Symposium held to commemorate 130th anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong's birth, Xi delivers important speech

BEIJING -- On the morning of Dec. 26, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held a symposium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong's birth. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech. He emphasized that Mao was a great Marxist, and a great proletarian revolutionary, strategist, and theorist. He was a great trailblazer in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, and laid the groundwork of China's socialist modernization. He was a great patriot and national hero in modern Chinese history, and the core of the Party's first generation of central leadership. He was a great man who led the Chinese people to change their destiny and the nation as a whole, and a great internationalist who made significant contributions to the liberation of oppressed nations and the cause of human progress worldwide. Mao Zedong Thought is the precious spiritual asset of our Party and will continue to guide what we do for a long time to come. The best way to commemorate Mao is to continuously advance the cause he initiated.

Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, attended the event. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the symposium.

In his speech, Xi pointed out that Mao devoted his life to achieving national prosperity, rejuvenating the Chinese nation, and promoting people's well-being. He led the people in starting the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, forging the great, glorious, and correct Communist Party of China, founding the New China with the people enjoying the status as masters of the country, creating an advanced socialist system, and building a new model of people's army that is invincible. He made indelible historical contributions to the Chinese nation and the Chinese people, and made shining contributions that will go down in history.

Xi emphasized that Comrade Mao Zedong dedicated his entire life to the Party and the people, leaving behind a lofty and inspirational spirit for future generations. Comrade Mao, as a great revolutionary leader, demonstrated far-sighted political vision, firm revolutionary conviction, extraordinary courage to blaze a new trail, perfect art of waging struggle, outstanding leadership, deep concern for the people, an open and broad-minded demeanor, and an exemplary work ethic of hard endeavor. As a result, he earned the love and respect of the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups. Comrade Mao's noble spirit will forever be a motivating force inspiring us to forge ahead.

Xi stated that advancing the building of China into a strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a path to Chinese modernization is the central task for the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups on the new journey in the new era. This is an unrealized cause of the older generation of revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong, and is the solemn historical responsibility of contemporary Chinese communists. On the new journey, we must never forget our original aspiration and founding mission, be confident in our history, and take historical initiative to continuously advance the great cause of Chinese modernization.

Xi emphasized that Chinese modernization is the cause of the Chinese people, and we must closely rely on the people, pool the inexhaustible wisdom and strength inherent in the people, and fully motivate the historical initiative of the people. It is crucial to adhere to the fundamental viewpoint of historical materialism that the people are the fundamental driving force in creating history, uphold the people's principal position, take it as the fundamental purpose of our work to defend, realize and develop the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the people, so as to ensure that all the Chinese people share the achievements of modernization in a more equitable manner. Efforts should be made to establish systems that ensure the people's status as masters of the country, improve the mechanisms that uphold social fairness and justice, focus on ensuring and improving people's well-being, follow the mass line in the new era, always maintain a close connection with the people, accept criticism and supervision from the people, always breathe the same air as the people, share the same future, and stay truly connected to them, in order to provide the most reliable, profound, and sustainable source of strength for advancing Chinese modernization.

Xi pointed out that unwaveringly adhering to and adapting Marxism to the needs of the times, vigorously advancing theoretical innovation on the basis of practical experience, and consciously using the Marxist theory with Chinese characteristics to guide new practices, are the successful approach for the CPC to exhibit greater historical initiative, keep pace with the times, and constantly break new ground for the development of its undertakings. There is no end to practice or theoretical innovation. It is a never-ending process to understand the truth, so we should constantly open up a new frontier in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. Chinese modernization has opened up broad prospects for the CPC's theoretical innovation and put forward new, more arduous and demanding tasks. We must adhere to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture, thoroughly explore the laws for advancing Chinese modernization, constantly answer new questions presented by practice, and guide practical innovation by using theoretical innovation.

Xi emphasized that reform and opening up is a major reason why China is able to catch up with the times, and it is the key move that determines whether Chinese modernization will succeed. To promote Chinese modernization, we must further comprehensively deepen reform and opening up, continuously liberate and develop social productive forces, and unleash and enhance social vitality. It is imperative to adapt to the new trends of the times, meet the new requirements of development, and fulfill the new expectations of the people. With strong determination to carry out reform to the end, we must take concrete actions, dare to confront difficulties head-on, make precise and coordinated efforts, and never lose steam in our endeavors. In such spirit, we will resolutely remove all institutional obstacles that impede the smooth progress of Chinese modernization, inject fresh impetus into all aspects of Chinese modernization, and constantly expand the space for the development of Chinese modernization.

