The following is the full text of a speech delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, at a ceremony marking the centenary of the Communist Youth League of China on Tuesday.
Speech at a Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Youth League of China
May 10, 2022
Xi Jinping
Members of the Communist Youth League of China (League), young friends, and comrades,
Youth gives rise to infinite hope, and young people are the creators of a bright future. A nation can thrive and prosper only when it places hopes on its youth and maintains its youthful vigor.
Today, we are gathered here at the ceremony marking the centenary of the Communist Youth League of China to encourage League members and young people to forge ahead on the new journey toward realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
First of all, on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, I would like to extend warm congratulations and sincere greetings to all League members as well as Communist Youth League organizations and staff at all levels.
League members, young friends, and comrades,
The Chinese nation is an ancient nation with a long, enduring history and has experienced many years of vicissitudes. More importantly, it is also a youthful nation that continuously pursues self-improvement and remains vibrant. With a civilization of over 5,000 years, our nation has long cherished the traditional belief that heroes are cultivated from young age and embraces the idea that the waves behind drive on those ahead. We believe a nation will be strong only when its young people are strong and a nation will make progress only when its younger generations make progress. We have always believed that the future of our nation rest on youths. For hundreds of years, the strength, vitality, and creativity of the youth have always been a mighty force that drives our nation forward against all challenges and enables it to stand tall among the nations of the world.
The destiny of the youth is always closely connected with the times. After the Opium War of 1840, China was gradually reduced to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society and suffered greater ravages than ever before. The country endured intense humiliation, the people were subjected to great pain, and the Chinese civilization was plunged into darkness. Many noble-minded patriots sought to pull the nation together. Many progressive young people were enlightened at this "Awakening Age." The great May Fourth Movement promoted the spread of Marxism in China, ushered in the new-democratic revolution, and marked the beginning of the youth's role as the pioneers advancing social changes in China.
With the youth awakened and advanced ideas disseminated, the dynamic revolution quickly swept across the vast land of China. As Marxism-Leninism was becoming closely integrated with the Chinese workers' movement, the Communist Party of China was born. Since the day of its founding, the Party has paid particular attention to the youth and placed the hopes of revolution on them. At its First National Congress, the Party carried out specific studies into the establishment and development of a youth league as the prep school for the Party. On May 5, 1922, the Communist Youth League of China was founded under the direct care and leadership of the CPC, marking a milestone in the history of China's revolution and youth movement.
Faithfully following the Party and working for the Party and the people constitute the Communist Youth League's original aspiration and founding mission, to which the League has stayed true over the past century. Under the Party's strong leadership, it has organized and guided generation after generation of young people to stay firm in their convictions and loyal to the Party, fight for national independence and the people's liberation, and contribute to the country's strength and prosperity and the happiness of the people. Through these efforts, a stirring chapter of youth was written on our path toward China's national rejuvenation.
In the period of the new-democratic revolution, the Communist Youth League actively engaged in promoting Marxism in China, enlightening young people with advanced ideas and rallying their force. Under the League's leadership, its members and young people devoted themselves to anti-imperialist and anti-feudal movements of workers, peasants, and students, actively served in revolutionary armies led by the Party, and fought in the battles to bring down warlords, resist Japanese invaders, and overthrow the rule of the Kuomintang. They manifested a spirit of fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice. Charging forward through hailstorms of bullets, League members and young people showed their firm faith and passed the test of life and death, dedicating their youth to the victory of China's revolution and making outstanding contributions.
In the period of socialist revolution and construction, the Communist Youth League took an active part in the most extensive and profound social reform in the Chinese history. Its members acted as the spearhead in various campaigns and they were organized to reclaim uncultivated land, educate the illiterate, and learn from the model soldier Lei Feng. Under the League's leadership, its members and young people were empowered by the spirit of "daring to make the sun and the moon shine in the new sky" and shouted out the slogan of "devoting our youth to the motherland." They rose to all sorts of challenges, no matter in scientific researches or the harsh natural environment. They manifested a spirit of daring to struggle and working hard. Pulling through hardships and dangers, League members and young people took the initiative to shoulder responsibilities and braved themselves in the most challenging and demanding missions, dedicating their youth to the country's construction and making outstanding contributions.
In the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Communist Youth League adjusted itself to the strategic shift in the focus of the Party and the country's work, freed the mind, and forged ahead with resolve. It launched a large number of creative initiatives, encouraging young people to be "pacesetters of the New Long March," to uphold "five things to stress," "four things to beautify," and "three things to love," to join the Project Hope for children's education in rural areas, to serve as volunteers, to perfect their professional performances, and to work for the environmental project "Mother River Protection." Under the League's leadership, a call of the time that "let us unite for national rejuvenation" resonated, and League members and young people rode the waves on all fronts of modernization. They manifested a spirit of daring to explore and setting the trend. Engaging themselves in the modernization drive by destroying the old and establishing the new, League members and young people acted as trailblazers of reform and led the way ahead, dedicating their youth to the country's reform and opening up and socialist modernization and making outstanding contributions.
In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Communist Youth League has pursued a great struggle, a great project, a great cause, and a great dream, made innovation on the basis of what has worked in the past, advanced its work with full strength, and reformed itself comprehensively. Under the League's leadership, its members and young people did their best in the fight against poverty, in cutting-edge scientific researches, in disaster rescue and relief missions, on the epidemic response frontline, in the Olympic arena, and at posts of defending the motherland, stepping up and responding to the calls of the Party and the people when they were most needed. They have manifested a spirit of self-confidence, self-reliance, vigor, and action. "My pure love is only for China," a phrase written by a young soldier and martyr, has become the most powerful expression of young people in contemporary China. Bearing a great dream and a great mission, League members and young people have willingly carried the ball on the frontline and demonstrated their brilliance in the course of realizing national rejuvenation, dedicating their youth to historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country and making outstanding contributions.
Although the times keep changing, young people in China have been committed to the same mission. Over the past century, the Communist Youth League has been of one heart and mind with the Party and followed in its footsteps. It has united and led League members and young people in dedicating themselves to the cause of the Party and the people, devoting their youth to the journey toward national rejuvenation, and thus engraving their glory in the annals of history.
Both history and reality tell us that the Communist Youth League of China is worthy of being regarded as the vanguard of the Chinese youth movement, a loyal aide to the Party, and a reliable reserve force.
League members, young friends, and comrades,
The further we advance and the higher we climb, the better we should be at absorbing wisdom from our past experience, boosting our confidence, and improving our strength. Over the past century, with firm ideals and strong will, the Communist Youth League has amassed valuable experience which should be drawn upon to make new achievements in the future.
