Personnel: Recruiting Talent Without Restriction

By: 张晨怡

On the late Qing's 风云变幻 (fēng yún biàn huàn - "wind and cloud change," a volatile situation) political stage, Zhang Zhidong was undoubtedly a 举足轻重 (jǔ zú qīng zhòng - "lift a foot affects the weight," a decisive role) figure. He took "Chinese learning as the substance, Western learning as function" (中学为体，西学为用) as the guiding principle, refining a systematic ideological program for the Westernization Movement (洋务运动). And his method of employing people was even more 不拘一格 (bù jū yī gé - "not limited to one pattern," not sticking to one pattern), 打破常规 (dǎ pò cháng guī - "break the routine," breaking the norm), fully demonstrating his magnanimity, injecting some vitality into the declining situation of the late Qing.

Setting aside past grievances, he gave important positions to Sheng Xuanhuai. What is most commendable about Zhang Zhidong's use of personnel is his ability to transcend personal enmities and bureaucratic factional disputes. As long as the other party had genuine talent and practical ability, even if they had once been a political opponent, he could still cooperate with and heavily employ them. His relationship with Sheng Xuanhuai is a vivid illustration of this.

Sheng Xuanhuai was known as the "first official-merchant" of the late Qing. In 1870, he joined Li Hongzhang's secretariat to assist in Westernization affairs, distinguishing himself through his abilities and quickly becoming Li Hongzhang's capable right-hand man. Li Hongzhang had a very high opinion of Sheng Xuanhuai, praising him as "holding the official seal in one hand and the abacus in the other, both official and merchant, 左右逢源 (zuǒ yòu féng yuán - "meet sources left and right," able to achieve success from all sides)." Zhang Zhidong, however, came from a "Qingliu" (清流, "Pure Current") background and had deep differences with Li Hongzhang on political views and interests. Therefore, Zhang Zhidong had little goodwill toward Sheng Xuanhuai.

After the First Sino-Japanese War, Li Hongzhang was heavily criticized and stripped of the positions of Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, which he had held for 25 years, and his glory faded. As the Huai clique (淮系) suffered a severe blow, Sheng Xuanhuai's situation also became 岌岌可危 (jí jí kě wēi - "precarious," in imminent danger), and he faced repeated impeachments. At that time, Zhang Zhidong was vigorously promoting industrial enterprises in Hubei and was in urgent need of talent. In particular, the Hanyang Iron Works (汉阳铁厂), on which he had expended infinite effort, was suffering huge losses after starting production and had fallen into serious difficulties. So Zhang Zhidong turned his attention to Sheng Xuanhuai.

Zhang Zhidong clearly saw that although Sheng Xuanhuai had previously been a core aide to Li Hongzhang, he was indeed a first-rate talent in running industrial enterprises. The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company (轮船招商局), the Telegraph Administration (电报总局), and the Imperial Bank of China (中国通商银行), which he had single-handedly managed, were all pioneering modern enterprises. To recruit Sheng Xuanhuai to manage the Hanyang Iron Works well, Zhang Zhidong set aside past grievances, stepped in to protect Sheng Xuanhuai, resolved the impeachment crisis for him, and recommended him as the Imperial Commissioner for the Lu-Han Railway (芦汉铁路).

After Sheng Xuanhuai took over the Hanyang Iron Works, he indeed demonstrated outstanding managerial ability. He changed the Hanyang Iron Works from "government-run" to "government-supervised and merchant-run," updated equipment, adjusted the product mix, gradually turned losses into profits, and on this basis established China's first integrated steel company — the Hanyeping Company (汉冶萍公司). In 1908, Sheng Xuanhuai further promoted the restructuring of the Hanyeping Company, changing it from "government-supervised and merchant-run" to "merchant-run." Looking at the results, Zhang Zhidong's 力排众议 (lì pái zhòng yì - "forcefully reject all opinions," overriding all objections) in appointing Sheng Xuanhuai saved the Hanyang Iron Works and also provided a feasible path for the transformation of enterprises in the later period of the Westernization Movement.

