Lianhe Zaobao:

Over the past century since its founding, the CPC has made substantial achievements, but at the same time experienced some setbacks which have left it with some lessons. I would like to ask what new summaries of the successes and setbacks will the CPC make at this centenary of its founding? In addition, how will the Party deal with future risks and challenges? Thank you.

Qu Qingshan:

Thank you for your questions. Over the 100 years, the CPC has forged glory amid hardships, gained success through exploration, set things right after making mistakes, and won a future after struggle. Over the past century, the CPC has dealt with challenges, overcome difficulties, and won victories, all one after another, by closely relying on the people. It has made great historical contributions to the Chinese nation, and laid a realistic foundation for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation to build on the past and forge ahead courageously.

In the face of a series of risks and challenges, the CPC has kept strengthening and improving itself with the courage of self-reform, and made itself increasingly stronger to always be the leadership core for social development and progress as well as the backbone of the Chinese people. After we sum up its experience in resolving risks and challenges in the past 100 years, I think the Party needs to focus on giving play to four powers when dealing with future risks and challenges. I will briefly summarize them here as the power of leadership, the power of ideology, the power of system, and the power of the people.

First, the power of leadership. Leadership of the CPC is the most essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the greatest strength of this system. On the way forward, we must rely on the Party's leadership as the "stabilizer," and work harder to uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, so that our Party can better play its role of leadership core in guiding the overall situation and coordinating the work of all sides, and always maintain its great vitality and strong ability.

Second, the power of ideology. Marxism is the guiding ideology of the CPC and the soul of the ideals and convictions of CPC members. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the ideological banner of the CPC in the new era, and is Marxism in contemporary China and the 21st century. On the way forward, we must continue to integrate Marxism with China's actual conditions, advance theoretical exploration with great effort, and use the latest achievements in the Party's theoretical innovation to arm ourselves, educate the people, guide practice, and advance work, so that the light of truth will be transformed into a powerful material force driving the cause of the Party and the people.

Third, the strength of the system. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics provides the fundamental institutional guarantee for progress and development in contemporary China. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental achievement made by the CPC in uniting the Chinese people and leading them in overcoming countless hardships at enormous cost. Consequently, as we march forward, we must unswervingly stick to and improve socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must neither retrace our steps to the rigidity and isolation of the past, nor take the wrong turn by changing our nature and abandoning our system. We will transform China's institutional advantages into effective state governance so as to provide fundamental guarantees for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. 

Forth, the strength of the people. People are the creators of history and the fundamental force driving history forward. The people are the foundation and lifeblood of the Party, and the source of the Party's strength. As we march forward, we must rely closely on the strength of the people, always consider people's hearts as the biggest political power, and take winning their support as the main source of confidence to govern. We will share weal and woe with the people, and share the same future with them, so as to create a mighty force that allows us to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and join together as one to firmly march toward the grand objective. 

Thank you.