Nie Zhi: The Three Dimensions of Xi Jinping's Important Expositions on Ideological Work

I. Reaching a New Height of Understanding in the Grasp of the Laws of Ideological Construction

Xi Jinping has proposed a series of original new thoughts, perspectives, and judgments regarding the orientation, situation, tasks, positions, and subjects of ideological work. He has formed a "Five Theory" framework for ideological work characterized by a clear theme, systematic completeness, and profound significance, which focuses on answering what kind of Chinese-path socialist ideology should be upheld and developed in the New Era.

1. Orientation Theory: "An Extremely Important Task" Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Economic construction is the Party’s central work, and ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party." This judgment contains two layers of profound meaning: First, it explicitly points out its "extreme importance," a descriptor that is unique among the many important tasks Xi Jinping discusses, manifesting the intense degree of attention the subject demands. Second, it elaborates on this importance in connection with the status of economic construction, implicitly emphasizing that the basic responsibility of ideology—past, present, and future—remains to revolve around the center and serve the overall situation. The three "matters of concern" (shiguan ^[1]) centrally explicate the "extreme importance" of ideological work.

First, it is a matter of concern for the future and destiny of the Party. "If the whole Party is weak in its ideals and beliefs, the Party will become a motley crew and scatter at the first sign of trouble." Internally, solving the unique challenges of a large party ^[2] requires the powerful guarantee of ideology. Xi Jinping summarized the special difficulties facing our Party through the "Six How-tos" ^[3], pointing out the direction of effort for succeeding on the "new journey of the exams" ^[4]. "Ideological unity is the deepest, most lasting, and most reliable guarantee of the Party's solidarity and unity." To properly solve the six unique challenges of a large party, we must strengthen the Party's ideological theory and ideological construction. Externally, the increasingly intensifying containment, suppression, and infiltration by the US-led West necessitate the fortification of ideological positions. Various hostile forces use the ideological sphere as a breakthrough point, vigorously propagating so-called "universal values" with the "aim of competing with us for positions, for hearts, and for the masses." From a historical perspective, subversive failures and setbacks often stem from the loss of the ideological line of defense. Xi Jinping has mentioned the painful lessons of the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on many occasions, pointing out that a major reason for the Soviet collapse was the total disappearance of ideals and beliefs.

Second, it is a matter of concern for the long-term stability of the country. "The disintegration of a regime often begins in the conceptual sphere." History and reality have repeatedly proven that the stability of a state and the security of a regime depend to a large extent on the "social cement" function of ideology. This is because once the line of defense in the conceptual sphere is breached, other lines of defense are difficult to maintain. Xi Jinping has always viewed ideological work as a vital link in implementing the Holistic Approach to National Security, noting: "In the struggle within the ideological sphere, we have no room for compromise or concession; we must achieve total victory." Once major problems occur in ideology, the achievements of economic construction will inevitably be difficult to maintain and consolidate. The stability of the state and the security of the regime are built upon the balanced development and simultaneous progress of material and spiritual forces. "Only when both material and spiritual civilizations are well-developed, when both the material and spiritual strength of the country are enhanced, and when both the material and spiritual lives of the people of all ethnic groups are improved, can the cause of Chinese-path socialism advance smoothly."

Third, it is a matter of concern for national cohesion and centripetal force. For a multi-ethnic country, the handling of ethnic relations and ethnic issues is a core variable directly related to the space for the country's survival and development, as evidenced by the Yuan Dynasty in Chinese history and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Xi Jinping has a clear understanding of this, repeatedly emphasizing that all ethnic groups should be closely united like "pomegranate seeds" ^[5], and pointing out: "To strengthen the great unity of the Chinese nation, the long-term and fundamental task is to enhance cultural identity, build a shared spiritual home for all ethnic groups, and actively cultivate a consciousness of the community of the Chinese nation." Culture imperceptibly influences people's behavior, nourishes national vitality, stimulates national creativity, and molds national cohesion. Cultural identity determines national identity, and the intensity of cultural identity determines the height of national cohesion and centripetal force.

2. Situation Theory: "The Ideological Struggle is Complex and Acute" Scientifically assessing the situation and accurately formulating strategies is the foundation for doing ideological work well. "An invisible war without smoke is everywhere in the ideological sphere, and a contest without guns in the political sphere has never ceased." In the New Era, the Party Central Committee has a clear understanding of the situation.