Tolerating disagreements, he treated Gu Hongming with exceptional courtesy. Among the many talents Zhang Zhidong gathered, Gu Hongming was probably the most peculiar. Gu Hongming was born in Malaya; his father was Chinese, his mother Portuguese. From his youth, he received education in Europe, mastering multiple languages including English, German, French, Latin, and Greek. Fourteen years of study abroad in Europe gave Gu Hongming a deep understanding of the essence of European and American culture, yet after he began studying Chinese classics under the influence of the scholar Ma Jianzhong, the more he read, the more he felt that at his core he was Chinese. So he let his hair grow and wore a queue, shed his Western suit, changed into a long gown and mandarin jacket, and completely returned to tradition.

In 1885, Gu Hongming returned to his homeland for a cultural roots-seeking journey. Through someone's recommendation, he served as a "foreign-language secretary" (洋文案) in Zhang Zhidong's secretariat, mainly handling foreign-related matters. Gu Hongming, 恃才傲物 (shì cái ào wù - "rely on talent and look down on others," being conceited and arrogant), had a perverse temperament and found it difficult to get along with colleagues. Zhang Zhidong valued his profound grounding in Western learning and showed him considerable care, not only personally teaching him how to look up characters in the Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典) but also introducing him to great Confucian scholars such as Shen Zengzhi to help him build a more solid foundation in Chinese classical studies.

More remarkably, Zhang Zhidong could tolerate the major differences in thought between himself and Gu Hongming. Zhang Zhidong was an advocate of "Chinese learning as the substance, Western learning as function" (中体西用), advocating the study of Western technology to strengthen the country; Gu Hongming, however, believed that Western civilization itself had fundamental defects and regarded the way of Confucius and Mencius as the best remedy for saving the world. The two once debated "constancy and expediency" (经权). Gu Hongming criticized Zhang Zhidong's "Chinese learning as the substance, Western learning as function" thought as not free from utilitarian considerations and lacking purity; Zhang Zhidong believed that Gu Hongming "knew constancy but not expediency," only clinging to the sage's way without understanding the changes of the times. In the end, neither could persuade the other, yet Zhang Zhidong did not harbor any grudge against this 桀骜不驯 (jié ào bù xùn - "stubborn and not tame," unruly and intractable) aide.

After Zhang Zhidong's death, Gu Hongming successively wrote Anecdotes from the Secretariat of Zhang Wenzhang (张文襄幕府纪闻) and The Story of the Chinese Oxford Movement (中国牛津运动故事), recalling this patron who had tolerated him for over 20 years. He was grateful for Zhang Zhidong's kindness in recognizing his talent, calling him a "Confucian minister," praising his noble character and upright integrity, and even comparing Zhang Zhidong's Westernization enterprise to China's "Oxford Movement," viewing it as a tragic resistance by cultural elites against the tide of materialism. But he also criticized Zhang Zhidong's "Chinese learning as the substance, Western learning as function" as being too utilitarian, believing that a utilitarian mindset would cause the "substance" to become a tool of "function," running 背道而驰 (bèi dào ér chí - "run in opposite direction," contrary to) the original intention of defending Confucianism. This attitude of both respect and criticism precisely confirms Zhang Zhidong's breadth of mind in employing people.

Adopting Western skills, he extensively recruited foreign talents. Zhang Zhidong's employment of people was not limited to domestic talents. During the late Qing Westernization Movement, he was one of the most active provincial governors in introducing foreign experts; the foreign experts he recruited included engineering technicians, military instructors, and foreign language teachers, covering multiple fields such as industry, military, and education.

In the industrial field, as early as when he was preparing the Hanyang Iron Works, Zhang Zhidong repeatedly telegraphed Chinese envoys to Germany and Britain, asking them to seek out outstanding technical personnel from abroad. He successively hired the British engineer Hobson to oversee the construction of the plant, the British mining engineer Goodsden and the Belgian mining engineer Baneux to survey coal and iron ore deposits, and the Dutch engineer Lübeck to be responsible for iron smelting technology. These foreign experts each contributed their expertise, providing key technical support for the establishment of the Hanyang Iron Works. When founding enterprises such as the Hubei Arsenal, the Weaving Bureau, and the Silk Reeling Bureau, Zhang Zhidong equally did not restrict by nationality and widely recruited technicians from various countries, making Hubei one of the provinces with the highest concentration of foreign experts in late Qing Westernization enterprises.

