The Strength of a Nation Stems from the Wellbeing of Its Families

The article by Hu Kaihong, Deputy Director of General Office of Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, was published in the 3rd issue of Qiushi Journal in 2025. In his article, Hu explains how to cultivate and promote new socialist customs and practices among Chinese families.

The article states that Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement and it concerns wellbeing and happiness of every Chinese household. The CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has always placed great emphasis on fostering civility and virtues within families. President Xi Jinping has, on many occasions, addressed this subject.  

While meeting with representatives to the First National Conference of Model Families on December 12, 2016, Xi made an important speech on the significance of family ties, family education and family values and traditions. This speech has profoundly revealed the intrinsic relationships between the family and individuals, society, and the state, as well as between family traditions, Party and government conduct, and social ethos. It serves as fundamental guidelines for addressing major issues including the significance, requirements and pathways for promoting family civility and virtues. 

During his inspection tours to various regions, President Xi often stepped into the doors of ordinary people with deep concern for their daily lives. During his visits, he engaged in conversations about people’s feelings towards their families and the country, praised good family traditions, and sent his best wishes for every family to realize their dreams. Xi’s remarks touched people’s hearts and, at times, even served as a guiding light for their future development. Furthermore, Xi himself has become an exemplary model in people’s minds for promoting family civility and virtues.

Since the strength of a nation stems from the wellbeing of its families, fostering civilized households is crucial to building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation. This endeavor will lay a solid foundation for a civilized society, meet the public demand for a happy and better life, as well as promote fine traditional Chinese culture. It also holds strategic significance in nurturing a new generation of capable young people who will carry forward the socialist cause.

To enhance the profound values of family civility and virtues, we must take family-related work as our long-term priority. This involves nurturing patriotic sentiments and familial devotion, developing close-knit and supportive family relationships, as well as championing the values of integrity and empathy within the family. In this process, family members will come to cherish the pursuit of common goals as a defining family value.

On the new journey, we must follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, especially Xi Jinping thought on culture, and cultivate and practice core socialist values. Adopting a problem-oriented approach, we will continue to strengthen educational guidance and widen channels for public participation. Such efforts will undoubtedly elevate public consciousness and strengthen the culture of civility and virtues in families. Our goal is to encourage millions of families to develop correct core values, live by noble ethical principles, and pursue healthy lifestyles, thereby cultivating new socialist customs and practices among Chinese families. 

The cultivation of family civility and virtues not only affects the happiness and wellbeing of each household but plays a vital role in ensuring social harmony, stability, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Therefore, it is essential to call on Party committees and governments at all levels to take up their political and leadership responsibilities by prioritizing family virtue promotion and incorporating it into socialist cultural-ethical advancement.

It also requires active participation of all sectors of society to foster a favorable environment in which different parties work in concert and demonstrate their distinct capabilities in this regard. This will allow new socialist customs and practices to flourish among millions of Chinese families and contribute to our efforts to build a strong country and realize national rejuvenation.

Editor: Yi Xiaowei