When the People Are Firm

in Their Convictions,

the Nation Will Flourish

February 28,2015

When the people are firm in their convictions, the country will prosper and the nation will grow stronger. To realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, we must be wealthy in both material and cultural terms, and we must be consistent and persistent in our pursuit of socialist cultural and ethical progress and in providing all the people with a strong ideological guarantee, intellectual support, and moral sustenance.

Soon after the adoption of reform and opening up in 1978 the Party took on the strategic task of promoting socialist cultural and ethical progress, and adopted the strategic concept of "pushing for material progress on the one hand and cultural and ethical progress on the other, with great importance attached to both". Over more than 30 years, the Chinese people have not only worked a miracle of material progress, but reaped the great benefit of cultural and ethical progress, during which a large number of outstanding role models, of whom you are representatives, have come to the fore.

The people of a country or a nation must have common ideals and convictions if they are to advance with aspiration. We should constantly and thoroughly promote socialism with Chinese characteristics within the Party and throughout society, advocate the themes of the times, encourage healthy trends, enhance the belief in our path, theory and system, and let the beacon of ideals and convictions blaze in the heart of every person in China.