In the military field, during his tenure as Acting Viceroy of Liangjiang, Zhang Zhidong hired over 30 German officers including von Runckel to train the Self-Strengthening Army (自强军) according to the German military system. This army, from drill methods and tactics to military discipline and appearance, completely adopted the German model, becoming one of the most modernized armies in China at that time. After returning to the post of Viceroy of Huguang, Zhang Zhidong recruited several dozen German and Japanese instructors for the Hubei New Army (湖北新军). The fact that the Hubei New Army later could rank among the best of the late Qing New Armies was inseparable from the foundation laid by these foreign instructors.

In the educational field, when Zhang Zhidong founded the Hubei Agricultural School (湖北农务学堂) and the Technical School (工艺学堂), he specially hired teachers from the United States and Japan to teach modern agricultural science and industrial technology. The Lianghu Academy (两湖书院) and the Self-Strengthening School (自强学堂) similarly employed foreign teachers to teach foreign languages and Western curriculum. The Self-Strengthening School initially offered four languages — English, French, Russian, and German — and later added Eastern language (Japanese), hiring instructors from Russia, Japan, Germany, Britain, and other countries, pioneering modern foreign language education in Hubei.

The basic principle of Zhang Zhidong's employment of foreign experts was that authority was controlled by us and they were used for our purposes. All foreign experts were hired on a contract basis, with clear terms for tenure, salary, and scope of duties, while real authority was firmly held in the hands of the Chinese general manager. The dispute over the site selection of the Hanyang Iron Works was handled according to this principle. At that time, the British mining engineer Goodsden suggested building the plant at Huangshi Port in Daye, while the Belgian mining engineer Baneux strongly advocated building the plant in Wuchang; 各执一词 (gè zhí yī cí - "each holds his own argument," each stuck to his own version). Zhang Zhidong did not blindly follow either side but sent personnel to conduct multiple surveys, repeatedly comparing factors such as terrain, transportation, and fuel supply, ultimately deciding on Hanyang. Although this decision was not uncontroversial on the technical level, it clearly demonstrated that he always kept decision-making power firmly in Chinese hands, would seriously consider and absorb the opinions of foreign experts, but would not be controlled by them.

Looking at Zhang Zhidong's use of people throughout his life, he was neither confined by factional affiliations nor bound by the fashionable opinions of the Qingliu; anyone of outstanding talent and character, whether a person with different political views, a wild and eccentric scholar, or a foreign talent from abroad, could all be employed by him. From the Hanyang Iron Works to the Hubei Arsenal, from the Self-Strengthening School to the Lianghu Academy, the advancement of these Westernization enterprises depended not only on his clear judgment of the current situation but also on his unconventional employment of all kinds of talents.

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Adhere to, Apply Well, and Develop the Important Principle of Political Army Building

By: 国防大学习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心

This year marks the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army. As a people’s army under the absolute leadership of the Party, since its founding it has always grasped political army-building as the unique political advantage of our Party and our army, never letting it go, using political impregnability to ensure military invincibility. President Xi pointed out, “We must uphold, apply, and develop the important magic weapon of political army-building, unswervingly uphold and strengthen the Party’s absolute leadership over the army, give full play to the unique advantage of political army-building, and pool our strength to promote the steady and sustained modernization of national defense and the armed forces.” Facing the urgent task of achieving the centenary goal of army-building on schedule and advancing national defense and military modernization with high quality, we must earnestly implement President Xi’s important expositions, deeply understand the great significance of political army-building for ensuring that the people’s army never degenerates and that the socialist red river and mountain never change color, for giving full play to the unique advantage of political army-building and pooling our strength to promote the steady and sustained modernization of national defense and the armed forces, unswervingly uphold the Party’s absolute leadership over the army, strengthen political guidance, carry out ideological rectification, deepen political training and rectification, strengthen political work, ensure that the Party firmly controls the troops ideologically, politically, and organizationally, and guarantee high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces through high standards of political construction.

Political army-building is the foundation of the people’s army’s establishment; political strength is the most fundamental strength.

