Xi Jinping: Speech at the symposium commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Liu Huaqing

Beijing, 28 Sep (Xinhua) -- Speech at a forum to commemorate the 100 th anniversary of Comrade Liu Huaqing's birth

(September 28, 2016)

Xi Jinping

Comrades and friends,

Today, we are holding a forum here to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Comrade Liu Huaqing's birth, to remember his outstanding contributions to the party, the country, the people, and the army, to remember his revolutionary spirit and noble character, and to encourage the whole party, the whole army, and the people of all nationalities throughout the country to strive hard to achieve the goal of the "two hundred years" struggle and the Chinese dream of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Comrade Liu Huaqing is an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China, a loyal communist fighter who has stood the test of time, an outstanding proletarian revolutionary, politician, and military man, and an outstanding leader of the party, the state, and the army. He threw himself into the revolution at the age of 13, and in his 82-year-long revolutionary career, he made outstanding contributions to the cause of the party and the people and to the promotion of national defense and army building.

During the period of the new-democratic revolution, Comrade Liu Huaqing threw himself into the cause of national independence and people's liberation and grew up in the arduous revolutionary war. During the Agrarian Revolutionary War, he participated in successive anti-"encirclement and suppression" operations in the Eyu-Anhui Soviet Region, and on the way to accompany the Red 25th Army, he and his comrades-in-arms jointly adapted the three major disciplines and eight points of attention of the Red Army into military songs that have been recited to this day. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Comrade Liu Huaqing and the 129th Division persisted in fighting against Japan and worked under the direct leadership of Comrades Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping. In the War of Liberation, Comrade Liu Huaqing creatively adopted methods such as joining the party in the line of fire, recording meritorious deeds in the line of fire, and reorganizing in the line of fire to arouse the fighting spirit of officers and men, and led his troops to use flexible and diverse combat styles to win victories in many battles. After entering the great southwest, he explored ways to establish regular military academies and cultivate modern military talents, and participated in the training of a large number of outstanding military and political cadres.

During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Comrade Liu Huaqing made unremitting explorations in the regularization of the navy and the scientific research of national defense. He successively served at the Dalian Naval School and the Lushun Naval Base, and went to the Voroshilov Naval Academy in the Soviet Union to study naval theory, presided over the compilation and revision of naval regulations and textbooks, and explored experiences for the training and regularization of naval personnel. He served as the president of the Seventh Research Institute of the Ministry of National Defense, started from scratch, worked hard to start a business, and actively explored the path of ship scientific research and development that conformed to China's national conditions. During the "Cultural Revolution," Comrade Liu Huaqing adhered to principles and waged a resolute struggle against the counterrevolutionary clique of Lin Biao and Jiang Qing. During his tenure in the National Defense Science and Technology Commission and the Navy, he worked hard to promote the resumption and development of scientific research work, and made important contributions to the normal progress of key scientific research projects such as China's first artificial earth satellite "Dongfanghong I".

After the reform and opening up, Comrade Liu Huaqing successively served as the leader of the General Staff Department, the commander of the Navy, a member of the Central Military Commission, and deputy secretary-general, and in 1989 he was appointed vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. He resolutely implemented Comrade Deng Xiaoping's instructions on "reducing swelling" in the armed forces and the Central Military Commission's decision on streamlining and reorganizing the armed forces, led the drafting of a plan for streamlining and reorganizing the armed forces, participated in leading research and demonstration of the army's reform work, and organized the formulation of a work outline for speeding up and deepening the army's reform. He focused on building a strong navy, emphasized enhancing maritime awareness, safeguarding maritime rights and interests, and actively explored naval strategic theory; he advocated that the guiding ideology of naval equipment construction should be changed from quantitative to qualitative and coastal to coastal, thus greatly improving the level of naval equipment. He organically combined the rectification of management with the strengthening of management, and put forward suggestions and plans for establishing a general armament department and strengthening the centralized management of weapons and equipment. He presided over the drafting of proposals on strengthening the struggle in the Spratlys, participated in guiding the defense struggle in the Spratlys, and guided the completion of major tasks such as the establishment of the Marine Observatory at Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys.

