On May 11th, the symposium on "Hand in Hand in a Century• Destiny and Common Destiny -- The Communist Party of China and Foreign Friends" was successfully held in the Beijing Municipal People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The guests' speeches were brilliant and golden sentences were frequent. Today, Xiaobian will take you close to the first speaker - Ke Ma Kai.
Coma Kai, chairman of the China Industrial Cooperation International Committee, is the son of His Canadian friend Isabé Kruk and his British friend David Cruk. In 2019, President Xi Jinping personally awarded Ms. Isabé Kruk the "Friendship Medal" of the People's Republic of China. Ms. Isabe Kruk, who is now 105 years old, attended the forum in person and was cordially met by He Luli, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Ninth and Tenth National People's Congresses and honorary president of the Beijing Municipal People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
The full text of Ke Makai's speech is as follows:
Kruk, Isabelle and the Chinese Communist Party
Komakai
There have been many foreign friends in the century-long history of the Communist Party of China. Some are foreign Communists who, after getting to know the CCP, become friends of the CPC; some are friends of China first and later friends of the CPC. My parents belonged to each category.
My father, Kruk, joined the British Communist Party in 1935. In 1936 he joined the Spanish International Column and was wounded in the Battle of Harama defending Madrid. At that time, the CCP was still singing "Defend Madrid" in Yan'an! During his recuperation, he borrowed "Journey to the West" from Bethune, learned about the heroic deeds of the Long March, and solemnly respected the Chinese Communist Party! He came to China from Spain in 1938, like many international column fighters. In Shanghai, he met some CCP members and foreign friends, such as Louis Eli and Belden. He encouraged patriotic students to yearn for Yan'an. My father met my mother in Sichuan in 1940.
My mother, Isab, was born in Sichuan. She saw peasant suffering at an early age. After graduating from university in 1938, he returned to China to study rural areas. In 1939, he met Eli in Aba, borrowed the communist books and periodicals of Wei Lushi, a member of the Workers' Union, and got to know some underground parties. From 1940 to 1941, he helped form a cooperative in Bishan County. When Belden went to see her, he said, "There was a great Member of the Chinese Communist Party named John Lai" – my mother guessed what he was talking about when Zhou Enlai! (To this day, Premier Zhou's portrait still hangs on the wall of our living room!) In 1940, my parents met and fell in love, and because they were touched by the heroic deeds of the Long March, my father proposed to his mother at the Luding Bridge where the Red Army forcibly crossed the Dadu River!
In 1942, they went to England to join the army. On the way, his father raised funds for the Industrial Cooperation in New York to support the Chinese War of Resistance. His mother joined the Communist Party of England. After the war, they learned that the CCP wanted to carry out land reform, and they decided to go to record this agrarian revolution!
In 1947, they came to China with a letter of introduction from the British Communist Party, and the party arranged for them to go to shilidian village in the Liberated Area to observe land reform. They ate and lived with the villagers and comrades of the land reform team, and recorded the whole process of land reform in detail. Land reform laid the foundation for victory in the War of Liberation.
In 1948, the CCP invited them to stay and train foreign affairs cadres for New China. By the time they left in 1980, they had helped the party and the state train a large number of very capable foreign affairs cadres, including later ambassadors and foreign ministers.
In the light of China's national conditions, the Communist Party of China creatively developed Marxism-Leninism, such as relying on the peasants and encircling the cities from the countryside to achieve victory.
Their parents were Communists, and the CCP took good care of them, allowing them to participate in the CCP's organizational life and various movements from 1947 onwards. What they feel most deeply is that the CCP is good at organizing and mobilizing the masses, accepting the supervision of the masses, and consulting with the masses on something, so that they can raise their consciousness and truly liberate themselves.
Two unforgettable moments:
In January 1949, when Peiping was peacefully liberated, my mother and Ma Haide were one of the few foreigners who had the privilege of climbing the Qianmen Arrow Tower, and together with some CCP leaders, they reviewed the entrance ceremony;
On October 1, 1949, my parents watched the founding ceremony on the viewing platform! Chinese people stood up!