Xi pointed out that Chinese modernization is the socialist modernization led by the CPC. Only by always staying alert and determined to tackle the unique challenges that a large party like ours faces, and by strengthening the Party more vigorously, can we ensure that Chinese modernization advances through waves and storms, and steadily moves forward. We must implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, use Party political building to guide all aspects of work in Party building, improve the system to exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance, and comprehensively promote the Party's self-purification, self-improvement, and self-renewal. It is important to continue to take coordinated steps to see that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to become corrupt, so that the Party can remain true to its original aspiration and mission, and at the forefront of the times, and always stay vibrant and vigorous. By doing so, we can ensure that the Party will never change its nature, its conviction, or its character.

Xi stressed that Chinese modernization requires the efforts of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation in solidarity. It is essential to comprehensively and accurately implement, with unwavering determination, the policy of "one country, two systems" as well as the policies of Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong and Macao people administering Macao with a high degree of autonomy. It is important to stick to law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao, uphold and improve the systems for implementing the "one country, two systems" policy and ensure that the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. Xi also stressed the need to see that Hong Kong and Macao are administered by patriots, and ensure both the central government's overall jurisdiction and a high degree of autonomy in the special administrative regions. It is imperative to support Hong Kong and Macao in growing their economies, improving their people's lives and resolving deep-seated issues and problems in their economic and social development, so that they will better integrate into the country's overall development. Realizing China's complete reunification conforms to the trend of the times and the will of the Chinese people, and the overall interests of the Chinese nation. China must and will surely be reunified. It is essential to implement the Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, advance integrated development in all fields across the Taiwan Strait, promote peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and prevent anyone from separating Taiwan from China in any form.

Xi stressed that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development, which not only promotes the well-being of the Chinese people but also advances other countries' modernization. We will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, remain dedicated to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, hold dear humanity's shared values, promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, Xi said. We will also uphold the basic norms governing international relations, adhere to the right course of economic globalization, pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, and reform global governance to make it more just and equitable, Xi said. He also said that China's development strengthens the world's forces for peace, and that China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansionism no matter what stage of development it reaches.

Cai Qi, while chairing the meeting, noted how affectionately General Secretary Xi, in his important speech, has looked back upon the great practices of Comrade Mao Zedong in leading China's revolution and construction, and how he has recognized the monumental achievements Comrade Mao Zedong made for the Chinese nation and Chinese people. General Secretary Xi noted in his speech that Comrade Mao Zedong's lofty spirit should serve as a driving force for our continued progress ahead. Xi proposed in his speech explicit requirements for commemorating Comrade Mao Zedong with concrete actions and with efforts to push ahead with the magnificent cause of Chinese modernization, Cai said. General Secretary Xi's important speech, with its broad and profound perspective, is of political, ideological, and guiding importance, and is of great significance in guiding our Party to continuously advance the cause pioneered by Comrade Mao Zedong and other older-generation revolutionaries, follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and break new ground for Chinese modernization. We must conscientiously study, and thoroughly implement the speech, so as to strive in unity for building China into a strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a path to Chinese modernization.

Qu Qingshan, director of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, Miao Hua, member of the Central Military Commission and director of the commission's Political Work Department, and Shen Xiaoming, secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, also spoke at the symposium.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and leading officials of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission attended the symposium.

Also present were officials from relevant central Party and government departments, the military and people's organizations, as well as leading officials from the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, representatives from other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personages without party affiliation. Mao Zedong's relatives, his former staff, representatives from his hometown, and those attending the "National Seminar to Commemorate the 130th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Mao Zedong" were also present.

Before the symposium, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Han Zheng, and other leaders visited the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. In the north hall of the memorial hall, placed in front of the seated statue of Comrade Mao Zedong were flower baskets from the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Central Military Commission, other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personages without party affiliation. Xi Jinping and others bowed three times to the seated statue of Comrade Mao Zedong, and then proceeded to pay respects to the remains of Comrade Mao Zedong.