I
一
The Zunyi Conference was an important meeting with great significance as a turning point in the history of our Party. It left us with valuable experience and important inspiration in integrating the basic principles of Marxism with the specific reality of China, persisting in taking the path of independence, consolidating correct political lines and policy strategies, and building a strong and mature central leadership collective. We must make good use of the historical experience of the Zunyi Conference and allow the spirit of the Zunyi Conference to shine on forever.
遵义会议作为我们党历史上一次具有伟大转折意义的重要会议,在把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、坚持走独立自主道路、坚定正确的政治路线和政策策略、建设坚强成熟的中央领导集体等方面,留下宝贵经验和重要启示。我们要运用好遵义会议历史经验,让遵义会议精神永放光芒。
(Speech during an inspection of Guizhou from June 16 to 18, 2015)
(2015年6月16日至18日在贵州调研时的讲话)
II
二
At the preparatory meeting of the Seventh Party Congress, Chairman Mao said a famous saying: “You must know that a team is often not very neat, so you must always call for alignment, to the left, to the right, and to the center. We must align with the benchmarks of the Central Committee and the benchmarks of the General Assembly. Alignment is the principle, deviations are real life. If there are deviations, call for alignment.” Chairman Mao said alignment is the principle, deviations are real life. This is a very profound truth. Just as in the military, well-trained troops often have to shout to stay in line. They have to shout every day and all the time. Of course, it is easier to align the team as a whole because it is physical. It is not so easy to align ideologically and politically. To frequently call for alignment is the law and experience of our Party’s efforts to strengthen its self-construction. Only by frequently calling for alignment and only when Party organizations at all levels are constantly calling for alignment can we be constantly vigilant and make corrections in a timely manner so that the whole Party can always maintain an organized and high-spirited state of endeavor. An important purpose of continuously bringing together leading cadres at Party schools for study and training is to help everyone align with the Party Central Committee.
毛主席在党的七大预备会议上讲过一段名言:“要知道,一个队伍经常是不大整齐的,所以就要常常喊看齐,向左看齐,向右看齐,向中看齐。我们要向中央基准看齐,向大会基准看齐。看齐是原则,有偏差是实际生活,有了偏差,就喊看齐。”毛主席说,看齐是原则,有偏差是实际生活。这是很深刻的道理。就像军队一样,再训练有素的部队也经常要喊看齐,而且要天天喊、时时喊。当然,整队型看齐比较容易,因为那是形体上的,思想上政治上行动上看齐就不那么容易了。经常喊看齐是我们党加强自身建设的规律和经验。只有经常喊看齐,只有各级党组织都经常喊看齐,才能时刻警醒、及时纠偏,使全党始终保持整齐昂扬的奋进状态。不断把领导干部集中到党校来学习培训,一个重要目的就是帮助大家向党中央看齐。
(Speech at the National Party School Work Conference on December 11, 2015)
(2015年12月11日在全国党校工作会议上的讲话)
III
三
After the Third Plenum of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CCP, our Party summed up the positive and negative experiences of intra-party political life, especially the painful lessons of the “Cultural Revolution”, and formulated Several Principles on Political Life in the Party (关于党内政治生活的若干准则, this document name has multiple English translations) in 1980. In the special period after the end of the “Cultural Revolution”, these Principles played a very important role in achieving political, ideological, organizational, and work style corrections and shifting the work center of the whole Party, in promoting unity within the Party, and in ensuring the smooth progress of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.
党的十一届三中全会以后,我们党总结党内政治生活正反两方面经验特别是“文化大革命”的惨痛教训,于1980年制定了《关于党内政治生活的若干准则》。这个准则,在“文化大革命”结束后的那个特殊时期,对实现政治上、思想上、组织上、作风上的拨乱反正和全党工作中心的转移,促进党内的团结统一、保证改革开放和社会主义现代化建设顺利进行,发挥了十分重要的作用。
The 1980 principles not only proposed solutions to the prominent contradictions and problems existing in the Party at that time, but also summarized the valuable experience gained by the Party in long-term practice. They represented an enrichment and development of Marxist party-building theory and had groundbreaking significance. Their main principles and regulations are still applicable today. For example, regarding the goals and basic principles of political life within the Party, regarding adhering to the Party’s political and ideological lines, regarding upholding collective leadership and opposing individual arbitrary decision-making, regarding maintaining the Party’s centrality and unity and strictly abiding by party discipline, regarding upholding Party spirit, regarding speaking the truth and practicing what we preach, regarding the promotion of intra-party democracy and correct handling of different opinions, regarding protecting the rights of Party members from infringement, regarding accepting the supervision of the Party and the masses and prohibiting the enjoyment of special privileges, and so on. These require continued adherence.
