Chen Jinlong: Historical Contributions of the Communist Party of China in Promoting the Development of the Chinese National Community during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression | Marxism Research Network

General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the rally commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, pointed out: "Under the banner of the Anti-Japanese National United Front advocated by the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people fought the powerful enemy with unyielding integrity and built a Great Wall with their own flesh and blood, achieving the first complete victory against foreign invasion since modern times." The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a magnificent and arduous struggle; it was a great victory in which the Chinese nation shared a common hatred for the enemy and resisted foreign aggression in unison. The community of the Chinese nation was formed through a long historical process, in which all ethnic groups jointly developed the vast territory of the motherland, jointly founded the unified multi-ethnic state, jointly wrote the glorious history of China, jointly created the splendid Chinese civilization, and jointly nurtured the great national spirit, forming a pattern of "diversity within unity." The period of the War of Resistance was a crucial stage in the developmental history of the Chinese nation. The struggle and practice of the resistance by the whole nation, the shaping of new types of ethnic relations, the construction of a discourse system for the Chinese nation, and the mutual emotional affinity among all ethnic groups consolidated the foundation of the community of the Chinese nation and promoted its construction.

The launch of a full-scale war of aggression against China by Japanese imperialism plunged the Chinese nation into a profound crisis. The Chinese People's War of Resistance was a war of the entire nation against aggression. In this process, the entire people fought together against the Japanese invaders, powerfully advancing the construction of the community of the Chinese nation.

In December 1935, the Wayaobu Meeting ^[1] adopted the "Resolution of the CCP Central Committee on the Current Political Situation and the Party's Tasks," asserting that "the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation lie in China's freedom, independence, and unity." To safeguard these fundamental interests and achieve national independence and unity, the CPC explicitly stated it would mobilize, unite, and organize "all revolutionary forces of all nationalities across China to oppose the current primary enemy," expel Japanese imperialism from China, achieve the thorough liberation of the Chinese nation, and maintain China's independence and territorial integrity (Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the Party (1921–1949), Vol. 12, Central Party Literature Press, 2011, pp. 540, 536). In essence, the proposition for a war of resistance by the whole nation had already been put forward here. In May 1936, the Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic issued a declaration to the Hui people, expressing a willingness to "unite with all armed forces among the Hui people, assist in their development, and more importantly, arm the Hui people" to establish an independent "Hui People's Anti-Japanese Army," hoping that "the armed forces of the Hui people will become one of the main forces of the Anti-Japanese Allied Army in the future" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 13, p. 129). In February 1937, the CPC Central Committee, in an instruction letter to the Minorities Committee, reiterated the policy of "launching the anti-Japanese national salvation movement of the Mongolian people" and "assisting the Mongolian people's anti-Japanese movement and national liberation, uniting with them to conduct operations against Japan" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 14, p. 34). These propositions aimed to mobilize the Hui, Mongolian, and other ethnic groups to actively devote themselves to the anti-Japanese struggle, coalescing the majestic power of the Chinese nation to resist in unity.

After the July 7th Incident ^[2], the CPC Central Committee clearly stated: "Today, the central key to striving for victory in the War of Resistance lies in transforming the resistance that has already begun into a comprehensive war of resistance by the whole nation. Only such a comprehensive war of resistance by the whole nation can lead the resistance to final victory" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 14, pp. 473–474). National resistance was an inherent requirement for winning the war, and it was simultaneously conducive to building the community of the Chinese nation. The Anti-Japanese National United Front advocated by the Party was not only a united front of various domestic political parties and classes but also a united front of all ethnic groups in the country. At the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth CPC Central Committee, Comrade Mao Zedong explicitly proposed that a current vital task was to "unite all ethnic groups into a single entity to jointly deal with the Japanese invaders" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 15, p. 621). The "single entity" (一体, yītǐ) mentioned here refers to the Chinese nation sharing a common hatred for the enemy and forming a community for resistance.

In response to certain pessimistic sentiments regarding the war at that time, and in order to form a situation of national resistance, the CPC placed great emphasis on strengthening the confidence and determination of minority masses. The work carried out by the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Regional Government ^[3] regarding ethnic minorities was multifaceted, including "helping them improve their political consciousness and their enthusiasm for resisting Japan and saving the nation, and strengthening their confidence in the War of Resistance" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 16, p. 73). The outlines regarding the Hui and Mongolian issues drafted by the Northwest Working Committee of the CPC Central Committee respectively listed "inspiring and improving the understanding and confidence of the entire Hui nation in resolutely resisting Japan" and "awakening and improving the understanding and confidence of the Mongolian nation in resolutely resisting Japan" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 17, pp. 297, 418) as the first items of specific policy toward these groups, seeking to mobilize minority masses to participate in the war by elevating their awareness and confidence.