Political army-building addresses the fundamental questions of what flag the people’s army raises, what road it takes, whose command it listens to, and for whom it fights, concerning the overall situation of the cause of the Party and the army, the future and destiny of the people’s army, and the success or failure of the cause of building a strong military. Our army is an armed group that carries out the Party’s political tasks. To build the army, we must proceed from a political perspective, grasp it politically, and build it politically. To advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces with high quality, we must, from a strategic height of ensuring that our army always adheres to the Party’s absolute leadership, realizes the Party’s goal of building a strong military in the new era, and accelerates the building of the people’s army into a world-class military, manage all tasks of political army-building with higher standards, ensuring a firm and correct political direction for the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

Political guidance for comprehensively advancing the cause of building a strong military. Serving and guaranteeing the central tasks of the Party and the army is the mission and value of political army-building. Throughout the various historical periods of the Chinese revolution, construction, and reform, our Party, grasping changes in the conditions of the times and adapting to the requirements of missions and tasks, carried out political mobilization and political forging of our army, making full ideological, organizational, and work-style preparations to meet new challenges and tests. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, President Xi, with a view to forever preserving the nature, purpose, and character of the people’s army and better seizing the historical initiative of building a strong military and rejuvenating the army, has consistently placed political army-building in the strategic position of strengthening the country and the military, making strategic arrangements for forging the people’s army politically, scientifically answering major questions such as why, what, and how to build politically in the new journey, elevating our Party’s understanding of political army-building to a new height, and providing fundamental guidance for politically leading the building of a strong military and rejuvenating the army. Political army-building is an extremely important chapter in Xi Jinping’s thought on strengthening the military; the first of the eleven clarifications (shíyī gè míngquè - “eleven clarifications,” theoretical framework of Xi Jinping’s military thought) theoretical system is precisely “clarifying that the Party’s absolute leadership over the army is the foundation of the people’s army’s establishment and the soul of a strong military”; the first of the five upholds (wǔ gè jiānchí - “five upholds,” methodology of contemporary Chinese Marxist military outlook) of the contemporary Chinese Marxist military outlook and methodology is “uphold political guidance”; the first of the Party’s goal of building a strong military in the new era is “obey the Party’s command”; the first layout of the new-era strong military layout is political army-building; the only theoretical achievement condensed and formed from the perspective of the Party’s strategy for army-building and army governance is the new-era political army-building strategy (xīn shídài zhèngzhì jiànjūn fānglüè - “new-era political army-building strategy,” overarching strategic approach to building the army politically in the new era). Political army-building is an important strategic arrangement in the new era for the Party to lead the people’s army in advancing the cause of building a strong military, reflecting the high importance and far-sightedness of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, containing both thorough overall planning and scientific institutional arrangements, both macro-level strategic design and micro-level practical requirements, constructing a scientific ideological system for the Party to lead, govern, and build a strong army politically.

A profound summary of the historical experience of army-building and army governance. The glorious struggle history of the people’s army is also a history of political army-building. In the great practice of creating and leading the people’s army, our Party has always focused on building and controlling the army ideologically and politically, conducting in-depth practical exploration and continuous theoretical summarization of political army-building. During the Nanchang Uprising, our Party proposed that “the Party organization is the root of all organizations” and “the Party’s role is above all else”; during the Sanwan Reorganization (Sānwān Gǎibiān - “Sanwan Reorganization,” historic reorganization of the army at Sanwan in 1927), it creatively proposed “building party branches on company levels”; the Gutian Congress established the principles of building the Party ideologically and building the army politically, laying important ideological and political foundations for the Party to firmly lead and control the army. Subsequently, whether it was the proposal of the three major principles of political work during the War of Resistance Against Japan, the New-Style Army Rectification Movement during the War of Liberation, or the series of principles and methods for army political work in the new period proposed after reform and opening up, our army’s practical exploration and theoretical summarization of political army-building have continuously deepened. Especially since the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has firmly grasped the Party’s absolute leadership over the army, the foundation of army-building and the soul of a strong military, leading the people’s army with unprecedented resolve and intensity to deepen political training and rectification and advance political army-building, bringing historic changes to the people’s army through revolutionary forging, enabling this people’s army led by the Party to preserve its roots and soul, speed up its development, and win the initiative toward becoming world-class. Practice has fully proven that without the revolutionary forging politically, there could not have been the great transformation of the people’s army in the new era. Political army-building is a great creation of our Party in founding, leading, and building the people’s army, a profound summary of our army’s long-term historical experience of army-building and army governance. It must be doubly cherished, exemplarily passed down, and continuously carried forward in combination with new practice.