1980年准则,既对当时党内存在的突出矛盾和问题提出了解决的办法,又对党在长期实践中取得的宝贵经验进行了归纳,是对马克思主义建党理论的丰富发展,具有开创性意义,其主要原则和规定今天依然适用。比如,关于党内政治生活的目标和基本准则,关于坚持党的政治路线和思想路线,关于坚持集体领导、反对个人专断,关于维护党的集中统一、严格遵守党的纪律,关于坚持党性,关于要讲真话、言行一致,关于发扬党内民主、正确对待不同意见,关于保障党员权利不受侵犯,关于接受党和群众的监督、不准搞特权,等等。这些都要继续坚持。
(Explanation of “Several Guidelines on Political Life within the Party under the New Situation” and “Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Internal Oversight” given at the Sixth Plenum of the 18th Central Committee on October 24, 2016)
(2016年10月24日在中共十八届六中全会上所作的《关于<关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则>和<中国共产党党内监督条例>的说明》)
IV
四
The history of the Party and the history of the development of New China tell us: to govern our large Party and our large country well, it is vital to ensure the unity and centralization of the Party, and it is vital to maintain the authority of the Party Central Committee. Maintaining the authority of the Party Central Committee is an important requirement for the CCP Politburo in the implementation of Several Guidelines on Political Life within the Party under the New Situation and Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Internal Oversight. The comrades of the CCP Politburo must firmly establish political awareness, overall situation awareness, core awareness, and alignment awareness, adhere to taking the Party’s banner as our banner, the Party’s direction as our direction, and the Party’s will as our will, and be politically sensible people. For Party loyalty, the key is to have firm ideals and beliefs. The “Four Consciousnesses” are not empty slogans. They must not just be empty words, but must be put into action. Everyone must take the Party’s basic line as the fundamental line to follow, earnestly understand and correctly grasp the Party’s theories, lines, principles, and policies, better understand and grasp the Party’s basic line from the general trend of human development, the major changes in the world, and the general history of China’s development, and gain a deep understanding of why the basic line must be adhered to for an extended period.
党的历史、新中国发展的历史都告诉我们:要治理好我们这个大党、治理好我们这个大国,保证党的团结和集中统一至关重要,维护党中央权威至关重要。维护党中央权威,是中央政治局贯彻执行《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》、《中国共产党党内监督条例》的重要要求。中央政治局的同志要牢固树立政治意识、大局意识、核心意识、看齐意识,坚持以党的旗帜为旗帜、以党的方向为方向、以党的意志为意志,当政治上的明白人。对党忠诚,关键是要有坚定的理想信念。“四个意识”不是空洞的口号,不能只停留在口头表态上,要切实落实到行动上。大家要以党的基本路线为根本遵循,认真领会和正确把握党的理论和路线方针政策,多从人类发展大潮流、世界变化大格局、中国发展大历史来认识和把握党的基本路线,深刻领会为什么基本路线要长期坚持。
(Speech at the Eighteenth CCP Politburo Democratic Life Meeting on December 26 and 27, 2016)
(2016年12月26日、27日在中共十八届中央政治局民主生活会上的讲话)
V
五
Historical experience has shown that our party, as a Marxist party, must speak politics (讲政治) with a clear-cut stand and seriously and earnestly conduct political life within the party. Speaking politics is the fundamental guarantee that our Party will replenish its calcium to build strong bones and strengthen its body. It is the fundamental way for our Party to cultivate its courage for self-revolution, enhance its ability for self-purification, and improve the detoxification and sterilization capabilities of political immunity. When the whole Party speaks politics and the political life within the Party is normal and healthy, our Party will be clean and upright, united and full of vitality, and the Party’s cause will flourish. On the contrary, when there are many ills, dissatisfaction, loss of fighting spirit, and failure to correct all kinds of wrong ideas in time, this will result in serious losses in the Party’s cause. Senior Party cadres shall focus on improving their political capabilities, firmly establish political ideals, correctly grasp the political direction, resolutely take a firm political stand, strictly abide by political discipline, strengthen political training, accumulate political experience, consciously put speaking politics throughout the whole process of Party spirit training, and match one’s political ability with one’s leadership responsibilities.