Through the active efforts of the CPC, a situation of national resistance gradually took shape. Besides extensively recruiting people of all ethnic groups to join the army and fight, the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army sent units and cadres deep into minority-concentrated areas behind enemy lines to help them establish anti-Japanese armed forces and carry out revolutionary struggles. The anti-Japanese armed forces composed of Mongolian and Han people established in Daqingshan became the main force of the Daqingshan anti-Japanese guerrilla war. Among the dozens of Hui anti-Japanese armed forces established in the anti-Japanese base areas, the two guerrilla detachments in Central Hebei and the Bohai region were the most famous. Ethnic minorities such as the Koreans, Manchus, Zhuang, Yao, Li, and Miao also made active contributions to the victory. "The resistance and national construction of China involves the participation of the Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, and other ethnic groups"; "this is the greatness of the Chinese nation" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 16, p. 454). The struggle and practice of national resistance advanced the construction of the community of the Chinese nation.

During the War of Resistance, the CPC adhered to the principles of ethnic equality and ethnic unity, promoted the common development of minority areas, and fostered the construction of the community of the Chinese nation by shaping a new type of ethnic relations.

Ethnic equality is an important foundation for the construction of the community of the Chinese nation. Mao Zedong explicitly pointed out at the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth CPC Central Committee: "Allow the Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Miao, Yao, Yi, and Fan ^[4] peoples to have equal rights with the Han people, and under the principle of joint resistance against Japan, have the right to manage their own affairs" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 15, p. 621). Ethnic equality is the basic requirement for handling ethnic relations. The principle of ethnic equality implemented by the CPC was reflected in various aspects including economy, politics, and culture. Economic equality primarily ensured that ethnic minorities and Han people enjoyed equal economic rights. Political equality was mainly reflected in recognizing that ethnic minorities and Han people possessed equal political status, allowing minorities to participate in the political life of the various border regions and base areas. Cultural equality was mainly reflected in respecting the identity and culture of ethnic minorities and helping them develop cultural education. These equal ethnic relations laid an important foundation for building the community of the Chinese nation.

Ethnic unity is another important foundation for the construction of the community of the Chinese nation. In August 1937, the Party Central Committee issued an instruction emphasizing that "we should establish good relations with both the upper and lower strata of ethnic minorities" and "make them voluntarily unite closely with us" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 14, p. 469). The process of establishing good relations and close union with ethnic minorities was the process of uniting them. At the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth CPC Central Committee, Mao Zedong called for "uniting the whole nation and mobilizing all vibrant forces of the whole nation to enter into this struggle" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 15, p. 652). The practice of entire-nation resistance enhanced the unity of all ethnic groups and created favorable conditions for building the community of the Chinese nation.

To promote the common development of minority areas, the CPC continuously standardized economic policies to protect the economic interests of ethnic minorities. The "Outline on the Issue of the Hui Nationality" proposed: "Assist and develop the agricultural and handicraft production of the Hui people, establish factories, develop mines, improve transportation, and organize production-consumption cooperatives and credit lending that benefit the Hui people" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 17, p. 299). These were concrete measures for developing the economy of minority areas. The "Outline on the Mongolian National Issue in the War of Resistance" proposed that "all taxes should have fixed quotas and be allocated for the political, economic, cultural, and educational expenses of the Mongolian nation"; "prohibit the forced occupation of Mongolian pastures and land"; and "abolish all exorbitant taxes, miscellaneous levies, arbitrary donations, requisitions of horses, and unpaid corvée labor, and reduce taxes on water and grass" (Selected Important Documents, Vol. 17, p. 419). These policies were conducive to promoting economic development in minority areas and to advancing the construction of the community of the Chinese nation on the basis of common economic development.

III

The long history and splendid culture of the Chinese nation were jointly created by all ethnic groups, forming the fine traditions of the Chinese nation over the long course of historical development. The CPC is the vanguard of the Chinese nation, shouldering the glorious mission of achieving national rejuvenation. During the War of Resistance, the CPC inherited and developed the excellent traditions of the Chinese nation, and refined and constructed a discourse system for the Chinese nation, providing the foundation for the construction of the community of the Chinese nation.

