Wang Zhenyu: The "Historical Initiative" Emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping
Historical initiative contains within it the theoretical logic of the dialectical unity between the objective regularity of development and subjective human agency. It reflects the consistent spiritual outlook of our Party throughout its century-long course of struggle and demonstrates the extraordinary historical wisdom and leadership art of the Chinese Communists. Deeply studying General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on historical initiative is of great guiding significance for profoundly understanding the theoretical connotations and practical requirements of historical initiative, thereby facilitating new achievements on the New Journey and continuously creating new prospects for the development of the Party and the State’s undertakings.
On February 20, 2021, at the Mobilization Conference for the Study and Education of Party History, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that for one hundred years, no matter how the situation and tasks changed, and regardless of what tempestuous waves were encountered [1], our Party has always grasped the historical initiative, anchored its goals of struggle, and moved firmly forward along the correct direction. Surveying history, our Party has always been able to hold the correct direction amidst "turbulent clouds flying past" [2], temper the strength for forging ahead in the face of risks and challenges, and promote the Chinese nation’s move toward rejuvenation through successive struggles. In doing so, it has firmly grasped the historical initiative for the development of the Chinese nation and propelled the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into an irreversible historical process. To continue grasping the historical initiative on the New Journey, we must remain firm in our direction, seize opportunities, create conditions, and command the overall situation amidst the general trends of historical development and the changing winds and clouds of the era. We must unswervingly follow our own path, concentrate our energy on handling our own affairs well, and refuse to be intimidated by any wind or wave or misled by any interference. With the tenacity to "cling to the green mountain and never let go" [3], we shall strive to achieve our set goals; with the sobriety of one who "considers ninety miles as only half of a hundred-mile journey" [4], we shall unremittingly advance the process of rejuvenation and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.
On June 25, 2021, while presiding over the 31st collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that generation after generation of Chinese Communists have feared no hardships or dangers, faced risks and challenges head-on, and struggled with tenacity and unremitting effort. They have demonstrated a great spirit of historical initiative, constructed the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists, and formed the Party's glorious traditions. Only a political party endowed with a great spirit can lead the people in mastering historical initiative and creating great historical undertakings. Through life-and-death struggles and arduous efforts, our Party has forged the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists with the Great Founding Spirit of the Party [5] as its source, and tempered a complete set of glorious traditions and fine styles of work. These precious spiritual assets fully manifest the historical initiative of a proletarian party, providing profound nourishment and powerful guidance for establishing, flourishing, and strengthening the Party. On the road ahead, we must enhance our political, ideological, and behavioral consciousness in carrying forward the Party’s spiritual lineage, resolve to be faithful inheritors of the Party’s great spirit, glorious traditions, and fine styles of work, and use an even more vigorous spirit of historical initiative to enhance the sense of responsibility and mission of the entire Party. We must mobilize the initiative and creativity of all the people, stimulate the potential for struggle and the creative vitality of individuals, and bolster the morale to step onto the New Journey and forge ahead in the New Era.
On July 1, 2021, at the ceremony marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Communist Party of China adheres to the basic principles of Marxism, persists in seeking truth from facts, proceeds from China’s reality, gains insight into the general trends of the times, grasps the historical initiative, conducts arduous explorations, and continuously promotes the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, thereby guiding the Chinese people in continuously advancing the great social revolution. On October 16, 2022, in his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that possessing the guidance of the scientific theory of Marxism is the fundamental basis for our Party to firm up its faith and conviction and to grasp the historical initiative. Grasping the historical initiative is inseparable from the guidance of scientific theory; the fundamental reason why our Party has always been able to master the historical initiative in the development of the Party and State’s undertakings is that Marxism works, and especially that Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works. To persist in and develop Marxism and continue to promote theoretical innovation based on practice, we must first grasp the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must adhere to and apply the positions, viewpoints, and methods running through it, and deepen our understanding of the laws of the Communist Party’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society through the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, so as to continuously open up new realms for contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism.
