Be Prepared for Danger in Times of Peace
Stay prepared for potential danger even in times of peace [1]. This is a profound historical experience distilled by the Communist Party of China (CPC) from its long-term governance practice, and it represents a vivid manifestation of the application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism to the practice of leadership. Since the beginning of the New Era, the Party Central Committee has repeatedly emphasized that the entire Party must be mindful of potential danger (youhuan yishi [2]), adhering to the bottom-line thinking of "staying prepared for potential danger even in times of peace," and being ready to withstand the major tests of high winds, turbulent waters, and even perilous storms.
From the perspective of materialist dialectics, the relationship between "peace" (an) and "danger" (wei) is a unity of opposites. Ease and crisis, security and risk are mutually dependent and can transform into one another under certain conditions. As the "Book of Changes" (Yi Jing [3]) states: "The one who remains secure does not forget the possibility of danger; the one who survives does not forget the possibility of ruin." For a Marxist governing party, the greater the achievements of development, the more necessary it is to maintain a clear head and a sense of crisis. We must not only see the "peace" of current stability but also perceive the "danger" of potential risks. Only by proactively preventing risks and resolving contradictions through the lens of developmental change and the law of the unity of opposites can we ensure the long-term stability of the country.
Historical materialism tells us that the development of society is the result of the movement of the basic contradictions of society. In the process of promoting Chinese-path modernization, we inevitably face various predictable and unpredictable risks and challenges. These risks come from both the domestic "political ecosystem" and the complex international environment; they include both the "Black Swan" events [4] that occur unexpectedly and the "Gray Rhino" risks [5] that are visible but easily ignored. By upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, the Party maintains its original aspiration and founding mission, continuously promoting self-revolution to ensure that the Party never changes its nature, its conviction, or its character.
Staying prepared for potential danger even in times of peace is also an inherent requirement for realizing high-quality development. In the face of the profound changes unseen in a century, we must coordinate development and security. Security is the prerequisite for development, and development is the guarantee of security. Only by persisting over the long term, strengthening our sense of crisis, and enhancing our ability to prevent and resolve major risks can we effectively respond to the "Four Great Tests" [6] and the "Four Great Dangers" [7], ensuring that the ship of Chinese-path modernization braves the wind and waves to reach its destination.