Independence and Self-reliance

One of the three basic aspects of the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought.

Independence and self-reliance are the inevitable corollary of carrying out the Chinese revolution and construction. It is the inevitable conclusion that the CPC proceeds from Chinese reality and relies on the masses to promote the development of Chinese revolution and construction. Independence and self-reliance are the thought of Chinese people to realize national independence and defend national sovereignty.

The whole Chinese people faced great difficulties to accomplish the task of achieving independence and liberation. No foreign country should expect China to be their vassal or to swallow the bitter fruits that harm our country's interests. Independence and self-reliance are the thought of the CPC and the Chinese people to decide independently the path of Chinese revolution, construction and reform in accordance with China's national conditions. The CPC advocates that we should base ourselves on the country’s own realities, integrate the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of its own revolution and thus achieve victory in the cause led by the Party.

Independence and self-reliance are the thought of correctly handling the relationship between self-reliance and foreign aid by relying on one's own strength in China's revolution and construction.

Mao Zedong said: “We should rely on ourselves, strive for foreign aid as a supplement, break superstition, independently implement industry, agriculture, technology and “Cultural Revolution”, overthrow slavish mentality, bury dogmatism, earnestly study good foreign experience and seriously study bad foreign experiences — take precautions, which is our ideological line.”

Deng Xiaoping emphasized that "China's affairs should be run according to China's specific conditions and by the Chinese people themselves. Independence and self-reliance have always been and will always be their basic stand”.

Independence is the idea which upholds that the Chinese people make their own decisions in foreign relations and international affairs. China pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy and determines its position and policy on all international affairs in the light of the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and the common interests of all peoples of the world, in accordance with the merits of the matter itself, in an independent manner without relying on any major power. It will never impose its will on others, nor will it ever allow anyone to impose their will on the Chinese people.