The Chinese Communist Party cherishes foreign friends very much. Two unforgettable moments:
In 1973, the beloved Premier Zhou hosted a banquet for our family, as well as some other foreign friends;
In 2019, President Xi Jinping awarded my mother the Friendship Medal.
When I was a child, I often heard the saying: "Our friends are all over the world"! Speaking of which, I would like to convey the good wishes of our good friend, who is also a good friend of the CCP, Wen Youzhang's whole family for the centenary birthday!
In the future, the Chinese Communist Party will definitely make more and more friends! Happy Birthday to the Communist Party of China!
Michael Crook：
The Chinese Communist Party (CPC) has had countless foreign friends over its 100-year history. Some are communists, who learn to admire the CPC, some are friends of China, who come to admire the CPC. My parents are one of each.
My father, David Crook, joined the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) in 1935. In 1936 he joined the International Brigades in Spain and was wounded in the Battle of Jarama, defending Madrid. We learned later that the CPC in Yan'an was then singing "Defend Madrid" (保卫马德里)! While convalescing, he read Dr. Bethune’s copy of "Red Star over China", learned of the Long March, and came to admire the CPC! In 1938, like many others he left Spain for China. In Shanghai he met members of the CPC and foreign friends like Rewi Alley and Jack Belden. He encouraged patriotic students to look to Yan'an. In 1940 he went to Sichuan and met my mother.
My mother Isabel was born in SIchuan where she saw the miserable life of farmers. Upon graduation in 1938, she returned to study rural China. In 1939 she met Rewi Alley in Aba and borrowed communist literature from Ruth Weiss in Chengdu, and met underground communists. 1940 to 1941, mum helped set up cooperatives in Bishan. When the journalist Jack Belden visited her there, he spoke of the remarkable Chinese Communist “John Lai”. (Mum figured out he meant Zhou En-lai!, whose portrait hangs in our living room to this day.) In 1940 my parents. Moved by the heroic deeds of the Long March, Dad proposed to mum at Luding Bridge, where the Red Army had crossed the Dadu River on the Long March.
In 1942 they went to England to join the army, and mum joined the CPGB. On the way, father helped Gung Ho raise funds in New York for China’s War of Resistance. After the war, they learned the CPC was about to launch land reform, decided to document the great event. So in 1947, they came with a letter of introduction from the CPGB, and the CPC arranged for them to go to the village of Ten Mile Inn in the liberated areas and observe the land reform. They lived among the peasants and comrades of the Land Reform team, observed every detail of the event which guaranteed the success of the War of Liberation.
In 1948 the CPC invited them to stay and train foreign affairs cadres for new China. When they retired around 1980, they had helped train numerous talents, including ambassadors and foreign ministers, who have ably served the CPC and PCR.
The CPC creatively developed Marxist-Leninism to suit China’s situation, for example rely on the peasantry, surround the cities, and so on, to gain victory.
My parents being communists, the CPC kindly let them participate in party activities from 1947 on. What impressed them most was the way the CPC mobilize the common people in mass movements, accept their supervision, involve them in discussions, so they raise their political awareness, and really liberate themselves.
Two memorable events:
· In January 1949, mum and George Hatem were the lucky few foreigners like to mount Qianmen Gate along with CPC leaders to review the PLA’s triumphal entry into Beiping;
· On October 1st, 1949, my parents were among the lucky few foreigners to view the parade at the founding of the PRC. With the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people had stood up!
The CPC and PRC value the friendship of foreign friends. Two examples:
· In 1973, Premier Zhou Enlai received our whole family along with some others;
· September 2019, President Xi Jinping awarded mother the Friendship Medal.
A slogan I learned in childhood goes “Our friends are all over the world (我们的朋友遍天下)”. Before I finish, I have a message from some very good friends of the CPC: the family of James Endicott (文幼章), send greetings on this great occasion!
The CPC will doubtless make many many more friends in the coming years! Happy Birthday, CPC !
Author: Dr. Chen
Photo: Lu Yanning
Editor: Li Yahui