The situation in the ideological sphere has undergone a comprehensive and fundamental transformation. First, the Party’s comprehensive leadership over ideological work has been strengthened, effectively reversing the situation where the Party's leadership in the ideological sphere was once ignored, diluted, and weakened. Second, the fundamental system of the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere has been further established. We use Marxism as a guide to develop Chinese-path socialist culture, accelerate the construction of a Chinese-path philosophy and social science system, deeply implement the Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory, strengthen and improve school ideological and political education, and implement the responsibility system for ideological work, effectively incorporating the guiding position of Marxism into all aspects of ideological construction. Third, the atmosphere of social public opinion is generally positive and upward. In recent years, rapid socio-economic development, the effective results of comprehensively deepening reform, the continuous advancement of the rule of law, and the increasing guiding power of mainstream media have led to an overall positive and clear social public opinion, with the mainstream social mentality being healthy and improving.

Acute and complex struggle remains an important characteristic of the ideological sphere. First, mainstream ideology and non-mainstream ideologies coexist, and various social trends of thought clash fiercely. China is currently in a critical period of overcoming difficulties in reform, where social contradictions are intertwined and various social trends of thought have emerged. The profit-seeking inherent attribute of the market economy inevitably gives rise to individualism, money worship, and hedonism. Second, the security risks of online ideology are prominent, and various new types of risks continue to emerge. Western ideological infiltration dissolves the authority of mainstream media, profit-seeking in the market impacts Core Socialist Values, and the rapid development of the internet—while promoting social development—also brings new challenges to ideological work. It is necessary to strengthen positive online propaganda, broadly build consensus, strengthen internet regulation, and create a clear cyberspace. Third, while China’s international discourse power and influence have increased, the situation of "the West being strong and us being weak" has not fundamentally changed. "We often have the truth but cannot speak it out, or speak it but cannot spread it," making the construction of international discourse power a difficult task. We must further enhance China's international discourse power and strengthen international communication capabilities.

3. Task Theory: Under the Command of the "Two Consolidations," the Five Tasks of "Upholding the Banner, Gathering the People, Educating Newcomers, Revitalizing Culture, and Presenting the Image" Xi Jinping has divided ideological work into two levels: the "fundamental task" and the "mission task." These two levels of tasks together constitute the task system for ideological work on the new journey in the New Era.

On the one hand is the fundamental task. The proposal of the fundamental task—to "consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere and consolidate the common ideological basis for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups"—was first seen in Xi Jinping’s "August 19" speech ^[6]. The 2018 National Conference on Public Communications and Ideology further emphasized "adhering to the fundamental task of the ‘Two Consolidations’ in ideological work" as a new thought, perspective, and judgment proposed in practice since the 18th National Congress. On the other hand is the mission task. Xi Jinping proposed that public communications and ideological work under the new situation must "consciously undertake the mission task of upholding the banner, gathering the people, educating newcomers, revitalizing culture, and presenting the image." To "uphold the banner" is to hold high the great banner of Marxism and Chinese-path socialism; to "gather the people" is to do a good job in public opinion and propaganda to unite the hearts of the people; to "educate newcomers" is to cultivate "newcomers of the age" capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation, and to train more socialist successors for the country and nation who have ideals, morality, culture, and discipline; to "revitalize culture" is to inherit and promote fine traditional Chinese culture and revolutionary culture, cultivate and develop advanced socialist culture, and further enhance the country's cultural soft power while meeting the people's growing spiritual and cultural needs; to "present the image" is to present a true, comprehensive, and multi-dimensional image of China in the New Era to the world.

4. Subject Theory: "Adhering to the Party’s Leadership over Ideological Work" Adhering to the Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the construction of socialist ideology. To do New Era ideological work well, it is necessary to give full play to the functions of each responsible subject, adhere to the Party's leadership over ideological work, fully utilize the role of the public communications and ideological departments as the main force, and comprehensively implement the responsibility system for ideological work.

