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The People’s Military celebrating the Centenary of the Communist Party of China
PREFACE
In 1921, the great Communist Party of China (CPC) was born to assume the historic mission of China’s national rejuvenation. Its 100-year journey surges forward with great momentum. Its original aspiration remains even firmer one hundred years later. In the past 100 years, the Party has insisted its original aspiration and mission for seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It united and led the people of all ethnic groups to make epic accomplishments through fighting bloody battles, working hard for prosperity, as well as reforming and opening up. Unprecedented transformation has taken place in China. The Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The Chinese nation has made a great leap from standing up, growing prosperously to becoming stronger. The people’s liberation army was established and led by the CPC. Since its creation, it has been closely linked to the Party and has always acted and fought under the absolute leadership of the Party. It has gone through wars and difficult times, making great sacrifices in exchange for more and more glorious victories, achieving great historical merit on behalf of the Party and people. History has proved that the Party’s absolute leadership over the military is the root and soul of the people’s liberation army. A hundred years on from its founding, the Communist Party of China is still in its prime, and remains as determined as ever to achieve lasting greatness for the Chinese nation. In the new journey of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, the people’s liberation army will always follow the Party’s lead, and will focus closely on realizing the Party’s goal of building a strong military in the new era, namely building the people’s military into world-class military that obeys the Party’s command, by which it can fight and win, and maintain excellent conduct. The people’s liberation army will always stay true to its original aspiration and founding mission with tireless efforts, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and boldly advance toward fulfilling the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation!
Chapter I Establishing and Leading the New People’s Military to
Win the Great Victory in Chinese Revolutionary Wars
In July 1921, the Communist Party of China (CPC) was born amid domestic turmoil and foreign aggression. It started to unite and lead the Chinese people to fight tenaciously for national independence and the liberation of the people. In the face of strong enemies and lessons learnt at the cost of blood, the CPC built a people’s liberation army and embarked on the right revolutionary path, using rural areas to encircle the cities and seizing state power with military force. The fundamental principle and system of absolute Party leadership over the military was initiated in the Nanchang Uprising (1927), established at Sanwan Reorganization (1927), confirmed at the Gutian Conference (1929), and kept enriching in revolutionary struggles. Under the leadership of the CPC, the people’s liberation army fought in bloody battles to defeat exceptionally fierce enemies at home and abroad, and succeeded in the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, thus laying a solid foundation for the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in which the people are the masters.
Section 1 Military Exploration in Early Days
Since the CPC was founded in 1921, it had actively promoted cooperation with the Kuomintang (KMT) in establishing the Whampoa Military Academy, initiated and led political work in the National Revolutionary Army. It trained a group of its own military cadres, took direct control of some revolutionary armed forces, actively organized and established armed forces of the workers, peasants and the public, and later actually led the political work in the Northern Expedition (1926-1927). The CPC’s military exploration in early days provided essential preparations for the founding of people’s liberation army and the conduct of armed struggles.
Section 2 Founding and Development of the People’s Military
After the failure of the Nationalist Revolution in China (1924-1927), the CPC independently raised the banner of revolution and led the Chinese people’s anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggles into a period of the Agrarian Revolutionary War (1927-1937). The Party combined general principles of Marxism with the concrete practices of the Chinese revolution and established the new people’s military. It set up rural bases for the revolution and embarked on the right revolutionary path, using rural areas to encircle the cities and seizing state power with military force. During the arduous Agrarian Revolutionary War, the People’s military endured severe tests and continued to grow and develop, laying a solid foundation for the great victory of the Chinese revolution.
Section 3 Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
by the Whole Nation
During the war of resistance, the CPC was an active advocate for the united national front based on CPC-KMT cooperation against Japanese aggression. It adhered to the general principles of nation-wide war of resistance, the strategy of protracted war, and the principle of independence. It led the people’s armed forces against Japanese aggression to carry out extensive guerrilla warfare in the enemy’s rear area echoing the center stage battlefield to create a strategic situation of fighting the enemy together. In particular, when the war entered the stage of strategic stalemate, they fought the enemy head-on and became a mainstay in the national war of resistance, making great contributions to the final victory of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression.
