People from all walks of life, including veteran Red Army soldiers, their descendants, grassroots cadres and researchers, have shared their reflections on Chinese President Xi Jinping's call for new achievements on the new Long March, made at a gathering marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March, and on what it means for their work and lives today.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, a remarkable revolutionary feat achieved under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
From October 1934 to October 1936, the CPC-led Red Army broke through the encirclement of Kuomintang forces, crossed more than 10 provinces, and braved raging rivers, snow-capped mountains and treacherous grasslands before finally completing their epic 12,500-kilometer military maneuver.
Speaking at a commemorative gathering in Beijing on Thursday, Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for new achievements on the new Long March. His speech has drawn widespread positive response across China.
Among those giving their reaction was 108-year-old Red Army veteran Du Guobang. He recalled the huge challenges he endured as he took part in the epic military trek as a young man 90 years ago, and reflected on the changes he has seen in China in the years that have followed.
"It was bitterly hard in the snowy mountains. We couldn't get out in a day or two. We pulled each other along, sometimes roped together. Those roads were all treacherous. The CPC is great in unity, and that's why we won. Life is getting better and better now. With President Xi, we're getting richer and stronger. Look at China today, so strong," said Du.
Others with close family connections to the Red Army's Long March say they have been deeply moved by the stories that have been passed down and hope to continue to carry forward their important legacy.
"The General Secretary spoke about how villagers reluctantly bid farewell to the Red Army as it departed, and how local people protected the soldiers during their nighttime river crossing in Yudu. The Red Army cared deeply about the people, that's why the people treated them like family. As a community worker and a Red Army descendant, I want to carry on that bond, stay close to the people, and address their everyday concerns, one by one," said Liu Xiaohui, a Red Army descendant and Party secretary of a community in Xingguo County of east China's Jiangxi Province.
From the snowy mountains and grasslands of the Long March to today's rural revitalization efforts and the frontiers of scientific and technological research, the spirit of the Long March continues to inspire new generations. Grassroots cadres and researchers in new frontiers shared how they are symbolically undertaking a new Long March through their own work in the present day.
"When the Red Army reached the Huajiang Grand Canyon along the Beipan River, it faced towering cliffs on both sides. Today, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge spans the gorge, bringing new opportunities to our village. We will stay rooted in the front line of rural revitalization and build on the bridge's location and local red resources, working to ensure that the old revolutionary base area develops better and better and that the people's lives become ever more prosperous," said Pan Zhongxiang, a member of the village development team of Huajiang Village in Guizhou, a mountainous province in southwest China.
"The General Secretary's keynote speech has further strengthened our confidence in taking the new Long March of technological self-reliance and self-improvement. Next, we will continue to tackle next-generation communications technology and overcome critical challenges, such as the 'Loushan Pass' and 'Lazikou Pass' of key core technologies. Focusing on the country's major strategic needs in mobile communications, we will carry out forward-looking and basic research, strengthen the alignment of 6G technology with application scenarios, and strive to achieve multi-sector application as soon as possible," said Huang Yongming, a member of the 6G research team at Purple Mountain Laboratories, a key innovation platform in networking and communications.
People across China reflect on Xi's call for 'new Long March'