First, party committees at all levels must lead ideological work. Adhering to the Party's leadership over ideological work essentially means adhering to the leadership of party committees. Leading ideological work well is the political responsibility of party committees. Party committees at all levels must "strengthen the analysis and judgment of major issues in the field of public communications and ideology and provide coordinated guidance for major strategic tasks, constantly improving the ability and level of leading public communications and ideological work." The leadership of party committees at all levels is the foundation for the Party’s leadership over ideological work. Only when party committees at all levels firmly fulfill their responsibilities can the Party's comprehensive leadership over public communications and ideological work be effectively strengthened.

Second, public communications and ideological departments must ensure they "guard their territory" (shoutu youze ^[7]). As the main force in the ideological struggle, public communications and ideological departments must discover problems existing in relevant units within the field of propaganda under the current context of marketization, promptly discover and refute erroneous social trends of thought, and dare to "show their swords" ^[8], achieving the goal of "being responsible for, accountable for, and dedicated to guarding one’s territory."

Third, the responsibility system for ideological work must be comprehensively strengthened. Adhering to the principles of territorial management, hierarchical responsibility, and "whoever is in charge is responsible," the Party's comprehensive leadership over ideological work will be further strengthened.

5. Position Theory: "Adhering to the Unity of Party Spirit and People-Centeredness" First, the principle of Party spirit must be upheld. The principle of Party spirit is the fundamental principle of ideological work; "Party spirit is the greatest virtue." Xi Jinping pointed out: "To do public communications and ideological work well, one must speak of Party spirit." We must always adhere to the core leadership position of the Party in all ideological work, ensuring that all ideological positions bear the surname "Party" ^[9], helping cadres and the masses distinguish between right and wrong, and clarifying blurred understandings.

Second, emphasis must be placed on people-centeredness (renminxing). Always remember that the country is its people, and the people are the country; the hearts of the people are the greatest politics. The masses are the subjects of history, and the people are the masters of the country. Putting the people first is a principle our Party has adhered to for many years and is our precious wealth. The development and popularization of mainstream socialist ideology, represented by Core Socialist Values, must rely on the great practice of the masses. Advancing ideological work requires adhering to the people’s position and the mass line.

Third, the unity of Party spirit and people-centeredness must be maintained. In ideological work, adhering to the Party's leadership helps ensure the correctness and scientific nature of the work and helps effectively avoid situations where the issues of greatest concern to the masses go unresolved. To do ideological work well, we must value the Party's leadership and maintain a firm political position while also actively carrying out various spiritual and cultural activities beneficial to the masses based on their needs and interests, improving their cultural literacy and moral level, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of ideological work.

II. Achieving New Breakthroughs in Methods for the Control of Ideological Work Links

On the basis of accurately grasping the overall situation of ideological work, Xi Jinping has anchored the key links and main contradictions in practice, emphasizing institutional fundamentals, theoretical innovation, public opinion foundation-building, internet consolidation, and the cultivation of the younger generation. This focuses on answering how to uphold and develop Chinese-path socialist ideology in the New Era.

1. Upholding the Fundamentals: Adhering to the Fundamental System of the Guiding Position of Marxism in the Ideological Sphere The [nature] of ideology...

"Upholding the fundamentals" (shouzheng) specifically refers to Ensuring the correctness of direction, path, nature, and standpoint. In the context of ideology, it means unswervingly upholding the guiding position of Marxism and maintaining a firm grasp on the Party's leadership over ideological work. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s proposal to "uphold the fundamental system of the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere" ^[10] is highly timely, as it highlights the strategic position of ideological work within the overall cause of the Party and the state from the perspective of seeking truth from facts. To uphold this fundamental system well, we must first strengthen the arming of the Party with its innovative theories, persistently using contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism to coalesce the soul of the nation. Following the requirements to "study, understand, master, and apply" (xuedong nongtong zuoshi), we should encourage cadres and the masses to study the Party's innovative theories deeply, accurately grasp the Marxist standpoint, viewpoints, and methods, strengthen their theoretical cultivation, raise political awareness, and increase emotional identification. This ensures a thorough connection between study, thought, and application, as well as the unity of knowledge, belief, and action. Second, we must improve the mechanism for assessment and accountability in ideological work, safeguarding the Party’s "responsibility field" (zerentian) ^[11] in this area. To address the risks and challenges currently emerging in the ideological sphere, we must further promote the healthy development of assessment and evaluation systems. We must improve our ability to distinguish between issues of political principle, issues of ideological understanding, and issues of academic viewpoints, correctly handling problems in the ideological field and effectively strengthening the guiding role of Marxism. Third, we must take a clear-cut stand against various erroneous trends of thought to resolutely safeguard ideological security. In recent years, struggle in the ideological field has been complex and sharp; undercurrents of unhealthy social trends such as historical nihilism ^[12] and neoliberalism have surged, interfering with and impacting the guiding status of Marxism. When facing erroneous trends, one must have the courage to take charge, the courage to "show the sword" (liangjian), carry forward the spirit of struggle, and master the skills of struggle, unequivocally opposing and resisting all forms of error to effectively maintain ideological security.