Section 4 Great Victory in the War of Liberation (1945-1949)
After the victory in of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, China faced a serious struggle between two kinds of fate and future. Chinese people were eager for peace, democracy and a new China. The CPC, representing fundamental interests of the people, made great efforts to strive for peace and democracy. Following the outbreak of a full-scale civil war, the Party led the people’s military in active defense, took resolute actions to utterly defeat the KMT’s military attacks, and then shifted to strategic offensive in a timely and appropriate manner. Later, it launched several decisive battles and strategic pursuits to overthrow the reactionary KMT rule, and seized a national victory of the New Democratic Revolution.
Chapter II Building a Combined Military to Defend China
With the founding of People’s Republic of China (PRC), the CPC united and led the Chinese people to complete the socialist revolution, establish the basic socialist system and promote socialist construction. By establishing and improving the national military leadership system and formulating and improving laws and regulations governing the relationship between the Party, the nation and the armed forces, the tenent ”the Party commands the gun” became the state will, thus realising the Party’s leadership over the military and the nation’s leadership over the military. Under the leadership of the CPC, the people’s military has promoted the building of a modern and standardized revolutionary military, which actively participated in the socialist revolution and construction, defended the motherland, the people and their activities, successfully fought US aggression and aided Korea, and conducted a number of self-defense operations on the borders. Those operations greatly boosted China’s international prestige andpower. The people’s military, under the leadership of the CPC, provided a strong backing for the consolidation of the people’s political power, China’s status as a major power and dignity of the Chinese nation.
Section 1 Establishment of a Basic Military System
that is Compatible with Our National and Political Systems
The CPC has integrated the people’s military into national system and established a basic military system that is compatible with the national and political systems of China. The fundamental principle of the Party’s absolute leadership over the military and related system, has been continuously enriched and developed in theory and strengthened in practice, so that the people’s military maintains its character, purpose and essence, and is always subordinate to the Party’s ruling mission as a faithful defender of the interests of the nation and the people.
Section 2 Development towards a
Modern and Regularized Revolutionary Military
The CPCCC and the CMC actively explored the path to build a modern national defense and military in peacetime, and put forward a series of guidelines and principles to guide national defense and military building. Building a modern and regularized revolutionary military had been approved and confirmed as the general policy and major mission. Proper balance between economic development and national defense building was emphasized. Active defense was adopted as the guiding principle of military strategy in defending the motherland. Comprehensive efforts were made in theoretical and political development in troops, military training for regularized armed forces, and vigorous development in science, technology, weaponry and equipment for national defense. The people’s military made significant achievements in its development.
Section 3 Consolidation of the New People’s Power
to Defend China’s National Sovereignty and Security
As the People’s Republic of China was founded and the War of Liberation, was over, the fundamental mission of the PLA changed from seizing national power to consolidating the people’s democratic dictatorship,defending national security and nation-building. The PLA troops met the expectations of the Party and the people and fulfilled the lofty mission of a people’s military by consolidating the new people’s power, successfully resisting US aggression and aiding North Korea, conducting a number of self-defense operations on the borders, and actively carring out economic construction and disaster relief operations.
Chapter Ⅲ Building a Modern and Standardized Revolutionary Military to Ensure the Cause of Reform and Opening up Well-served
After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Party Central Committee was held, the Party started to unite and lead the Chinese people to embark on a great journey of reform and opening up and socialist modernisation. The Party has upheld absolute leadership over the military, the oretically developed and repositioned this basic principle of military building, further improved the fundamental military system and strengthened the Party’s status in the leadership system of the military. Led by the CPC, the people’s military has actively participated in the new great revolution of reform and opening up, effectively served and supported national reform , development and stability. It fulfilled its defense duties in Hong Kong and Macao according to law, tackled threats to national security in a timely and effective manner, resolutely combated all forms of separatist and destructive activities and took part in international military exchanges and cooperation and UN peacekeeping operations. It provided strong support to safeguarding the CPC leadership, China’s socialist system, national sovereignty, security and development interests, the important period of strategic opportunity as well as regional and global peace.
