A grand assembly marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was held on the morning of Oct. 22 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech. He stressed that only by remembering history can a brighter future be created. Xi urged the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee, carry forward the great spirit of the Long March, press ahead with renewed resolve and perseverance, advance the great cause pioneered by revolutionary predecessors, and strive for new achievements on the new Long March.
Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, as well as Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, attended the event.
The atmosphere in the grand auditorium of the Great Hall of the People was solemn yet vibrant. Above the rostrum hung a banner reading "Commemorative Assembly on the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army." At the center of the backdrop gleamed the radiant emblem of the CPC, with the huge year numerals "1936-2026" beneath it, flanked by five red flags on each side. A long banner hung on the second-floor balcony read: "Unite closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carry forward the great spirit of the Long March, forge ahead on the new Long March, and strive tirelessly to comprehensively advance the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization!"
At 10 a.m., Zhao Leji announced the start of the assembly. All present rose to their feet and sang the national anthem.
Amid enthusiastic applause, Xi delivered the speech. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, the CMC, the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, he paid high tribute to Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and all the other veteran revolutionaries who led the Red Army in accomplishing the historic feat of the Long March; to the Red Army commanders and soldiers who fought valiantly through bloodshed during the Long March and who continued fighting in various parts of the country; to the people of all ethnic groups who aided the Red Army on its Long March, especially those in revolutionary base areas; and to all surviving Red Army veterans. At Xi's proposal, all attendees rose and observed a moment of silence for all fallen heroes of the Long March and of revolutionary struggles across China.
From October 1934 to October 1936, under the leadership of the CPC, the Red Army's first, second, and fourth front armies, as well as the 25th Army, carried out the great Long March that Xi said stunned the world and is etched in history. During the Long March, the Red Army traversed more than 10 provinces and marched as far as 12,500 kilometers, fighting their way out of the encirclement, interceptions and pursuit by more than 1 million enemy troops. The victory of the Long March declared the total failure of the Kuomintang reactionaries' attempts to annihilate the CPC and the Red Army. It marked the Red Army's successful strategic transfer northward to resist Japanese aggression, which opened up a new phase in the Chinese revolution. "This earth-shattering revolutionary feat holds great significance in the history of our Party, country and military, and has a profound impact on our path toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This stirring heroic epic will forever be engraved on the monument of the Chinese revolution and remembered by hundreds of millions of people," Xi noted.
Xi stressed that revisiting history is about drawing wisdom and strength from it to forge ahead. "Ninety years on, as we once again look back on that grueling yet glorious journey, we have come to understand more profoundly that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, as it embodied the way by which the Party and the people's army marched toward victory with firm and resolute steps," Xi said.
Xi said that this great road to victory was blazed by relying on the Party's right leadership. The Party's right leadership and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position were of decisive significance to the victory of the Red Army's Long March. This great road to victory was forged by relying on firm revolutionary will. Revolutionary ideals and convictions can unleash boundless strength capable of defeating stubborn enemies and shaking mountains, and an army imbued with lofty ideals and firm convictions is invincible. This great road to victory was pioneered with the spirit of independence, self-reliance, and seeking truth from facts. Only when the basic tenets of Marxism are closely integrated with China's specific realities can they resolve problems in China and demonstrate their strong vitality. This great road to victory was opened up by relying on the support of the broad masses of the people, who are always the source of strength and the steadfast backing of the Party and the people's army. "As long as we take deep root among the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with them, the Party's cause will advance from victory to victory," Xi said.
Xi noted that the Red Army's Long March was an extraordinary miracle in human history and forged the great Long March spirit. Where there is spirit, there is strength. The great spirit of the Long March fully demonstrates the power of loyalty, truth, justice and solidarity. "As an important part of the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists, the spirit transcends time and space, retains its vitality over time, and will always be a precious treasure and a powerful force inspiring us to overcome difficulties and forge ahead courageously," Xi said.
Xi emphasized that the history of the Long March has never receded into the distant past, and the road of the Long March continues to extend. Over the 90 years since the victory of the Long March, the Party has united and led the people in undertaking one great Long March after another and winning one great victory after another across all historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Through the concerted efforts of the entire Party, the military, and Chinese people of all ethnic groups, the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been realized on schedule. The cause of the Party and the country has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations. On the new journey, we are now committed to realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, Xi said.
Xi noted that the new journey is a long expedition filled with glory and dreams, and is a new Long March for the Party and the people. He said that to carry forward the great spirit of the Long March and make steady progress on the new Long March, it is imperative to:
-- stay committed to the Party's ideals, convictions and fundamental purpose, fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, remain true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, and rely closely on the people to create new historic achievements;
-- unswervingly advance high-quality development, continuously meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, ensure coordinated implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, promote higher-quality economic growth while achieving an appropriate increase in economic output, and advance common prosperity for all;
-- have the courage to carry out a great struggle with many new historical features, better ensure both development and security, and seize the historical initiative to overcome difficulties, combat risks and meet challenges, so as to ensure that the giant ship of national rejuvenation cuts through the waves and sails steadily forward;
-- accelerate reinforcing the people's armed forces to world-class standards, always uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the army, realize the goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army on schedule, and advance national defense and military modernization with high quality;
-- uphold Party leadership, strengthen Party building, persevere with full and rigorous Party self-governance, and consistently advance its efforts to purify, improve, renew, and excel itself, ensuring that the Party serves as the strong leadership core in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.
While presiding over the event, Zhao Leji said Xi's important speech reviewed the great course of the Red Army's Long March led by the Party, summarized the great significance of the victory of the Long March, revealed the key to victory that has enabled the Party and the people's army to march forward resolutely, expounded the historical value of the great Long March spirit, and set out clear requirements for carrying forward the great Long March spirit and succeeding in the new Long March. Xi's speech was of immense political, ideological and guiding significance, Zhao said, urging earnest efforts to study and grasp its essence and ensure its effective implementation. He called on the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to rally more closely around the Party Central Committee with Xi at its core, follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, gain a profound understanding of the decisive significance of the "Two Affirmations," strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses," bolster the "Four Confidences," and ensure the "Two Upholds." He urged efforts to carry forward the great spirit of the Long March, succeed in the new Long March, and strive to build a great country and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.
The assembly concluded to the powerful strains of The Internationale.
The event was attended by members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice chairperson of the CMC, vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, state councilors, the president of the Supreme People's Court, and vice chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who were in Beijing.
Also in attendance were about 3,000 people, including leading officials of central Party and government departments, the military, people's organizations, and the Beijing municipal government; leaders of non-CPC political parties' central committees and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce; representatives of personages without party affiliation; representatives of retired officials; representatives of officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force; and representatives of people from all walks of life in the capital.
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