2. Breaking New Ground: Emphasizing Theoretical Construction and Accelerating the Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences with Chinese Characteristics

"Breaking new ground" (kaixin) embodies the active pursuit of innovation and change, as well as an open and receptive attitude toward new things. Xi Jinping once warned: "In some fields, Marxism has been marginalized, hollowed out, or labeled; in certain disciplines, it has become 'speechless' (shiyu), in textbooks 'missing' (shizong), and in forums 'voiceless' (shisheng)." Faced with this urgent situation, it is imperative to accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. First, we must persist in arming the whole Party with Marxism and its Sinicized innovative theories. Arming with theory is the necessary path for theory to take hold of the masses; only by continuously deepening the masses' understanding of Marxist theory—ensuring they gain insight and benefit from their studies—can truth solidify the faith of the people. Second, we must open up new frontiers in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which we found and develop our Party and country. To accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, we must first adhere to the "Two Combinations" ^[13] and properly apply the "Six Must-Upholds" ^[14]. Third, we must move faster to build China’s independent knowledge system. This system is not a carbon copy of others, nor is it conjured out of thin air; rather, it is rooted in China's concrete realities and built through the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. The focus must be on "independence," using Chinese methods and Chinese logic to guide Chinese practice. Fourth, we must resolve the issue of "academic style" (xuefeng) in the fields of philosophy and social sciences. Problems with academic style seriously affect the healthy development of these disciplines. Therefore, to promote a good academic style, we must combine "soft" constraints with "hard" measures. For the vast number of workers in the philosophy and social sciences, it is also necessary to maintain rigorous scholarship, consciously abide by academic norms, and unify their personal character, professional conduct, and academic pursuits to jointly foster a positive academic ecosystem.

3. Strengthening the Foundation: Seizing the "Proactive Initiative" in Public Opinion Guidance and Shaping a New Landscape of Mainstream Public Opinion

News and public opinion have the function of "transforming the people through influence" (chengfeng huaren) and "moistening things silently" (runwu wusheng) ^[15]. Doing a good job in news and public opinion work and shaping a new landscape of mainstream public opinion is a foundational task of ideological work. In the Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping pointed out that to build a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leadership, we must "strengthen the development of an all-media communication system and shape a new landscape of mainstream public opinion." We must proceed from four aspects: First, we must adhere to the Marxist view of journalism. The view of journalism is the soul of news work; the Marxist view of journalism is the "ballast stone" (dingpanshen) of the Party's news and public opinion work, and the concept that must be upheld to promote the "main theme" (zhuxuanlü) ^[16] and spread positive energy. Faced with Western media promoting erroneous concepts under the banner of "freedom of the press," news workers should use the Marxist "telescope" and "microscope" to record objective truth and use their pens to repel the invasion of erroneous trends. Second, we must adhere to the correct orientation of public opinion and promote media convergence. Currently, all-media development is changing daily, and information is omnipresent, presenting challenges to news work. To effectively meet these challenges, we must adhere to the correct orientation, further promote media convergence, and enhance the "four powers" (sili) ^[17] of mainstream media, allowing positive and constructive ideas to expand and form a new landscape of mainstream public opinion. Third, we must persist in giving priority to positive publicity and actively promote the main theme. Adhering to positive publicity is the basic policy of the Party’s news and public opinion work. To do this well, we must stand on the foundation of fine traditional Chinese culture and advanced socialist culture, actively disseminating content that is upward-looking, wholesome, and filled with positive energy. We must improve the ability to "explain politics through scholarship," using thorough academic analysis to respond to people, thorough ideological theory to convince them, and the powerful force of truth to guide them. The more resounding the main theme, the firmer the ideological position.

