Yin Yanyong: Xi Jinping's Speech at the 2013 National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work and the Establishment of the Policy for Propaganda and Ideological Work in the New Era
On August 19, 2013, the National Conference on Ideological and Publicity Work was convened in Beijing, where Comrade Xi Jinping delivered an important speech (henceforth referred to as the "August 19" speech). This marked the first time Comrade Xi Jinping addressed ideological and publicity work since becoming General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the 18th National Congress. He pointed out: "Ideological and publicity work must take centering on the core task and serving the overall situation as its basic responsibility. We must keep the big picture in mind, grasp the general trend, focus on major events, pinpoint the entry points and focal points of our work, and ensure that we plan according to the trend, move in response to the trend, and act in harmony with the trend." [1]
The "August 19" speech emphasized that ideological work is an extremely important task. It called for consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere and established "adhering to unity, stability, and encouragement, with a focus on positive publicity" as a vital principle for news and publicity work, providing ideological leadership and policy orientation for the successful execution of ideological and publicity work in the New Era.
I. The Background of the "August 19" Speech
The Party has historically attached great importance to ideological work, repeatedly emphasizing its significance. Following the 18th National Congress, the internal and external situations facing the Party and the state increasingly exhibited complex characteristics, thereby placing many new requirements on ideological work. From the perspective of the international environment, we must counter the efforts of hostile Western forces to "Westernize" and "split" [1] our country within the ideological domain. Particularly as economic globalization develops, the connections between nations have become increasingly close and the degree of interdependence continues to rise. Meanwhile, the rapid development and popularization of internet technology have continuously deepened the width and depth of ideological and cultural exchanges among countries, making the entire world "increasingly a community with a shared future in which you are part of me and I am part of you." Specifically, certain Western countries have taken the opportunity to conduct cultural infiltration, seriously threatening our country’s network security and ideological security, and bringing many problems and challenges to our reform, development, and modernization.
From the perspective of the domestic environment, with the development of the internet in China—especially the mobile internet and the rise of self-media [2]—the channels through which people obtain information have gradually diversified. The dissemination methods and influence of traditional media have gradually weakened, presenting many new problems and challenges to our ideological and publicity work. In this context, the convening of the National Conference on Ideological and Publicity Work held great significance for ensuring our country's ideological security, consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of the whole country, and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
II. Main Content of the "August 19" Speech
The "August 19" speech pointed out: Ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party; it concerns the future and destiny of the Party, the long-term peace and stability of the state, and the cohesion and centripetal force of the nation. This was a core element emphasized during the conference. The main content of the speech included the following aspects:
(1) Emphasizing that economic construction is the Party’s center of work, while ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party. The "August 19" speech pointed out: As long as there is no fundamental change in the general domestic and international trends, the adherence to economic construction as the center cannot and should not change. This is the fundamental requirement for adhering to the Party's basic line for one hundred years without wavering, and the fundamental requirement for solving all problems in contemporary China. At the same time, it noted: Ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party; it concerns the future and destiny of the Party, the long-term peace and stability of the state, and the cohesion and centripetal force of the nation. This was a core element emphasized during the conference.
(2) Emphasizing that ideological and publicity work must consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere. The "August 19" speech stressed that ideological and publicity work must consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere, noting that such work must shoulder the important task of consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of the whole country. Party members and cadres must strengthen their faith in Marxism and Communism. Leading cadres must take the systematic mastery of basic Marxist theory as their "mastery of the trade" [3], learning to use Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods to observe and solve problems, and strengthening their ideals and convictions. Party schools, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and universities must all treat Marxism as a compulsory course, becoming important fronts for the study, research, and publicity of Marxism.
(3) Emphasizing that Party spirit and "people-centeredness" are always consistent and unified. The "August 19" speech clearly pointed out that Party spirit (dang xing) and people-centeredness (ren min xing) have always been consistent and unified. To adhere to Party spirit, the core is to adhere to the correct political direction, resolutely publicizing the Party’s theories, lines, principles, and policies, resolutely publicizing the Central Committee’s major work arrangements, resolutely publicizing the Central Committee’s major analytical judgments of the situation, resolutely maintaining a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee, and resolutely safeguarding the authority of the Central Committee. All publicity departments and Party members and cadres responsible for publicity work should adhere to the principle of Party spirit. To adhere to people-centeredness, one must always take realizing, safeguarding, and developing the fundamental interests of the broadest possible range of people as the starting point and goal, adhering to the principle of "putting the people first" and being "person-oriented." Publicity work must always be people-centered, doing more to publicize the lives and moving stories of the masses, enriching the people's spiritual world, strengthening the people's spiritual power, and satisfying the people's spiritual needs.