历史经验表明,我们党作为马克思主义政党,必须旗帜鲜明讲政治,严肃认真开展党内政治生活。讲政治,是我们党补钙壮骨、强身健体的根本保证,是我们党培养自我革命勇气、增强自我净化能力、提高排毒杀菌政治免疫力的根本途径。什么时候全党讲政治、党内政治生活正常健康,我们党就风清气正、团结统一,充满生机活力,党的事业就蓬勃发展;反之,就弊病丛生、人心涣散、丧失斗志,各种错误思想得不到及时纠正,给党的事业造成严重损失。党的高级干部要注重提高政治能力,牢固树立政治理想,正确把握政治方向,坚定站稳政治立场,严格遵守政治纪律,加强政治历练,积累政治经验,自觉把讲政治贯穿于党性锻炼全过程,使自己的政治能力与担任的领导职责相匹配。
(Speech at the opening ceremony of the Seminar on the Study and Implementation of the Spirit of the Sixth Plenum of the Eighteenth Central Committee of Provincial and Ministerial Leading Cadres on February 13, 2017)
(2017年2月13日在省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻十八届六中全会精神专题研讨班开班式上的讲话)
VI
六
It is the fundamental requirement of our Party as a Marxist party to speak politics with a clear-cut stand. Our Party has always attached importance to raising the political consciousness of Party members. In October 1927, Comrade Mao Zedong personally wrote the oath to join the Party: “sacrifice the individual, work hard for revolution, engage in class struggle, obey the organization, strictly keep secrets, never rebel against the party.” This is a vivid portrayal of the political consciousness of the Communist Party members. In summarizing our Party’s historical experience and especially the results achieved in strengthening the Party’s overall leadership and comprehensive and rigorous Party governance since the Eighteenth Party Congress, the Nineteenth Party Congress clearly put the Party’s political construction in the first place and emphasized that the Party’s political construction should take the leading role.
旗帜鲜明讲政治是我们党作为马克思主义政党的根本要求。我们党历来重视提高党员的政治觉悟。1927年10月毛泽东同志亲自撰写的“牺牲个人,努力革命,阶级斗争,服从组织,严守秘密,永不叛党”入党誓词,句句都是共产党人政治觉悟的生动写照。总结我们党的历史经验特别是党的十八大以来加强党的全面领导和全面从严治党实践取得的成效,党的十九大旗帜鲜明把党的政治建设摆在首位,并强调要以党的政治建设为统领。
As members of the Central Committee and major leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level, you must regard speaking politics as a fundamental requirement. The most fundamental thing in speaking politics is to talk about Party spirit. In terms of ideology and politics, we must speak about the political stance, political direction, political principles, and political path.
In terms of action and practice, we must maintain the authority of the Party Central Committee, implement the party’s political line, and strictly abide by the Party’s political discipline and political rules. The primary task in the Party’s political construction is to ensure that the whole Party obeys the Central Committee and uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized leadership. There must be no ambiguity or wavering.
大家作为中央委员会的成员和省部级主要领导干部,必须把讲政治作为根本要求。讲政治最根本就是要讲党性,在思想政治上讲政治立场、政治方向、政治原则、政治道路,在行动实践上讲维护党中央权威、执行党的政治路线、严格遵守党的政治纪律和政治规矩。党的政治建设的首要任务,就是保证全党服从中央,坚持党中央权威和集中统一领导,绝不能有丝毫含糊和动摇。
(Speech at the Seminar on the Study and Implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era and the Spirit of the Nineteenth Party Congress for members, alternate members, and major leaders at the provincial and ministerial level in the new Central Committee on January 5, 2018)
(2018年1月5日在新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员和省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想和党的十九大精神研讨班上的讲话)
VII
七
The political construction of the Party is an eternal subject and efforts in this area must never be relaxed. Our Party has always focused on political party building. From the Gutian Conference where Comrade Mao Zedong proposed the principles of ideological Party building and political army building to the Seventh Party Congress in 1945 that proposed that we “first focus on ideological and political construction while conducting organizational construction at the same time”; from the proposal of Comrade Mao Zedong that “political work is the lifeline of all economic work” after the founding of New China to Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s emphasis that “you have to speak politics at all times” after reform and opening up, all of these proposals show that focusing on political party building is an important guarantee of our Party’s continuous development and growth and its march from victory to victory.