In 1992, Comrade Liu Huaqing was elected as a member of the Political Bureau and a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee, and as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, he assisted Comrade Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission, in presiding over the daily work of the Central Military Commission. He resolutely implemented the party's line, principles, and policies, resolutely implemented Mao Zedong's military thinking, Deng Xiaoping's thinking on army building in the new period, and Jiang Zemin's thinking on national defense and army building, persistently put revolutionization in the first place, persisted in the party's absolute leadership over the army, carried forward the glorious traditions of the old Red Army, and ensured the correct direction of army building. He persisted in reform and innovation, actively promoted national defense and army building in the new situation, participated in the formulation and implementation of military strategic principles for the new period, promoted the shifting of the basis of preparations for military struggle to winning local wars under high-tech conditions, persistently placed education and training in a strategic position, administered the army according to law, administered the army strictly, managed the troops scientifically, and took the road of elite troops with Chinese characteristics; persisted in arduous struggle, building the army with diligence and thrift, and striving to improve the ability of logistical support. He attached importance to national defense scientific research and the construction of weapons and equipment, planned and organized the development of high-tech weapons and equipment, and promoted the modernization of military equipment and the construction of the national defense industry. He promoted foreign military exchanges and cooperation, participated in the decision-making of our army's participation in international military observation, arms control negotiations, military peacekeeping, and other work, and promoted the creation of a new situation in China's military diplomacy.

As a member of the third generation of the party's central leading collective, Comrade Liu Huaqing participated in a series of major policy decisions of the party, the state and the army, and made contributions to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. He participated in the discussion of important documents of the Party Central Committee on the establishment of a socialist market economic system and the strengthening of party building, and promoted the implementation of them. He conducted investigations and studies on the country's economic and social development, promoted the construction of anti-corruption and clean government, maintained social stability and unity, and the hot and difficult issues of concern to the broad masses of the people, and did a great deal of work.

Comrade Liu Huaqing's life was a glorious life and a life of fighting. His exploits for the cause of revolution and reform in our country and for national defense and army building will always be remembered by the party and the people.

Comrades and friends!

In the various historical periods of revolutionary construction and reform, generation after generation of outstanding Communists have struggled unremittingly. Comrade Liu Huaqing is an excellent representative of this, and his revolutionary spirit and noble character are always worthy of our study.

-- When we commemorate Comrade Liu Huaqing, we must learn from his unremitting pursuit of abiding by his faith and not forgetting his original intention. Comrade Liu Huaqing has always attached great importance to the cause of the party and the people, and realizing national independence, the liberation of the people, the prosperity and strength of the country, and the happiness of the people are the goals he has pursued all his life. Whether at the critical moment of life and death or in the face of adversity, he persevered and struggled unceasingly, was infinitely loyal to the party and the people, and was unswervingly committed to the revolutionary cause. On the eve of the departure of the Long March, he wrote down a vow of "determination to abandon all nostalgia and revolution to the end". During the revolutionary war years, he fought bloodily and was wounded many times, but the revolutionary will was never weakened. During the Cultural Revolution, he was treated unfairly, but maintained a strong fighting spirit and optimism. He said: "Society needs stability, life needs peace, and for this simple and clear truth, I have worn a military uniform for 68 years." Looking back on his life, he said: "As a citizen, I have devoted myself to the country and the nation and contributed all my talents; as a soldier, I have been charging into the front and not letting the military uniform stain; as a subordinate, I have completed Xiaoping's heavy trust, and I can report in the future without shame." ”

"Don't forget your original intention, you have to be consistent." Ideals and convictions are the spiritual pillar of our communists. We must maintain our firm ideals and convictions; no matter how the times change and no matter how the conditions change, we will not waver in the storm, consciously be firm believers and faithful practitioners of the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and always struggle for the truth and for the ideal.