4. Consolidating the Roots: Promoting a Good Cyber Ecosystem and Building a Clean and Righteous Cyberspace

"Consolidating the roots" (guben) means strengthening the foundation. The internet is currently the main battlefield and the front line of ideological struggle; whether we can stand our ground and win on this battlefield directly affects national political security. First, we must continuously advance the rule of law in cyberspace and regulate online behavior according to the law. The cyber ecosystem concerns ideological security and the long-term peace and stability of the country. The internet is not a lawless land; building a legal framework is the necessary path to a healthy ecosystem. Using the law as a yardstick, we must precisely formulate regulations, clarify the boundaries of information content and online behavior, and safeguard network security. Second, we must actively promote breakthroughs in core internet technologies to build a strong barrier for network security. Network technology is the technical guarantee for the cyber ecosystem and civilization. However, technology is a "double-edged sword" containing uncertainties that could expose network security to risks. Faced with rapidly developing technology, we must "be clear about what can be imported but must be secure and controllable" and "what must rely on our own independent innovation." We must also accelerate the "exploration of applying artificial intelligence in news collection, production, distribution, reception, and feedback, using mainstream values to steer 'algorithms'" to bridge the adverse effects of "information cocoons" and "information islands" on the cyber ecosystem. Third, we must speed up the improvement of the comprehensive governance system to maintain a good cyber ecosystem. Improving this system is a comprehensive task and a necessary requirement for maintaining ideological security. The focus lies in improving comprehensive governance capabilities and pressing the primary responsibility of internet platforms. Platforms themselves must strengthen self-discipline, while also achieving multi-stakeholder participation in governance to form a comprehensive governance pattern. Only then can we better maintain the cyber ecosystem and ideological and political security.

5. Cultivating the Vital Spirit: Pointing the Direction for the "Four Services" and Strengthening Ideological and Political Work in Universities

"Cultivating the vital spirit" (peiyuan) means nurturing the reserve forces and core factors required for the development of an entity. Universities are the front line of ideological work, and university students are the key population for education and guidance. Whether ideological and political work in universities is done well directly relates to the major task of nurturing builders and successors of the socialist cause. To do this work well, first, we must clearly state the development direction of "Four Services" ^[18] for higher education and adhere to "fostering virtue through education" (lide shuren) as the fundamental task. "We must persist in taking lide shuren as the central link, integrating ideological and political work throughout the entire process of education and teaching." Second, we must strengthen organizational leadership and improve the institutional mechanisms for university ideological and political work. This requires comprehensive coordination by Party committees at all levels. We should improve inspection and accountability mechanisms, strengthen assessments, and refine the evaluation and supervision systems. Third, we must unify the "Four Persistences" ^[19] throughout the entire education process. In the National Conference on Ideological and Political Work in Universities, Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that we should: "persist in disseminating Marxist scientific theory, persist in cultivating and practicing core socialist values, persist in promoting harmony and stability in universities, and persist in fostering an excellent school spirit and academic style." This is the way to cultivate socialist builders and successors who possess both moral integrity and professional competence.

III. A New Realm of Practice in Achieving Guidance in the Ideological Field

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, ideological work in the New Era has achieved historical accomplishments and undergone historical changes through the process of "clearing the source and rectifying the roots" (zhengben qingyuan), leading to a global and fundamental shift in the situation of the ideological field. These great achievements in practice demonstrate the power of truth in Xi Jinping's important discourses on ideological work and constitute the practical manifestation of his profound thoughts.

1. Clearing the Source and Rectifying the Roots: Mastering the Leadership, Management, and Discourse Power over Ideological Work

In the New Era, the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to strengthening the Party's leadership, management, and discourse power over ideological work. By comprehensively strengthening the Party's leadership, it has fundamentally resolved the problems of blurred understanding and weak action regarding the Party's leadership in the ideological field.