党的政治建设是一个永恒课题,来不得半点松懈。我们党历来注重从政治上建设党。从古田会议上毛泽东同志提出思想建党、政治建军原则,到1945年党的七大提出“首先着重在思想上、政治上进行建设,同时也在组织上进行建设”;从新中国成立后毛泽东同志提出“政治工作是一切经济工作的生命线”,到改革开放后邓小平同志强调“到什么时候都得讲政治”,都表明注重从政治上建设党是我们党不断发展壮大、从胜利走向胜利的重要保证。
(Speech at the Sixth Collective Study Session of the Nineteenth CCP Politburo on June 29, 2018)
(2018年6月29日在十九届中央政治局第六次集体学习时的讲话)
VIII
八
Political direction is the first issue in the Party’s survival and development and it has a bearing on the party’s future destiny and the success or failure of the cause. When the Red Army was crossing the grasslands, the cook, upon rising in the morning, never asked whether or not there was rice to cook for the day. Instead, he asked whether the army was heading south or north. This shows that even a cook in the Red Army understands that the question of direction is more important than what there is to eat. If there is a deviation in the direction, it will lead to a subversive mistake. We must have a very clear understanding of this point.
政治方向是党生存发展第一位的问题,事关党的前途命运和事业兴衰成败。红军过草地的时候,伙夫同志一起床,不问今天有没有米煮饭,却先问向南走还是向北走。这说明在红军队伍里,即便是一名炊事员,也懂得方向问题比吃什么更重要。如果在方向问题上出现偏离,就会犯颠覆性错误。对此,我们必须有十分清醒的认识。
(Speech at the Sixth Collective Study Session of the Nineteenth CCP Politburo on June 29, 2018)
(2018年6月29日在十九届中央政治局第六次集体学习时的讲话)
IX
九
The revolutionary ideal is higher than the sky. Everywhere in Jiangxi are told the heroic stories of revolutionary martyrs. “The enemy can cut off our heads, but cannot shake our beliefs”, these were the parting words of Comrade Fang Zhimin before his sacrifice. The enemy cruelly cut off the tongue of the martyr Liu Renkan before he met his fate. He still dipped his feet in blood to write “Long live the success of the revolution.” Martyr Jiang Shanzhong left a bloody note, “Dying and going to the underworld will not turn back the water, it will protect the Communist Party for thousands of years.” The revolutionary martyrs gave their lives generously for their ideals and beliefs, relying on their faith. Today, there are fewer life and death tests of blood and fire like in the war years, but the great struggle is still continuing with new historical characteristics. We are facing a series of arduous tests with major challenges, major risks, major obstacles, and major contradictions. Without firm ideals and beliefs, you will lose your way in the complex environment of chaotically swirling clouds, retreat under the massive pressure of Mount Tai, and surrender under the bombardment of sugar-coated shells. We must draw on the mighty power of belief from our red DNA [communist heritage], strengthen the “Four Consciousnesses”, uphold the “Four Matters of Confidence”, and practice the “Two Upholds.” We must consciously be firm believers and loyal practitioners of the lofty ideals of Communism and the common ideals of socialism with Chinese characteristics and truly become Marxist fighters who will never fail and never regret.
革命理想高于天。江西到处传颂着革命先烈可歌可泣的英雄故事。“敌人只能砍下我们的头颅,决不能动摇我们的信仰”,这是方志敏同志牺牲前留下的铮铮誓言。刘仁堪烈士在就义前,敌人残忍地割下了他的舌头,他仍然用脚蘸着流下的鲜血写下“革命成功万岁”。江善忠烈士留下血书,“死到阴间不反水,保护共产党万万年”。革命先烈为了理想和信念慷慨赴死,靠的是信仰。今天,像战争年代那种血与火的生死考验少了,但具有新的历史特点的伟大斗争仍然在继续,我们正面临着一系列重大挑战、重大风险、重大阻力、重大矛盾的艰巨考验。没有坚定的理想信念,就会在乱云飞渡的复杂环境中迷失方向、在泰山压顶的巨大压力下退缩逃避、在糖衣炮弹的轮番轰炸下缴械投降。我们要从红色基因中汲取强大的信仰力量,增强“四个意识”,坚定“四个自信”,做到“两个维护”,自觉做共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想的坚定信仰者和忠实实践者,真正成为百折不挠、终生不悔的马克思主义战士。
(Speech at the conclusion of inspection work in Jiangxi on May 22, 2019)
(2019年5月22日在江西考察工作结束时的讲话)
X
十
Speaking politics is concrete. The “Two Upholds” must be reflected in the actions of resolutely implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, in performing one’s duties and doing one’s job well, and in the daily words and deeds of Party members and cadres. During the war years, the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao used radio to command the entire Party and the entire army. “Tick, Tick” [the sound of a radio] was the voice of the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao, and the entire Party and the entire army carried out their instructions unconditionally. Think about it, everyone, if no one listens to the orders issued by the Party Central Committee and fails to carry out commands and prohibitions, what else is there to talk about with regards to maintaining the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized leadership!