On November 11, 2021, at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Party’s historical experience should be used as an important ideological weapon for correctly judging the situation, scientifically foreseeing the future, and grasping the historical initiative, so as to better observe, grasp, and lead the times. As a Marxist party with a high degree of historical consciousness and historical confidence, our Party is adept at mastering historical initiative by summarizing historical experience and grasping historical laws. The historical experience of the Party’s century-long struggle centrally summarizes the fundamental, guiding, and long-term principles and policies formed and developed by the Party in various historical periods. It scientifically answers major questions such as the leadership core, value pursuits, theoretical guidance, strategic support, and source of strength for the development of the Party and State’s undertakings. To comprehensively understand and fully utilize the Party’s historical experience, we must deeply grasp the historical inevitability of the Party's leadership, the scientific truth of Marxism and its Sinicized theories, the unique correctness of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the irreversibility of the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We must further clarify the fundamental question of what the Communist Party of China is and what it wants to do, and better apply the Party's historical experience to increase wisdom, enhance unity, boost confidence, and strengthen the spirit of struggle.
On June 17, 2022, during the 40th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that through an unprecedented anti-corruption struggle, the Party has won the historical initiative of maintaining flesh-and-blood ties with the masses and gaining their heartfelt support; it has won the historical initiative of ensuring the entire Party is highly united and unified, stands at the forefront of the times, and leads the people in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Only by having the courage for self-revolution can we win the historical initiative, and anti-corruption is the most thorough form of self-revolution. Our Party constantly maintains the sobriety and firmness required to solve the unique challenges facing a large party. With the courage to "turn the blade inward" [6], the will of a "brave man lopping off his own wrist" [7], and thunderous actions, the Party has achieved an overwhelming victory in the anti-corruption struggle of the New Era, exploring effective ways to escape the "historical cycle of rise and fall" [8] by relying on self-revolution. The anti-corruption struggle is always on the road; we must continue to carry forward a strong spirit of self-revolution, maintain a "zero-tolerance" alertness and intensity, and further strengthen the deterrent of "not daring to be corrupt," tighten the cage of "not being able to be corrupt," and enhance the consciousness of "not wanting to be corrupt." We must resolutely excise tumors, clear the sources of toxicity, and eliminate lingering influences, using the strategic dominance of self-revolution to grasp the historical initiative of the development of our cause, and ensuring that the "Red Land" [9] never changes its color by ensuring the Party never changes its nature.
On October 16, 2022, in his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that all comrades in the Party must stay true to our original aspiration and founding mission, must remain modest, prudent, and hardworking, and must be brave and adept in struggle. We must firm up our historical confidence, enhance our historical initiative, and write an even more brilliant chapter for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. Our Party has already traversed a century-long course of struggle; the longer we remain in power, the more we must not forget the Party’s original aspiration and mission, the more we must not lose the true nature of a Marxist party, and the more we must not lose our fighting spirit and ability. The "Three Musts" [10] constitute a great call and ideological mobilization made by our Party by summarizing the past and facing the future. They embody the sense of mission, awareness of potential danger, and spirit of struggle of Chinese Communists in the New Era, clarifying the political, ideological, and stylistic requirements for achieving the Party’s central tasks on the New Journey of the New Era. To keep the "Three Musts" in mind and enhance historical initiative, we must stand firm on the people’s position while practicing our original aspiration and mission, and deeply plant feelings for home and country. We must uphold our political character and maintain the backdrop of struggle while carrying forward the Party’s fine styles of work. We must resist risks and challenges and navigate complex situations while engaging in a great struggle with many new historical characteristics, ensuring the Party always stands among the broadest masses of the people, at the very forefront of the trends of the times, and at the front line of overcoming difficulties.
On October 17, 2022, while participating in a discussion with the Guangxi delegation at the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must firm up historical confidence, enhance historical initiative, and deliver a new and excellent answer to history and the people on the "new road of taking the exam." The Party has created a century of great achievements through glorious struggle; standing at a new historical starting point, the Party has united and led the people on a new road to "take the exam" [11] toward realizing the Second Centenary Goal. This new road is "new" because the goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects is more grand, the mission more glorious, the tasks more arduous, the challenges more formidable, and the responsibilities more significant. We must firmly master the historical initiative in the development of the Party and State’s undertakings, coordinate the overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world’s once-in-a-century profound changes, and analyze evolution mechanisms, seek historical laws, and grasp the direction of progress from the long river of history, the tide of the times, and global winds and clouds. We must always maintain the sobriety and firmness of "taking the exam," continuously enhance our political, strategic, and forward-moving resolve, and strive to create even better results that can withstand the test of practice, the people, and history.