-- In commemorating Comrade Liu Huaqing, we should learn from his strong party spirit of being devoted to the party and always being loyal. Resolutely listening to the party's words and following the party with an iron heart is the goal of life that Comrade Liu Huaqing set in his youth. During the Long March, he was seriously wounded in the leg when he participated in the battle in Dushu Town, and the organization made it clear that the wounded could be placed, but he said firmly, "There is no room for 100 pieces of ocean, and death will also die in the ranks of the Red Army." It was with this determination to follow the Red Army and the Party that he endured severe pain and pulled his horse's tail to follow the march of the large troops. He grew from a child regimental commander to a senior cadre of the party and the army, whether in wartime or peacetime, the organization assigned him to do what he did, and the party pointed to fight wherever it went.

The cause of the Party and the cause of the people has been continuously forged by the loyalty and dedication of tens of millions of Party members. We must put the party in the right center, enhance our political awareness, awareness of the overall situation, awareness of the core, and awareness of alignment, consciously stand on the stand of the party and the people, be loyal to the party, share worries for the party, shoulder responsibilities for the party, and fulfill our responsibilities for the party, and do our utmost to fulfill the duties and tasks entrusted by the party.

-- When we commemorate Comrade Liu Huaqing, we should learn from his innovative spirit of daring to blaze new trails and being keen on reform. Unswervingly adhering to reform is the conviction that Comrade Liu Huaqing adheres to. He often said that "there is no way out for the state without reform, and there is no way out for the army without reform," and proposed that "to speed up and deepen the reform of the armed forces, we must be resolute, second, we must demand realism, and third, we must obey commands." At the end of the "Cultural Revolution," he submitted a report to Comrade Deng Xiaoping on the issue of naval equipment and put forward major proposals for the development of naval equipment. As commander of the Navy, he believed that the Navy was "particularly urgent to reform" and led the Navy in all aspects of reform. He said: "We must stand on the high plane of the reform of the whole army throughout the country, think about problems from the perspective of the whole army and the overall situation, study problems, and set aside the local interests of our own departments." In any case, the issue of the institutional establishment of the army cannot be postponed any longer. If you don't move now, you will definitely have to adjust in the next decade, and it will be more difficult. "He personally pushed the reform of the army forward."

Reform is a key move to determine the fate of contemporary China. We must push forward reform with the courage to carry out self-revolution and the perseverance to persevere, dare to cut at the stubborn and chronic diseases that have accumulated for many years, dare to touch on the deep-seated interest relations and contradictions, resolutely break through the shackles of ideology and concepts, resolutely break down the barriers of solidification of interests, resolutely remove the institutional and institutional obstacles that hinder the development of social productive forces and affect the generation of the army's combat effectiveness, and strive to hand over answer sheets that satisfy the party and the people.

-- When we commemorate Comrade Liu Huaqing, we should learn from his mission of strengthening the army and dedicating himself to national defense. Comrade Liu Huaqing is good at thinking strategically about military issues and has contributed all his painstaking efforts and wisdom to army building and preparations for military struggle. He focused on building a strong navy, vigorously advocated the development of aircraft carriers, and stressed that "aircraft carriers are a symbol of the country's comprehensive national strength and the core of the navy's ability to carry out multi-service joint operations at sea." He participated in leading the formulation of military strategic guidelines for the new period, and resolutely implemented them in all aspects of national defense and army building, stressing the need to give prominence to deterrence, caution in combat, and self-defense in strategic guidance, and to actively apply and develop offensive operational thinking in campaigns and battles to seize the initiative in war. He attached importance to national defense scientific research and the building of weapons and equipment, stressing that "it is necessary to shift the emphasis on quantity to quality in army building in the past, and to demand quality, efficiency, and combat effectiveness from science and technology." During the period when China was independently breaking through the cutting-edge technology of national defense, he did a great deal of work at the critical stage of accelerating the development of high-tech weapons and equipment. He insisted on placing education and training in a strategic position, stressing that "military training is the main way to enhance the combat effectiveness of troops in peacetime." If the training is done well, comprehensive benefits can be achieved in terms of technology, tactics, thinking, and work style."