讲政治是具体的,“两个维护”要体现在坚决贯彻党中央决策部署的行动上,体现在履职尽责、做好本职工作的实效上,体现在党员、干部的日常言行上。战争年代,党中央和毛主席用电台指挥全党全军,“嘀嗒、嘀嗒”就是党中央和毛主席的声音,全党全军都无条件执行。大家想想,如果党中央发出的号令没人听,做不到令行禁止,那还谈什么维护党中央权威和集中统一领导!
(Speech at the Party Building in Central Party and State Institutions Work Conference on July 9, 2019)
(2019年7月9日在中央和国家机关党的建设工作会议上的讲话)
XI
十一
Young cadres must improve their political capabilities. Among the various capabilities a cadre must possess to do a good job, political capability comes first. Only with strong political capabilities can we consciously maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in ideological and political actions. At all times and under all circumstances, we must be able to “cover our eyes without fear of floating clouds” and “remain calm when flying through chaotic clouds.” To improve our political capabilities, we must first grasp the correct political direction and adhere to the leadership of the CCP and China’s socialist system. On this issue, there must be no confusion or vacillation! The practice of this fight against the COVID-19 epidemic has once again proved that the CCP is the most reliable backbone of the Chinese people in the face of storms and that China’s socialist system is the most powerful institutional guarantee against risks and challenges. Young cadres must adhere to one thing. You must do everything that is conducive to upholding the Party’s leadership and China’s socialist system and resolutely refrain from doing anything that is not conducive to upholding the Party’s leadership and China’s socialist system! You must continuously improve your political acuity and political discernment. When observing and analyzing a situation, you must first grasp the political factors and especially be able to see the essence through the phenomenon so that you can have a sharp eye, see things early, and act quickly. To improve your political capabilities, you must stand in awe of the Party’s political discipline and rules. You must consciously strengthen political training, strengthen political self-control, and always be an “understanding person” and an “honest person” in politics. You must focus on improving your level of Marxist theory, learn deeply and understand thoroughly, master dialectical materialism and historical materialism, master the Marxist standpoints and methods that permeate it, master Sinicized Marxism, and be a firm believer and loyal practitioner of Marxism.
年轻干部要提高政治能力。在干部干好工作所需的各种能力中,政治能力是第一位的。有了过硬的政治能力,才能做到自觉在思想上政治上行动上同党中央保持高度一致,在任何时候任何情况下都能“不畏浮云遮望眼”、“乱云飞渡仍从容”。提高政治能力,首先要把握正确政治方向,坚持中国共产党领导和我国社会主义制度。在这个问题上,决不能有任何迷糊和动摇!这次抗击新冠肺炎疫情斗争的实践再次证明,中国共产党是风雨来袭时中国人民最可靠的主心骨,我国社会主义制度是抵御风险挑战的最有力制度保证。年轻干部必须坚守一条,凡是有利于坚持党的领导和我国社会主义制度的事就坚定不移做,凡是不利于坚持党的领导和我国社会主义制度的事就坚决不做!要不断提高政治敏锐性和政治鉴别力,观察分析形势首先要把握政治因素,特别是要能够透过现象看本质,做到眼睛亮、见事早、行动快。提高政治能力必须对党的政治纪律和政治规矩怀有敬畏之心。要自觉加强政治历练,增强政治自制力,始终做政治上的“明白人”、“老实人”。要注重提高马克思主义理论水平,学深悟透,融会贯通,掌握辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义,掌握贯穿其中的马克思主义立场观点方法,掌握中国化的马克思主义,做马克思主义的坚定信仰者、忠实实践者。
(Speech at the opening ceremony of the training class for young and middle-aged cadres at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) for the fall semester of 2020 on October 10, 2020)
(2020年10月10日在2020年秋季学期中央党校(国家行政学院)中青年干部培训班开班式上的讲话)
XII
十二
Our party is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. From the epoch-making founding of the Party, to the world-changing founding of New China, to the earth-shaking reform and opening up, to the historic achievements and historical changes in the cause of the Party and the country since the 18th Party Congress, the fundamental reason for these events is that our Party has always adhered to its original intention and mission of seeking the well-being of the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Our Party must never forget its original intention, keep its mission in mind, and carry forward the cause of the Party and the people for a long time to come. We must increase political awareness, be adept at looking at issues politically, be adept at grasping the overall political situation, and constantly improve our political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution.