Section 1 Fresh Progress in Military Building
After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Party Central Committee, Chinese Communists, with comrade Deng Xiaoping as the core of their leadership, united and led the entire Party and the people of all nationalities to successfully create the socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPCCC and the CMC proposed to build a strong, modern and standardized revolutionary military and emphasized that the revolutionary nature of the people’s military must be consistently upheld. With the guidance of Deng Xiaoping’s thinking on military building in the new historical period, the people’s military has upheld the Party’s absolute leadership and strived to coordinate and contribute to the development of economy.It has implemented the strategy of active defense, strategically transformed military building theories, adhered to the path of fewer but better troops with Chinese characteristics, resolutely safegarded national sovereignty and social stability and opened a new chapter in building a strong, modern and stardardized revolutionary military.
Section 2 Active Efforts for Revolution in
Military Affairs with Chinese Characteristics
Since the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th CPCCC, Chinese Communists, with comrade Jiang Zemin as one of their chief representatives, united and led the entire Party and the people of all nationalities to successfully push socialism with Chinese characteristics into the 21st century. The CPCCC and CMC enriched and developed the fundamental principles of military building, elevated the absolute leadership of the Party over the military to the level of the “soul of the military”, and clearly stated that the absolute leadership of the Party over the military was the everlasting soul of our military. Guided by Jiang Zemin’s thinking on strengthening our national defense and armed forces, the people’s military connected closely with the two historic objectives of being capable of winning battles and never degenerating, implemented the military strategy in the new period, comprehensively strengthened the building of the military in accordance with the general requirements of “five sentences”, and actively promoted revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics. The military had been making new strides in its reform.
Section 3 Sound and Rapid Development of National Defense and Armed Forces
Since the 16th National Congress, Chinese Communists, with comrade Hu Jintao as one of their chief representatives, united and led the entire Party and the people of all nationalities to successfully uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics under new conditions. The CPCCC and the CMC clearly stated that the absolute leadership of the Party over the military was an important part of our basic military system and of the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics, and an important political advantage of the Party and the country. The people’s military followed the guidance of Hu Jintao’s thinking on strengthening the national defense and armed forces under new conditions, thoroughly implemented the Scientific Outlook on Development, focused on developing national defense and armed forces, and strived to enhance its ability to accomplish diversified military tasks with the core capability to win local wars under information-based conditions, effectively fulfilling its historic missions in the new stage and in the new century.
Chapter Ⅳ Establishing the Party’s Goal of Strengthening the Military
in the New Era
Following the Party’s 18th National Congress, the CPCCC with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, united and led the entire Party, the military and people of all nationalities to focus on realising the Two Centenary Goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. It has upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, promoted the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. The Party and the country have made historic achievements and changes. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The Chinese nation has achieved the tremendous transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. The Party has elevated the absolute leadership of the Party over the military to a basic strategy for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, making it clear that the Party’s absolute leadership over the military is an essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, an important political advantage of the Party and the country, and the foundation of the people’s military and the soul of a strong military. The military is following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implements Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, thoroughly delivers on military strategy for the new era. It must be deeply conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; uphold the core position of the General Secretary on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership; implement the system of responsibility of the Chairman of the Military Commission; and continue to enhance the political loyalty of the armed forces strengthen them through reform and technology, run them in accordance with the law, and focus on the capabilities to fight and win.
Section 1 The Party’s Goal of Strengthening the Military in the New Era
Following the Party‘s 18th National Congress, the CPCCC with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, focused on realising t the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, made a series of new major judgments, new theoretical overviews and new strategic arrangements on what kind of and how to build a strong people’s military in the new era. It led the entire military in in-depth theoretical exploration and practical efforts and developed Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, opening up a new dimension for the development of modern Chinese Marxist military theory and practice, and serving as a guidance in the building of the Chinese national defense and armed forces from a new historical starting point.
