Conscientiously Strengthening and Improving the Political Work of Our Army Under the New Situation

Speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the Military Political Work Conference on October 31, 2014. Xi Jinping attended and addressed the military political work conference of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) held in Gutian township, Shanghang county, Fujian province.

Part of Xi Jinping's speech, entitled “Conscientiously Strengthening and Improving the Political Work of Our Army Under the New Situation”, was included in Selection and Compilation of Important Documents since the 18th National Congress (Vol. 2).

Xi Jinping pointed out, “The theme of the era of military political work is to closely focus on the Chinese Dream of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and provide a strong political guarantee for the realization of the Party's goal of a strong army under the new situation.” The policy of ruling the army strictly and closely surrounding the theme of the times of our army's political work, strengthening and improving our army's political work in the new situation, and giving full play to the lifeline of political work for strengthening our army and revitalizing our army. Revolutionary political work is the lifeline of the revolutionary army. The implementation of revolutionary political work has ensured that our army is always a revolutionary army under the Party's absolute leadership. Army's political work has formed a set of fine traditions, mainly including: adhering to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, insisting on fair and decent selection and use of cadres, insisting on conscious strict discipline, persisting in hard work and sacrifice dedicated revolutionary spirit. We must profoundly understand the important status and important role of our army's political work, and pass on the fine traditions that our forefathers made with blood and lives from generation to generation. To firmly establish the principle of Party spirit in the entire army and adhere to the principle of Party spirit is the fundamental requirement of political work, we must adhere to the principle of the Party first, the Party's cause first, the people's interests first.

The ideological and political development is the lifeline for military building and has safeguarded the CPC's absolute command of the troops, The army has established a set of fine political traditions, including serving the people wholeheartedly, fair and honest promotion of officers, rigorous self-discipline and sacrifice to the revolutionary spirit, We must profoundly understand the important status and important role of our army's political work, and pass on the fine traditions that our forefathers made with blood and lives from generation to generation. To strengthen and improve our army's political work, the troops should have a strong sense of Party principles and interests, giving priority to the CPC cause and the people's interests.

Xi Jinping emphasized that adhering to the Party's absolute leadership over the army is the soul of a strong army, and casting the soul of the army is the core task of our army's political work, and it must not be shaken at any time.To uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the army, it is necessary to uphold the division of labor and responsibility system under the unified collective leadership of the Party committee. Party committees at all levels should take the implementation of the Party’s system of absolute leadership over the army as the first responsibility, implement a series of Party-led army systems into all areas of army building and complete the entire process of tasks to ensure that the principle of the Party's command of the gun takes root. Therefore, we must keep a clear mind, strengthen ideological and public opinion work, and resolutely resist the influence of erroneous political views such as "the army is not Party oriented, depoliticized and nationalized". Adhere to reform ideas and methods to promote anti-corruption work, ensure standardization, normalization, and long-term improvement of work style. Persevere and persevere determination to build work style and fight against corruption. We should focus on the cultivation of fighting spirit, strengthen the Marxist outlook on war and the education of the basic functions of our army, strengthen the construction of military culture, carry forward the spirit of not fearing hardships and not fearing death, and beat the troops from the requirements of strict and strict combat, pay attention to the regulatory role of policies and systems, and enhance military occupations, attraction and sense of mission and honor of soldiers, training officers and men's fearless heroism and heroic fighting style.

We should focus on the innovation and development of political work, actively promote the innovation of political work thinking concepts, operating modes, guidance methods, and means of political work, improve the level of informationization, rule of law, and scientificization of political work, form a comprehensive, wide-ranging, military-civilian integration political work structure, and enhance the political work initiative and effectiveness. Xi Jinping particularly emphasized that in the face of the sharp and complicated struggle in the ideological field, especially the real danger of the "color revolution", we must firmly establish ideals and convictions in the entire army. Since lofty ideals and firm beliefs are the soul of revolutionary soldiers, we should strive to grasp the characteristics and rules of soul training in the new situation, and focus on cultivating a new generation of revolutionary soldiers with soul, ability, blood and moral character. We must take the lead in learning traditions, love traditions, and talk about traditions, and motivate army officers and soldiers to pass on the red gene and maintain the true nature of the old Red Army.