我们党即将迎来百年华诞。从建党的开天辟地,到新中国成立的改天换地,到改革开放的翻天覆地,再到党的十八大以来党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革,根本原因就在于我们党始终坚守了为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的初心和使命。我们党要始终做到不忘初心、牢记使命,把党和人民事业长长久久推进下去,必须增强政治意识,善于从政治上看问题,善于把握政治大局,不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力。
(Speech at the Nineteenth CCP Politburo Democratic Life Meeting on December 24 and 25, 2020)
(2020年12月24日、25日在中共十九届中央政治局民主生活会上的讲话)
XIII
十三
Speaking politics with a clear-cut stand is not only a distinctive feature of Marxist parties, but also a consistent political advantage of our Party. The most important thing in the Party’s leadership of the people in governing the country is to adhere to the correct political direction, always maintain the political nature of our Party, and always advance along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The comrades of the CCP Politburo should find the right coordinates, choose the right position, aim at the bullseye, and be good at observing and dealing with problems politically. In this way, the need for speaking politics is transformed from an external requirement into an internal initiative.
旗帜鲜明讲政治,既是马克思主义政党的鲜明特征,也是我们党一以贯之的政治优势。党领导人民治国理政,最重要的就是坚持正确政治方向,始终保持我们党的政治本色,始终沿着中国特色社会主义道路前进。中央政治局的同志要找准坐标、选准方位、瞄准靶心,善于从政治上观察和处理问题,使讲政治的要求从外部要求转化为内在主动。
(Speech at the Nineteenth CCP Politburo Democratic Life Meeting on December 24 and 25, 2020)
(2020年12月24日、25日在中共十九届中央政治局民主生活会上的讲话)
XIV
十四
The historical process of our Party’s leadership of the people in revolution, construction, and reform has repeatedly proved a truth: political initiative is the most advantageous initiative, and political passivity is the most dangerous passivity. To strengthen political judgment, it is necessary to make the country’s political security our top priority, make the people our important focus, and make the adherence to and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics our foundation. We must strengthen our ability to scientifically grasp changes in the situation, accurately identify the essence underlying phenomena, clearly distinguish right from wrong behavior, and effectively resist risks and challenges.
我们党领导人民进行革命、建设、改革的历史进程反复证明了一个道理:政治上的主动是最有利的主动,政治上的被动是最危险的被动。增强政治判断力,就要以国家政治安全为大、以人民为重、以坚持和发展中国特色社会主义为本,增强科学把握形势变化、精准识别现象本质、清醒明辨行为是非、有效抵御风险挑战的能力。
(Speech at the Nineteenth CCP Politburo Democratic Life Meeting on December 24 and 25, 2020)
(2020年12月24日、25日在中共十九届中央政治局民主生活会上的讲话)
XV
十五
Ensuring that all Party members follow the central government and upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized leadership are the primary tasks of the political work of the Party; we must persevere in them. The Zunyi Conference has significance as a great turning point in the history of the Party. This Zunyi Conference was convened at the crucial historical juncture after the failure of the Fifth Counter-Encirclement Campaign and during the serious setback in the initial stage of the Long March. It firmly established Mao Zedong as leader of the Party Central Committee and the Red Army, and it began the establishment of the correct Marxist line, represented by Mao Zedong, as the leading line in the Party Central Committee. It began the formation of the first-generation central leading collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core and opened a new stage in which our Party independently and autonomously solved the real problems of the Chinese revolution. At this most critical juncture, it saved the Party, it saved the Red Army, and it saved the Chinese revolution. However, after the Zunyi Conference, all Party members continued to undergo a process of gaining a true and profound understanding of the great significance of upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized leadership and of turning this awareness into conscious action. On the Long March, when our Party was in the greatest need of solidarity, Zhang Guotao assembled a personal army, established a separate central authority, and openly went down the road of splitting the Party and the Red Army. At the beginning of the War of Resistance, Wang Ming formed a faction within the Party and did things his own way without regard for the commands of the Party Central Committee, once again teaching all Party members with a negative example. To solve internal Party problems such as ideological divergence and sectarianism, our Party launched a large-scale rectification movement during the Yan’an period that resulted in the entire Party achieving unprecedented solidarity and unity and that laid a formidable ideological and political foundation for winning victory in the War of Resistance and for liberating the entire country.
