Beijing Women's Federation

The Beijing Women's Federation (BWF) held a meeting on July 2 to study and discuss the important speech by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, at a ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, held on July 1. Zhang Yajun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and President of the BWF, presided over the meeting. Members of BWF's Party theory learning center group, bureau-level directors, heads of departments and affiliated institutions attended the meeting.

The attendees studied the full text of the speech, reviewing the glorious history of the Party over a century, showing respect to the older generation of revolutionaries and revolutionary martyrs, and looking forward to the bright prospects of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Around the nine fundamental requirements that Xi put forward as necessary to learn from history and create the future in his speech, the participants shared their thoughts based on their actual work. A received idea was that it is necessary to deeply understand the great power of truth contained in the important speech. With a grand historical vision, the speech reviews the past days, and looks forward to the journey that lies ahead based on the present state. Also, it summarized the great contribution the Party has made to the nation, and mobilized people to march in confident strides toward the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The speech declared the Party's firm determination to continuously make new historical achievements, injecting strong spiritual power and pointing the way forward for the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups to start fresh. It is of great guiding significance for Chinese people as they set out on a new journey.

It was agreed at the meeting that the Party's great founding spirit should be passed on. The founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the principles of upholding truth and ideals, staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people, is the Party's source of strength. For 100 years, the CPC's spiritual pedigree has come into being precisely through continued efforts to promote that spirit. These precious spiritual treasures span time and space and are renewed over time. They are deeply integrated into the blood of the Party, the nation and the people, providing rich nourishment for revitalizing and strengthening the Party. Party members working in the women's federation system in Beijing must inherit the revolutionary tradition and strive to contribute to the great cause of national rejuvenation.

There was a common understanding among the group to always follow the CPC's strong leadership. The idea that without the Party, there would be no New China, and no national rejuvenation has not only been proven by a century-long history, but also embodies the common understanding of 1.4 billion people. "The leadership of the Party is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and constitutes the greatest strength of this system. It is the foundation and lifeblood of the Party and the country, and the crux upon which the interests and wellbeing of all Chinese people depend." Efforts should be made to unwaveringly uphold the Party's overall leadership. Women cadres in the capital of the new era are required to be deeply conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, and remain confident in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They must uphold the core position of the General Secretary on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership, as well as bear in mind the country's most fundamental interests. Meanwhile, they need to fulfill the political responsibilities of the women's federation and unite and lead women, children and families to follow the Party's leadership.

Meeting participants were unanimous in saying that they must adhere to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly. Xi pointed out in his speech that this country is its people; the people are the country. The Party has in the people its roots, its lifeblood, and its source of strength. The Party wins people's support because it stands with the people through thick and thin and shares a common fate with them and it has always represented the fundamental interests of all Chinese people but has no special interests of its own. Women's federations, established and led by the Party, has a distinctive revolutionary gene. Workers for women's cause in the new era must uphold the principle of putting the people in the first place, keep an eye on and offer solutions to problems of women and their families' pressing concern to protect women's rights, and tell stories of the path to women's progress with Chinese characteristics and to women's development in the capital.

The meeting put forward requirements for BWF's learning program in the next stage. It was pointed out that studying and implementing the spirit of Xi's speech is a major task. It is necessary to follow the arrangements of the CPC Beijing municipal Party committee to take it as top priority in the Party history learning and education campaign, keeping in mind Xi's call of bearing in mind the country's most fundamental interests and rally closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and to make greater contributions while embarking on a journey toward fully building a modern socialist country in all aspects.