Since the 18th National Congress, Xi Jinping has personally convened a series of important meetings. At the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work, he emphasized that "the whole Party must take action to do propaganda and ideological work well." At the Symposium on Literature and Art, he pointed out that "the Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the development of socialist literature and art." At the Symposium on the Party's News and Public Opinion Work, he emphasized that Party media "must be surnamed 'Party'" (dangmei xingdang). At the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, he noted that improving and strengthening the Party's leadership is essential for the prosperity of these fields. At the National Education Conference, he systematically answered the question of "what kind of people to cultivate." At the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, he proposed "better shouldering the new cultural mission." On the eve of the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideological, and Cultural Work, he emphasized providing a "strong ideological guarantee, powerful spiritual strength, and favorable cultural conditions" for modernization. This series of new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments has deepened our understanding of the laws of ideological work, decisively eliminated long-standing and unresolved "stubborn ailments" (wanqiang jiji) in the field, and firmly grasped the correct political direction. In practice, a positive situation of total Party attention, comprehensive integration, and comprehensive inspection has been formed. The Party's ideological work has been integrated into the "Four Comprehensives" strategic layout, and the status of ideological work has been included in the inspection and oversight work (xunshi xuncha) of all levels, resulting in a fundamental transformation of the ideological situation.

2. Rejection of the Old and Creation of the New: Building a Comprehensive Institutional System for Ideological Work

Transforming "soft" ideological requirements into "hard" institutional constraints is an inevitable requirement for improving the efficiency of ideological governance and achieving the modernization of governance capacity. On one hand, the New Era has established and maintained the fundamental system of the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere. Xi Jinping creatively proposed this at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and made corresponding arrangements. On the other hand, a relatively complete institutional system for ideological work has been constructed: the "Rules for the Study of Theoretical Learning Center Groups of Party Committees (Party Leadership Groups)" and the "Implementation Measures for the Responsibility System for Ideological Work of Party Committees (Party Leadership Groups)" were formulated, clarifying the responsibilities of Party committees at all levels in the form of intra-Party regulations. Additionally, a series of heavyweight documents—including the "Implementation Outline for the Construction of Civic Morality in the New Era," the "Implementation Outline for Patriotic Education in the New Era," the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee on the Prosperity and Development of Socialist Literature and Art," the "Opinions on Cultivating and Practicing Core Socialist Values," and the "Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of Philosophy and Social Sciences with Chinese Characteristics"—have played the role of "four pillars and eight beams" (siliang baji) ^[20], building a complete, standardized, and effective system that has pushed ideological work onto a track of institutionalization and the rule of law.

3. Gathering strength and coalescing hearts: consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups nationwide.

The "Two Consolidations" ^[21] constitute the fundamental task of the Party’s ideological work. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has scientifically grasped the trends of mutual agitation between global ideologies and cultures, as well as the profound changes in social ideas within our country. From a holistic and strategic height, they have conducted systematic planning and deployment of ideological work, opening up a new realm for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory, and constructing the largest possible concentric circles ^[22] for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups nationwide.

First, the Party’s innovative theories in the New Era have deeply entered the hearts of the people. Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to "strive to let the Party’s innovative theories enter the hearts of hundreds of millions of people, becoming theories that are grounded ^[23], gather the wisdom of the masses, align with the will of the people, and win the hearts of the people." Party organizations at all levels have attached great importance to the work of arming the whole Party and educating the people with the Party’s innovative theories. They have comprehensively and deeply promoted the dissemination of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in government agencies, communities, rural areas, enterprises, schools, and the cyberspace domain, ensuring that the Party’s innovative theories enter people's hearts and take root.

Second, Socialist Core Values have been widely disseminated. On the new journey of the New Era, Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the vital role of Socialist Core Values in leading ideological work. He has highlighted "widely practicing Socialist Core Values" as an important task of cultural construction in the New Era, forming a theoretical whole that is systematic, complete, logically rigorous, and rich in connotation. By following the combination of the rule of law and the rule of virtue ^[24], remarkable achievements have been secured.

Third, erroneous trends of thought have been vigorously criticized. The common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups nationwide has been consolidated through the accompaniment of struggles against various erroneous trends of thought. In the new journey of the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has unswervingly emphasized faith in socialism and communism, requiring the entire Party to "uphold the truth with a clear-cut stand and refute errors with a firm position." At the same time, by deeply revealing the essence and harm of erroneous trends of thought, the Party has powerfully criticized erroneous trends including historical nihilism ^[25], "constitutional democracy," "universal values," and neoliberalism. This has clarified blurred understandings and enhanced the cohesive and guiding power of socialist ideology.

Source: Red Flag Manuscript (Hongqi Wengao), March 28, 2024. Web Editor: Jing Mu.