Section 2 The Party’s Absolute Leadership over the People’s Mililtary
to be a Basic Strategy for Upholding and Developing Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era
The 19th National Congress of the CPC elevated the adherence to the Party’s absolute leadership over the people’s mlitary to one of the basic strategies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. The military has resolutely implemented the spirit of the 19th National Congress, comprehensively carried out a series of fundamental principles and systems for the Party to lead the military, strengthened political discipline and rules. It must be deeply conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; uphold the core position of the General Secretary on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership; implement the system of responsibility of the Chairman of the Military Commission. Make ensure absolute loyalty, purity and reliability, and that the barrel of the gun will always be under the command of the Party.
Section 3 Improving War Preparedness and Combat Capabilities for the New Era
The CPCCC and the CMC have taken stock of the situation and taken the overall picture, leading the entire military to forge ahead and overcome difficulties, strengthening military work in the struggle and developing it through innovation, and making many landmark, groundbreaking and historic achievements. The military has strengthened its combat team mentality, focused on war preparedness and combat capabilities, directed all its efforts towards war preparedness and combat capabilities, and comprehensively improved its ability to war preparedness for the new era.Section 4 Deepening Defense and Military Reform
The CPCCC and the CMC have included the deepening of national defense and military reform in the overall deepening of reform, as a key move to strengthen the army and raise it, and have made efforts to solve the institutional obstacles, structural contradictions and policy problems that restrict national defense and military construction, so as to create a strong momentum to promote reform and strengthen the army, modernise the organisation of the army, improve and develop the socialist military system with Chinese characteristics, and accelerate the construction of a modern The military force system with Chinese characteristics. The reshaping and restructuring of the People’s Army has resulted in a new system, a new structure, a new pattern and a new look, adding a powerful impetus to the cause of strengthening the army in the new era and laying a profound foundation for the modernisation of national defense and the army.
Section 5 Promoting Quality Military Development
The CPCCC and the CMC are focusing on improving the quality and efficiency of national defense and military modernisation, insisting on warfare-led building and development, strengthening the integration of warfare and building, vigorously promoting scientific and technological innovation and progress, making every effort to promote the modern drive of military personnel, striving to build a modern logistics system, speeding up the construction of a weaponry and equipment system that meets the requirements of information-based warfare and missions, transforming the way the military is governed in accordance with law, and continuously promoting quality development of the military.
Section 6 Faithfully Fulfilling Missions of the Military in a New Era
The needs of the Party and the people are the mission and tasks of the military. The People’s military has always obeyed and served the Party’s historical mission, heeded to the needs of national security strategy in the new era, resolutely safeguard the leadership of the CPC and China’s socialist system, resolutely safeguarded state sovereignty, security and development interests, resolutely safeguarded regional and world peace, and provided strategic support for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Conclusion
Today, a hundred years on from its founding, the Communist Party of China is still in its prime, and remains as determined as ever to achieve lasting greatness for the Chinese nation.
The epoch-making changes brought about by the founding of the CPC, the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the reform and opening up, and the historic achievements and changes in the Party and the state since the 18th Party Congress are fundamentally attributed to the fact that the CPC has always been committed to its original aspiration and mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.
The Party must command the gun is an irrefutable truth that our Party has learned during the violent struggle, and is the fundamental guarantee for maintaining the nature and purpose of the people’s military. The Communist Party of China and its strong leadership provide guidance and strength for the people’s military to march forward.
Standing at a new historical starting point, the People’s military has sounded the clarion call for building a strong military in the new era and started its new journey. On the way forward, the People’s military will firmly follow the absolute leadership of the Party, treating this as the soul and lifeblood of the military that can never be changed or discarded, and listen to the Party and firmly follow the Party’s leadership under all circumstances. We will continue our endeavors to achieve the Party’s goal of strengthening the military in the new era and building it into a world-class military, build a modern socialist country in all respects, secure the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and fulfill the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation!
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