By 2020, our country will build a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and our national defense and army building will make significant progress, with arduous tasks and heavy responsibilities. We must shoulder the mission on our shoulders, engrave the responsibility in our hearts, think diligently, immerse ourselves in hard work, do a line, drill a line, and conscientiously do a good job. It is necessary to persistently promote political army building, reform and strengthen the army, manage the army according to law, deepen and expand preparations for military struggle, and provide a strong force guarantee for the realization of the Chinese dream.

-- When we commemorate Comrade Liu Huaqing, we should learn from his fine style of seeking truth and being pragmatic and doing solid work. Comrade Liu Huaqing paid attention to going deep into the investigation and study of the troops, extensively contacted cadres at all levels, exchanged views face-to-face, and often said that he "did not come to make reports and instructions, but to be a primary school student, listen to everyone's opinions, and discuss together, and "listen to everyone's opinions, so that I can broaden my horizons and better analyze problems in a comprehensive manner." In order to formulate the outline of the Central Military Commission's plan for army building during the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, he led a working group to go deep into the grass-roots units and conducted more than 10 months of investigation and study. For important work, he always does his own work and dares to be responsible. In the process of developing the "Dongfanghong-1" satellite, Comrade Liu Huaqing took the risk and resolutely made a decision, telling the scientific researchers that "you are responsible for technical problems, and I am responsible for other problems." During his tenure as commander of the Navy, he and a group of members of the Navy Party Committee resolutely handled a series of problems left over from history, especially the "Great Cultural Revolution," and in accordance with Comrade Deng Xiaoping's instructions, straightened out the leading bodies of the party committees and straightened out the work style of the troops, thus creating a new situation in naval construction.

Seeking truth and being pragmatic is an important ideology and working method of communists. We must understand the truth and grasp the law in practice, use the developing Marxism to guide new practice, enrich and develop Marxism with new practice, dare to face contradictions head-on, dare to confront tough problems in a more serious way, and ponder deeply and deeply in order to do a good job in the work of the party and the state, do our duty, and do good deeds.

-- When we commemorate Comrade Liu Huaqing, we should learn from his noble sentiments of self-cultivation and honesty and self-discipline. Comrade Liu Huaqing's life was bright and upright, fair and upright. He deeply resented the phenomenon of running for office and demanding office, saying, "If our cadres are promoted by running and relying on want, and the atmosphere is bad, what hope does the army have!" During his participation in the leadership work of the Central Military Commission, he resolutely corrected the unhealthy tendencies in the employment of personnel, demanded that the departments concerned improve and perfect the policies and systems for cadre work, and select and use cadres with excellent political integrity and ability. He is concerned about national defense and the people, no matter what post he goes to, what he does not change is the love of the people's heart, what remains unchanged is the true color of cloth, and he tries every means to find a way out of poverty in his hometown and seek the well-being of the people in the old area with his pure feelings. He was strict with himself, his only younger brother worked as a farmer all his life, and the story of "three pushing relatives" was passed down as a good story in his hometown.

Only when leading cadres are fair and upright can they produce a clean and upright atmosphere, and only by being honest and self-disciplined can they create a good image. We must bear in mind that the power in our hands is given by the party and the people and is used to serve the people; we must keep our political nature of honesty and honesty, keep the correct values of life, and with our own exemplary actions, unite the broad masses of cadres and masses, and push the cause of the party and the people from victory to new victory.

At present, the cause for which the revolutionaries of the older generation fought is making great strides forward, and the beautiful ideals they have worked so hard to pursue are gradually becoming a reality. All great undertakings need to be carried forward in the process of carrying forward the past and opening up the future. We must carry forward the glorious tradition, inherit the red gene, never forget the original intention, continue to move forward, and strive to create achievements worthy of the times, the people, and the ancestors in the great process of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is our best memorial to the older generation of revolutionaries. (End)