(4) Emphasizing that ideological and publicity work must adhere to the important principle of "unity, stability, and encouragement, with a focus on positive publicity." The "August 19" speech proposed that adhering to "unity, stability, and encouragement, with a focus on positive publicity" is an important principle that ideological and publicity work must follow. Since entering the New Era, our country has faced many challenges and difficulties from both home and abroad; ensuring ideological security is a major responsibility for the vast number of news and publicity workers. Therefore, "we must persist in consolidating and expanding mainstream ideas and public opinion, promoting the 'main melody' [4], spreading positive energy, and stimulating the powerful force of the whole society to unite and forge ahead." We must hold fast to political principles, perform publicity work well, and give full play to the inspiring role of positive publicity, so that cadres and the masses can clearly distinguish between right and wrong.
(5) Emphasizing the need to tell China's stories well and spread China’s voice well. The "August 19" speech emphasized the need to tell China's stories well and spread China's voice well, proposing that guiding people to have a more comprehensive and objective understanding of contemporary China and the outside world should be an important component of successful publicity work. The "August 19" speech pointed out that to tell China's stories well, one must clearly explain the historical traditions, basic national conditions, and development path of the Chinese nation; clearly explain the spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation; clearly explain the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation; and clearly explain that socialism with Chinese characteristics is a path of development that adapts to the requirements of the development of China and the times, and conforms to the will of the Chinese people. Facing the complex and volatile world situation, ideological and publicity work must innovate its methods of external communication, focusing on creating new concepts, new categories, and new expressions that bridge China and the outside world, telling China's stories well and spreading China’s voice well. At the same time, it requires all ideological and publicity departments to "ensure responsibility is taken for one’s own territory" [5]; to perform ideological and publicity work well, the whole Party must get involved.
III. The "August 19" Speech and the Establishment of the Principles for Ideological and Publicity Work in the New Era
The principle of "adhering to unity, stability, and encouragement, with a focus on positive publicity" clearly put forward in the "August 19" speech is a vital principle that China's publicity work must follow in the New Era. It established the basic principles and indicated the direction for the Party's ideological and publicity work.
The principle of focusing on positive publicity is a summary of the practice of China's publicity work. In November 1989, Li Ruihuan pointed out in a speech at a national news seminar: "Only by adhering to the principle of focusing on positive reporting can news reports correctly and fully play their role in guiding social public opinion, and contribute to the stability of the overall situation and the resolution of various social problems." In January 1995, Jiang Zemin pointed out in a report at the National Conference on Ideological and Publicity Work: "Arm people with scientific theory, guide people with correct public opinion, mold people with noble spirit, and inspire people with excellent works."
Since entering the New Era, our country has faced many new challenges and difficulties. In the "August 19" speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping again proposed adhering to the principle of focusing on positive publicity and pointed out: "In long-term practice, our Party's ideological and publicity work has accumulated very rich experience. This experience was not easily won and is extremely precious; it is an important following for successful future work. We must conscientiously summarize and persist in it over the long term, and continuously enrich and develop it in practice." [3]
Subsequently, in his speech at the 2016 Symposium on the Party's News and Public Opinion Work (the "February 19" speech), General Secretary Xi Jinping once again reiterated that "unity, stability, and encouragement, with a focus on positive publicity" must always be maintained as the basic principle that the Party’s news and public opinion work must follow. He pointed out: "To do a good job in positive publicity, we must enhance its appeal and infectiousness. Authenticity is the lifeblood of news. We must describe facts based on facts, accurately reporting individual facts while also grasping and reflecting the overall picture of events or things from a macro perspective. Public opinion supervision [6] and positive publicity are unified. News media should confront problems existing in work and social evils head-on, promoting the pure while washing away the foul, and criticizing the faults of the times. At the same time, critical reporting must have accurate facts and objective analysis." He further pointed out: "All aspects and links of news and public opinion work must adhere to the correct guidance of public opinion."
"Adhering to a focus on positive publicity" is the fundamental guiding principle proposed by the Party Central Committee to promote the development of Party newspapers and journals, radio and television stations, news agencies, and new media platforms, and to perform the Party’s news and publicity work well. This principle provides ideological leadership and policy orientation for the Party's news and publicity work, and carries major guiding significance for performing the Party's ideological and publicity work under complex domestic and international situations.
(The author, Yin Yanyong, is a member of a Major Project team and a doctoral student at the School of Marxism/School of Journalism and Communication, Guangxi University.)