“The history of the Long March has never gone far, and the road of the Long March continues to extend.” On October 22, at a meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army’s Long March, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech and issued a sonorous call to “strive to create new glory on the new Long March.”
The great cause is passed down from generation to generation, and the great journey continues unabated.
China's progress and development today came from the Long March. Since the victory of the Long March 90 years ago, the Party has united and led the people to conduct great Long March after great victory in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and has won one great victory after another.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era; the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has sounded the clarion call for a new journey. General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out in his speech: "The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams, and a new long march for the party and the people."
Such "glory and dream" stems from the fact that the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved as scheduled, and the party and the country have made historic achievements and historic changes. It comes from the fact that we are committed to building a modern and powerful socialist country in an all-round way on the new journey, achieving the second centenary goal, and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-style modernization.
Facing the future, how can we vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit and work together to walk the new Long March path?
General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the clear requirements of the "Five Musts" in his important speech: "We must adhere to the Party's ideals, beliefs and purposes", "We must unswervingly promote high-quality development and continuously meet the people's growing needs for a better life", "We must have the courage to carry out great struggles with many new historical characteristics", "We must accelerate the building of the People's Army into a world-class army", "We must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building".
This is the unswerving foundation for settling down and establishing a life——
“Ideals, beliefs and purposes are the ‘soul’ of Communists and always guide our direction.” During the Long March, the Party and the Red Army relied on firm ideals and beliefs to find a way out. Nowadays, the new Long March is also taking a road that has not been traveled before, and the tasks are unprecedentedly heavy and difficult. In the face of new challenges, the "soul" of Communists will never change and they must always maintain firmness and persistence in their ideals and beliefs.
This is an inevitable requirement to benefit the people——
In the past, when the Red Army won battles, the people were its backers. Today, Chinese-style modernization must rely closely on the people and always be for the people. On the new Long March, we must use the "stability" of high-quality development and the "reliability" of people's livelihood protection to respond to the people's expectations and enhance people's well-being, so that the results of modernization can benefit all people more and more equitably.
This is the key path to opening up a new game——
"The road to ideals is never smooth, and great victories are achieved through tenacious struggle." The current situation at home and abroad is complex, with risks and challenges intertwined. "Dare to fight and be good at fighting" is the continuation of the great Long March spirit in the new era. We must strengthen our will to fight and use the spirit of historical initiative to overcome difficulties, risks, and challenges, so as to ensure that the great ship of China's rejuvenation can cut through waves and make steady and long-term progress.
This is the strong backing to protect our country——
The victory of the Long March wrote a heroic epic of the people's army's bloody battle. "The People's Army will always be the Great Steel Wall that defends the cause of the Party and the country." 2027 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Achieving the centenary goal of the founding of the army as scheduled and promoting the modernization of national defense and the army with high quality are the lofty missions of the people's army on the new Long March.
This is the fundamental guarantee for eternal vitality——
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Party's leadership and Party building are the fundamental guarantee for career development." The upcoming Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party will study several major issues of persevering in promoting comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and further demonstrate the historical initiative of strengthening the Party and the country. To follow the new Long March road well, we must always maintain the sobriety and determination to rush for the exam and ensure that the party remains the strong leadership core for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Looking back on the past and looking forward to the future, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, we will vigorously carry forward the spirit of the great Long March, continue to struggle and forge ahead, and we will surely create new and greater miracles worthy of the times and the people on the new Long March road.