保证全党服从中央,维护党中央权威和集中统一领导,是党的政治建设的首要任务,必须常抓不懈。在党的历史上,遵义会议是一次具有伟大转折意义的重要会议。这次会议在红军第五次反“围剿”失败和长征初期严重受挫的历史关头召开,确立了毛泽东同志在党中央和红军的领导地位,开始确立了以毛泽东同志为主要代表的马克思主义正确路线在党中央的领导地位,开始形成以毛泽东同志为核心的党的第一代中央领导集体,开启了我们党独立自主解决中国革命实际问题的新阶段,在最危急关头挽救了党、挽救了红军、挽救了中国革命。但是,遵义会议后,全党真正深刻认识到维护党中央权威和集中统一领导的重大意义并成为自觉行动还经历了一个过程。长征途中,在我们党最需要团结的时候,张国焘挟兵自重、另立中央,公然走上分裂党和红军的道路。抗战初期,王明在党内拉帮结派、我行我素,不听党中央指挥,再次从反面教育了全党。延安时期,为了解决党内存在的思想分歧、宗派主义等问题,我们党开展了大规模的整风运动,使全党达到了空前的团结和统一,为夺取抗战胜利和全国解放奠定了强大思想政治基础。
(Talk given at the Party History Learning and Education Mobilization Meeting on February 20, 2021)
(2021年2月20日在党史学习教育动员大会上的讲话)
XVI
十六
Since the Eighteenth Party Congress, we have gone all out to push forward the political work of the Party and to strengthen all institutions that uphold the authority of the central committee and its centralized leadership. The Party’s solidarity and unity are now even more solid. At the same time, we need to be aware of the fact that there remain some Party members and cadres who lack adequate political consciousness and political acuity. They are not adept at observing and handling problems politically. They do not care about the “Great One of the Nations,” nor are they serious about political requirements, political norms, or political discipline. They are inattentive of the political dangers of various problems and careless when implementing the general policies of the Party Central Committee. They have yet to transform speaking politics from an external requirement into an internal initiative. Upholding the authority of the central committee and its centralized leadership cannot remain just words, but must be embodied in actions. It is necessary to educate and guide all Party members in extracting positive and negative historical experiences from Party history so that they resolutely conform to the Party Central Committee and continually improve their political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution. They should truly strengthen the “Four Consciousnesses” and reinforce the “Four Matters of Confidence” while carrying out the “Two Upholds.” In their thinking, politics, and actions, they should conscientiously maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee to ensure that all Party members, from the highest to the lowest levels, are as though braided into a single rope, thinking and working with one heart and one mind.
党的十八大以来,我们全力推进党的政治建设,健全维护党中央权威和集中统一领导的各项制度,党的团结统一更加巩固。同时,我们也要看到,现在仍有一些党员、干部政治意识不强、政治敏锐性不高,不善于从政治上观察和处理问题,对“国之大者”不关心,对政治要求、政治规矩、政治纪律不上心,对各种问题的政治危害性不走心,对贯彻落实党中央的大政方针不用心,讲政治还没有从外部要求转化为内在主动。维护党中央权威和集中统一领导不能停留在口头上,而是要体现在行动上。要教育引导全党从党史中汲取正反两方面历史经验,坚定不移向党中央看齐,不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力,切实增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”,自觉在思想上政治上行动上同党中央保持高度一致,确保全党上下拧成一股绳,心往一处想、劲往一处使。
(Talk given at the Party History Learning and Education Mobilization Meeting on February 20, 2021)
(2021年2月20日在党史学习教育动员大会上的讲话)