Wang Yi: Deeply Grasping the Standpoint, Viewpoint, and Method of Maintaining Self-Confidence and Self-Reliance
To push the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to deeper levels, one must not only comprehensively and systematically master the primary content of this important thought and grasp its scientific system as a whole, but also profoundly grasp the worldview, methodology, and the stance, viewpoint, and method that permeate it. The "Six Must-Persists" [1] proposed in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress are the scientific methods for continuing to advance theoretical innovation, and are also important manifestations of the stance, viewpoint, and method of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. On the new journey of the New Era, we must profoundly recognize and grasp the "must persist in self-confidence and self-reliance," better study and comprehend the essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, continue to advance theoretical innovation based on practice, and constantly write new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
Self-confidence is the inherent spiritual temperament of the Communist Party of China; self-reliance is an important principle for our founding of the Party and the country
Only with self-confidence can there be self-reliance; only with self-reliance can there be self-strengthening. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "There has never been a textbook, much less a ready-made answer, for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation to move from the profound suffering of modern times toward the bright prospect of great rejuvenation." Since the 18th National Congress [2], Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, ensuring that Marxism maintains its vigorous vitality. This is precisely a powerful manifestation of the spiritual temperament of self-confidence and self-reliance. The requirement to persist in self-confidence and self-reliance did not arise out of thin air; rather, it integrates the ideological essence of Marxism with the spiritual characteristics of Chinese culture, possessing profound historical heritage, a practical foundation, and cultural roots.
It originates from the persistence in scientific truth. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Marxism has provided a powerful ideological weapon for China's revolution, construction, and reform, enabling China, this ancient great power of the East, to create a miracle of development unprecedented in human history." Only a political party armed with scientific theory can possess the power of truth and achieve self-confidence and self-reliance; only a cause guided by scientific theory can have a bright future and achieve continuous development and progress. Marxism reveals the laws of development of human society and is the scientific truth for understanding and transforming the world. For over 100 years, our Party has continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, using the scientific theories of Sinicized and modernized Marxism to lead great practice. The scientific and truthful nature of Marxism has been fully tested in China; the people-centered and practical nature of Marxism has been fully implemented in China; and the open and contemporary nature of Marxism has been fully demonstrated in China. Having the guidance of the scientific theory of Marxism is the fundamental basis for our Party’s persistence in self-confidence and self-reliance.
It originates from the glorious development history of Chinese civilization spanning more than 5,000 years. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Looking back at history, what has supported this ancient nation in reaching today, and what has supported the continuous flow of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, are the cultural genes rooted deep in the blood of the Chinese nation." The Chinese nation has been unceasing throughout its long historical process, remaining unyielding through setbacks and undiscouraged through hardships, precisely by relying on self-confidence and self-reliance. For over 100 years, our Party has upheld a high degree of confidence in the vitality and creativity of fine traditional Chinese culture, profoundly recognizing it as the spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation. The Party has persisted in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture [3], using Marxism to guide the inheritance and development of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit, enabling the Chinese nation to stand tall in the East with a morale-boosted posture.
It originates from the historical experience of the Communist Party of China’s century-long struggle. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, our Party has persisted in proceeding from our country's national conditions, exploring and forming the New Democratic Revolution path, the path of socialist transformation and socialist construction, and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, all of which correspond to China's reality. This spirit of independent exploration and this firm determination to follow our own path are the true essence of how our Party has continuously awakened from setbacks and moved from victory to victory." History is the best textbook. For over 100 years, our Party has united and led the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country in tireless struggle to achieve national independence, people's liberation, and the realization of national prosperity and people's happiness. Self-confidence and self-reliance have always permeated the glorious journey of our Party in founding and flourishing the Party and the country.
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is permeated with firm confidence and determination to follow our own path
Following our own path is the footing of all the Party’s theory and practice, and even more so the historical conclusion drawn from the Party’s century of struggle. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, and in the face of a Great Struggle with many new historical features, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, founded Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, scientifically answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times. Persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance permeates our firm confidence and determination to follow our own path.
Persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding our path. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, forged through the common struggle of the Chinese people and rooted in the land of China, is the correct path that brings happiness and tranquility to the Chinese people." Direction determines the path, and the path determines destiny. Persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding our path is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as a fundamental reason why the cause of the Party and the country has achieved historical achievements and undergone historical changes in the New Era. The great changes of the decade in the New Era once again prove that "in today's world, if any political party, any country, or any nation has reason to be confident, then the Communist Party of China, the People's Republic of China, and the Chinese nation have the most reason to be confident." History has proven and will continue to prove that under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is not only correctly chosen and viable, but also stable and successful.
Persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding theory. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Having 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 historical initiative." Only with clarity in theory can there be firmness in politics and resoluteness in action. As a powerful ideological weapon for Chinese Communists to transform the subjective and objective worlds, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era provides correct guidance for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, a scientific guide for advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization, and contributes Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the cause of world peace, development, and human progress. The great changes of the decade in the New Era fully demonstrate the power of truth and practical might of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era—this contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism. History has proven and will continue to prove that only by persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding theory and fully implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era can we continue to advance theoretical innovation based on practice and strive to open new horizons for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.
Persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding our system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In the history of the development of human civilization, apart from the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the state governance system, no other state system or state governance system has been able to create miracles like our country’s rapid economic development and long-term social stability in such a short historical period." A stable system makes a stable country; a strong system makes a strong country. In the practice of advancing institutional building in the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies, deepening our understanding of the essential characteristics, laws of construction, and superior efficacy of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This has provided fundamental compliance for institutional building in the New Era, and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has demonstrated vigorous vitality and powerful governance efficacy. History has proven and will continue to prove that under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics will certainly provide a strong guarantee for the development of the cause of the Party and the country, for the happiness and well-being of the people, for social harmony and stability, and for the long-term peace and stability of the nation.
Persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence, and a more basic, deeper, and more lasting power. Strengthening cultural confidence is a major issue concerning the rise and fall of national fortunes, cultural security, and the independence of the national spirit." Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, our country's cultural construction has achieved historical achievements and undergone historical changes. It presents a vivid picture where the prosperity of culture reflects the prosperity of the national fortune, and a strong culture reflects a strong nation; the cultural confidence of the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups has become more steadfast. History has proven and will continue to prove that as long as we persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide and persist in self-confidence and self-reliance regarding culture, we will surely be able to promote cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening and build a socialist cultural power.
Persist in self-confidence and self-reliance, and constantly write new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Constantly writing new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism is the solemn historical responsibility of contemporary Chinese Communists." The requirement to persist in self-confidence and self-reliance profoundly reveals the theoretical character and distinct traits of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and is the basic point we must always adhere to as we continue to advance theoretical innovation. On the new journey, we must fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, persist in self-confidence and self-reliance, proceed from China’s reality, gain insight into the general trends of the times, grasp historical initiative, and constantly write new chapters of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism in the great practice of the New Era.
Writing new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism through unswervingly advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "From this day forward, the central task of the Communist Party of China will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization." Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, our Party has continued to move forward on existing foundations, constantly achieving innovations and breakthroughs in theory and practice, and successfully advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization. Continuing to advance and expand Chinese-path modernization will inevitably encounter various predictable and unpredictable risks, challenges, difficulties, obstacles, and even stormy seas. We must persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, persist in self-confidence and self-reliance, maintain composure and independent judgment on major political issues, not be misled by fallacies, not fear ghosts, and not succumb to pressure. We must maintain strategic clarity, strategic confidence, and strategic initiative, focusing on new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability, the urgent anxieties and expectations of the masses, major issues in the changing international situation, and prominent problems facing Party building. We must constantly propose new concepts, new ideas, and new methods, reach scientific understandings that conform to objective laws, and form theoretical results that advance with the times, so as to better advance and expand Chinese-path modernization and constantly write new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
Writing new chapters in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism by carrying forward historical responsibility and a creative spirit. Persisting in and developing Marxism requires extremely arduous and challenging efforts from Marxists worldwide, from theory to practice. Currently, changes in the world, the times, and history are unfolding in unprecedented ways, and human society faces unprecedented challenges. As contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is based on the foundations of the times, answers the questions of the times, leads the changes of the times, and fully embodies historical responsibility and a creative spirit. It has opened up a new realm for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, allowing Marxism to be presented to the world with a brand-new image. On the new journey, we must persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, fully carry forward historical responsibility and a creative spirit, and persist in firm faith in Marxism and firm conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must strengthen confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture, have the courage to continuously advance theoretical innovation in combination with new practices, and be adept at using new theories to guide new practices. We must use the power of thought to stimulate the power of striving, use initiatives in theory to grasp initiatives in history, and let Marxism demonstrate an even more powerful and persuasive power of truth.
(The author is a member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Renmin University of China)