The fundamental guarantee for tackling difficulties, heading toward strength, and striving for world-class status. “When success is near, the difficulties are greatest.” This year is the first year of the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan (shíwǔ wǔ - “Fifteenth Five-Year Plan,” 2026-2030 national development plan) and also a crucial year for winning the assault battle to achieve the centenary goal of army-building. At present, the world situation, national conditions, Party conditions, and military conditions are all undergoing complex and profound changes. The cause of building a strong military is at a critical juncture, and the modernization of national defense and the armed forces is facing both new development opportunities and various tests from all sides. Looking at the world, the once-in-a-century changes are accelerating, the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustment, major-power competition is more complex and intense, and the risk of conflict and war around our country is real, urgently demanding acceleration of the strategic capacity to safeguard national security; the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating and breaking through, the world’s new military revolution is accelerating, and the forms of warfare and combat operations are rapidly evolving. Building a world-class military comprehensively faces both the historical task of catching up and overtaking and the real threat of strong adversaries “striking while crossing the river.” Achieving the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization places higher demands on the modernization of national defense and the armed forces. The Party’s construction achievements are brilliant, but at the same time the four tests (sì dà kǎoyàn - “four tests,” referring to tests of governance, reform and opening up, market economy, and external environment) and four dangers (sì zhǒng wēixiǎn - “four dangers,” referring to dangers of mental laxity, incompetence, disengagement from the masses, and corruption and other negative phenomena) exist long-term. The tests our army faces politically are complex and interwoven, and many factors that affect the Party’s absolute leadership over the army and erode the political character of the people’s army exist in reality. The more complex the situation, the more severe the challenges, and the greater the mission, the more we need to uphold, apply, and develop the important magic weapon of political army-building, insist on purifying the source politically and setting out anew in action, promote political army-building in depth and substance, continuously solidify the ideological foundation of listening to the Party and following the Party, persistently advance the rectification of conduct, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, transform the unique advantages of political army-building into a powerful driving force for high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces, achieve unprecedented unity and solidarity under new historical conditions, and march more vigorously toward the centenary of army-building and striving for a world-class strong military.

The new-era political army-building strategy is the fundamental guidance for politically leading the cause of building a strong military and rejuvenating the army and for advancing the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.

In 2020, when reviewing the Regulations on Political Work in the Armed Forces (Jūnduì Zhèngzhì Gōngzuò Tiáolì - “Regulations on Political Work in the Armed Forces”), the Politburo meeting of the Central Committee pointed out the need to comprehensively implement the new-era political army-building strategy. In 2024, the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference profoundly expounded the connotation and essence of the new-era political army-building strategy, marking that our Party’s understanding of the laws of political army-building has reached a new height, providing fundamental guidance for our Party to politically lead the building of a strong military and rejuvenate the army. To uphold, apply, and develop the important magic weapon of political army-building, a current and long-term important task is to deeply study and implement the new-era political army-building strategy. President Xi pointed out, “The new-era political army-building strategy must be studied and understood comprehensively and accurately, implemented unswervingly, and continuously enriched and developed in practice.” This strategy contains both political foresight and profound theoretical thinking, as well as systematic scientific design and comprehensive work deployment. It embodies the essence of proletarian political party army-building and shines with the truth of the Marxist military outlook and methodology. It must be deeply studied and comprehended, comprehensively understood and mastered, to promote the new-era political army-building strategy to be learned better, established more firmly, and implemented more solidly.

Grasp the essence of the strategy with systematic thinking. The new-era political army-building strategy integrates major categories such as political army-building, political work, and political training and rectification, with the eleven clarifications as the main content forming a “theoretical integral steel,” condensing the Party’s historical experience, political wisdom, and far-sighted insight in building the people’s army politically. Its ideological connotation, internal connections, and far-reaching implications must be grasped from a holistic and systematic perspective. This ideological system presents a structure of general discussion plus specific discussions. The first three clarifications (qián sān gè míngquè - “first three clarifications,” the general part of the eleven clarifications) constitute the general discussion: “clarifying that political army-building is the foundation of the people’s army’s establishment” explains the extremely important status and role of political army-building; “clarifying that political work is forever the lifeline of our army” reveals the path for realizing political army-building; “clarifying that political training and rectification must highlight political purification of the source” indicates the strategic starting point for deepening political army-building. The latter seven clarifications (hòu qī gè míngquè - “latter seven clarifications,” the specific part of the eleven clarifications) constitute the specific discussions, namely: “clarifying that ideological leadership is the foundation for leading everything; clarifying that the Party’s strength comes from organization, and the army’s cohesion and combat effectiveness come from organization; clarifying that the gun barrel must always be in the hands of those loyal and reliable to the Party; clarifying that strictness alone can rectify discipline, strictness alone can awe the army, and strictness alone can generate combat effectiveness; clarifying that there must be no place for corrupt elements in the military; clarifying that fine conduct and style alone can forge a heroic force; clarifying that military-government and military-civilian unity is the magic weapon for our army’s victory.” These respectively elucidate the foundational project, organizational support, key crux, important guarantee, urgent issue, eternal theme, and source of strength of political army-building in the new era, expanding the theoretical connotation and practical dimensions of our army’s political work. To comprehensively study and implement the new-era political army-building strategy, attention must be paid to the internal coherence of political army-building, political work, and political training and rectification, to the combination with the long-standing fine traditions of our Party and army’s political work and the vivid practice of strengthening Party leadership and Party construction in the new era, and to comprehensively comprehend the original contributions of this strategy, achieving an understanding not only of its words but also of its meaning, not only of what it is but also of why it is so.