The history of China is a history of interaction, exchange, and integration (交融, jiāoróng) among all ethnic groups, converging into a "diversity within unity" Chinese nation; it is a history of all ethnic groups jointly founding a unified multi-ethnic state. In his article "The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party," Mao Zedong pointed out: Of China's population of 450 million, more than nine-tenths are Han. In addition, there are the Mongolians, Hui, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Miao, Yi, Zhuang, Zhongjia ^[5], Koreans, and others, totaling dozens of ethnic minorities. "Although the levels of cultural development differ, all have long histories. China is a country with a vast population formed by the combination of many nationalities." In the developmental history of the Chinese nation, there have been highly developed agriculture and handicrafts, many great thinkers, scientists, inventors, statesmen, military strategists, men of letters and artists, and rich cultural classics. "China is one of the countries in the world where civilization developed earliest" (Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 2, People's Publishing House, 1991, pp. 622, 623). The discourse construction by Chinese Communists regarding the historical development of the Chinese nation and the formation of the state provided historical support for building the community of the Chinese nation.

Through the long process of historical development, the Chinese nation has formed its own fine traditions and national spirit. Mao Zedong pointed out that the Chinese nation is not only famous throughout the world for its industry and endurance, but is also a nation that ardently loves freedom and is rich in revolutionary traditions. "The various ethnic groups of the Chinese nation all oppose oppression by foreign nations and must use means of resistance to remove such oppression." "In the several thousand years of the history of the Chinese nation, many national heroes and revolutionary leaders have emerged. Therefore, the Chinese nation is also a nation with a glorious revolutionary tradition and a fine historical heritage" (Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 2, p. 622). The narrative regarding the fine traditions of the Chinese nation helped to enhance the self-confidence and sense of pride of the Chinese nation, thereby advancing the construction of the community of the Chinese nation.

The Communist Party of China has always attached high importance to ethnic work. The "Manifesto of the Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic to the Hui People" ^[6] explicitly proposed that "on the principle of ethnic equality, we shall establish a joint political power to resolve the common issues of the Hui and Han peoples" (Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the Party (1921–1949), Vol. 13, p. 129). Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out in his article On New Democracy that the purpose of the Chinese Revolution was "to build a new society and a new state for the Chinese nation" (Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 2, p. 663). The new state of the Chinese nation is one in which all ethnic groups possess equal rights. The Party Constitution adopted at the Seventh National Congress of the CPC stipulated that the Communist Party of China "strives for the establishment of an independent, free, democratic, unified, and prosperous New Democratic Federal Republic, based on an alliance of all revolutionary classes and the free union of all ethnic groups" (Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the Party (1921–1949), Vol. 22, p. 534). During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the people of all ethnic groups—under the call and leadership of the CPC—acted with total disregard for their own safety and heroically resisted the enemy for their common ideals and goals. They finally achieved the great victory of the struggle for national liberation, providing the political guarantee for the construction of a community for the Chinese nation.

Emotion is the bond for constructing a community for the Chinese nation, playing a supportive role in its establishment and consolidation. In September 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Commendation Conference for Ethnic Unity and Progress: "History fully proves that mutual emotional closeness is a strong bond for the formation and development of the community for the Chinese nation."

The Party enhanced mutual emotional closeness on the basis of full communication. The establishment and maintenance of emotion require communication and exchange; they also require the elimination of contradictions and estrangement through such exchange. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Communist Party of China worked hard to adopt various methods to resolve the disputes and contradictions formed historically among various ethnic groups, thereby increasing emotional identification between them. In August 1936, the "C.P.C. Central Committee Instruction Letter Regarding Work in Inner Mongolia" required that "in our work and coordination, we must obtain the trust of our Inner Mongolian brothers with an extremely sincere attitude" (Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the Party (1921–1949), Vol. 13, p. 259). The process of work coordination was a process of emotional communication, exchange, and the winning of mutual trust. Historically, CPC documents involving the Hui, Mongolian, and other ethnic minorities frequently referred to these compatriots as "brothers" ^[7], allowing the fraternal affection of being "as close as one family" ^[8] to gradually become the emotional keynote between ethnic groups.

The community for the Chinese nation is built upon the foundation of national self-confidence. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the CPC focused on boosting the self-confidence and sense of pride of the Chinese nation to strengthen the entire nation’s resolve to defeat the Japanese invaders. At the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out that "the primary task of the entire nation lies in highly promoting national self-esteem and self-confidence." Comrade Zhang Wentian ^[9] also proposed that "we should utilize all the great deeds and figures from the past history of the Chinese nation to publicize its greatness, so as to create national self-esteem and smash the psychology of surrender and compromise" (Selected Important Documents Since the Founding of the Party (1921–1949), Vol. 15, p. 610, p. 700). A strong sense of national self-esteem and self-confidence is the emotional bond for state identity and ethnic integration, the source of strength for the continuous and sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and the spiritual momentum that inspired all sons and daughters of the Chinese ethnic groups to share bitter hatred for the enemy ^[10] and jointly resist Japanese aggression. It became the emotional foundation for enhancing Chinese identity and building a community for the Chinese nation.