Grasp the requirements of the times from a dynamic perspective. Political army-building has issues to resolve in each era and corresponding requirements of the times. President Xi, in his speech at the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference, put forward the era requirements of “ensuring that the people’s army forever preserves its nature and purpose, always dares to fight and is sure to win, always unites and strives, always has talent emerging in succession, always remains pure and glorious, and always has strict laws and discipline.” This scientifically answers major questions such as how to strengthen political army-building on the new journey, where to advance, and what to do, endowing political army-building with new mission responsibilities. These six ensures (liù gè quèbǎo - “six ensures,” the six requirements for the new era) era requirements, from six aspects—consolidating the foundation and lifeline of the people’s army, its fundamental functions, source of strength, key support, political background, and important guarantee—enrich and expand the connotation of the era theme of army political work, establishing the mission guidance for political army-building on the new journey, making the goal and direction of political army-building clearer, and having important theoretical value and practical significance. We must consciously consider political army-building within the grand chessboard of strengthening the country and the military, within the larger system of maintaining sobriety and resolve to solve the unique problems of a large Party and advance political army-building without a moment’s pause, basing ourselves on the historical position of our army, the missions and tasks it shoulders, and the complex environment it faces, studying new situations and solving new problems with political vision and strategic perspective, promoting the integration of goals, the convergence of work, and the fusion of forces, ensuring that our army better seizes the initiative in military struggle, seeks development advantages, and improves development effectiveness.

Grasp key work with practical requirements. The new-era political army-building strategy contains both strategy and methods, both theoretical support and deployment requirements. In his speech at the Central Military Commission Political Work Conference, President Xi pointed out the need to enhance the consciousness and thoroughness of ideological transformation, improve the leadership, organizational strength, and execution of Party organizations, strengthen the building of the cadre contingent, eradicate the soil and conditions for breeding corruption, boost the mental state of the entire cadre in undertaking endeavors, and restore and carry forward the fine traditions of political work. This important exposition systematically deploys the six key areas of work (liù gè fāngmiàn zhòngdiǎn gōngzuò - “six key areas of work,” the main tasks for advancing political army-building on the new journey) for advancing political army-building on the new journey, drawing a route map and construction plan, and providing “bridges” and “boats” for promoting political army-building work to go deeper and land solidly. We must always adhere to problem orientation, carry forward the spirit of self-reform, aim at the deep-seated contradictions and problems that need to be resolved in current political army-building, take up the weapon of ideological rectification, tighten the master switch of worldview, outlook on life, and values, polish the political background through ideological tempering, integrate political training into daily and regular practice, consciously strengthen practical training and sharpen political responsibility in completing urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks and participating in major military operations, continuously raise ideological awareness and elevate spiritual realm, strengthen political loyalty through practical forging, lay a solid ideological foundation, and forever preserve the character of a soldier.

Advance political army-building without a moment’s pause, and continuously strengthen our army’s political advantages under the conditions of the new era.

The guiding theory of the Party’s army-building and army governance originates from practice and guides new practice. The new-era political army-building strategy uses systematic thinking to plan political army-building, constructing a work pattern of thought taking the lead, organization laying the foundation, virtue being the key, eradicating corruption and poisoning, vitality driving, and tradition consolidating the foundation. To uphold, apply, and develop the important magic weapon of political army-building, we must shoulder the heavy responsibility of studying and implementing the new-era political army-building strategy with strong political responsibility, consciously establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, advance political army-building without a moment’s pause, continuously consolidate our army’s political advantages, forge the heroic army led by the Party even stronger, and continuously open up a new situation in political army-building.

Preserve the true character in inheriting and carrying forward fine traditions. Our Party and army have formed a complete set of fine traditions in political work. President Xi, in his speech at the All-Army Political Work Conference, summarized the fine traditions of the eleven upholds (shíyī gè jiānchí - “eleven upholds,” fine traditions of political work in the armed forces) and emphasized that “these fine traditions are the fundamental principles and content of our army’s political work. We must deeply understand the important status and major role of our army’s political work, and pass down generation after generation the fine traditions forged by our predecessors with blood and life.” One of the six key areas of work for advancing political army-building on the new journey is to “restore and carry forward the fine traditions of political work.” We must continuously improve the study and application of the Party’s fine traditions, especially the fine traditions of political work, insist on carrying out the project of passing down red genes generation after generation, start with leading cadres as role models in carrying forward fine traditions, vigorously advance the construction of a strong military culture in the new era, restore and carry forward the basic principles of unity between officers and soldiers, unity of word and deed, and leading by example, create a good atmosphere of respecting heroes, emulating models, and striving to be advanced, unify the strength of truth and the power of personality in political work, allow new trends and righteous energy to be more abundant, promote political work to return to its essence, preserve its true character, and display its characteristics, further establish the prestige of political work, continuously stimulate the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of officers and soldiers in undertaking endeavors, let wisdom for advancing national defense and military modernization fully surge, let the vitality for building a strong military and rejuvenating the army burst forth, and make the foundation of troop building and combat effectiveness more solid.

Correct problems in continuously deepening political training and rectification. Political training and rectification is an important means for our army to strengthen its own construction politically, an effective way to strengthen political construction, improve political capacity, and prevent political risks in the new era. It is necessary to highlight the enhancement of the consciousness and thoroughness of ideological transformation, clearly and unequivocally wage a resolute struggle against all people and matters that are not political, highlight the resolution of problems existing in ideals and convictions, Party spirit cultivation, and official moral character, strengthen ideological tempering, political training, practical exercise, and professional training, strictly observe political discipline and political rules, and implement being political in all practices of advancing the cause of building a strong military and rejuvenating the army. Improve the targeting and precision of political training and rectification, focus on the key points of the exercise of power, weak points of supervision and governance, and areas prone to problems, strengthen supervision over key links such as fund flow, power operation, and quality control, continuously carry out rectification of thought, rectification of personnel appointment, rectification of organization, rectification of work style, and rectification of discipline, highlight the key focus on leading cadres, especially senior cadres, manage and restrict cadres with strict requirements, strict measures, and strict discipline, advance in an integrated manner to ensure that cadres dare not, cannot, and do not want to be corrupt, achieve symptomatic treatment and targeted therapy, promote political training and rectification to continuously achieve practical results, and create a clean and upright political ecosystem.

Enhance practical results through active innovation and exploration. Army political work has rigorous scientific nature. Only by consciously acting according to its objective laws can the power of political work and political army-building be effectively exerted and strong driving force for development be maintained. It is necessary to closely combine the vivid practice of political army-building in the new era, deeply study and research the theoretical achievements, practical achievements, and institutional achievements formed by political army-building since the 18th National Congress of the Party, deeply grasp the fundamental principles, main characteristics, mechanism of action, and era requirements of political army-building, further deepen the understanding of the laws of political army-building in aspects such as Party construction, ideological soul-building, and talent cultivation, and consolidate and develop political army-building on the basis of new practice. Keep close to the development of the times, keep close to mission tasks, keep close to the actual situation of officers and soldiers, actively promote the innovative development of political work, especially study and grasp the characteristics and laws of political work in the information network era, actively explore new concepts, new platforms, and new means of digitally empowering political work, adapt to the obvious enhancement of the independence, selectivity, variability, and diversity of officers’ and soldiers’ ideological activities, improve the pertinence and effectiveness of ideological and political work, adapt to new organizational forms, new training and exercise characteristics, and new public opinion ecology, strengthen innovation in political work models and methods, promote the integration of the traditional advantages of political work with the information advantages of network platforms and digital-intelligence technologies, raise the level of modernization, digitalization, and scientificization of political work, and provide strong and effective method and means support for political army-building.

(Author: Tang Junfeng (汤俊峰))

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