Chen Wenjun:

Next, the floor is given to Mr. Xu.

Xu Yousheng:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I'm glad to attend today's press conference and communicate with you on the work of the United Front Work Department.

In a few days, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. For the past century, the CPC has always adhered to and developed the broadest united front, rallied all available forces and mobilized all possible positive factors and worked together for the great cause of seeking happiness for the people and national rejuvenation. The united front has become the political advantage of the CPC to unite the people together. It has become an important instrument that helps achieve the victory of revolution, country building and reform, strengthen the Party's class foundations, expand its public support, and consolidate its status as the ruling party. This will support China's endeavors to build a modern socialist country and achieve national rejuvenation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has reiterated the importance of the united front. The CPC Central Committee has held a series of meetings, released a number of documents, and promulgated the Regulations on the United Front Work of the CPC. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thoughts on strengthening and improving the work of the united front was formed, providing a fundamental basis for the work of the united front in the new era. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the relations between political parties, ethnic groups, between religions, different social strata, and our compatriots at home and abroad have become more harmonious. The united front has shown a dynamic look of forging and pioneering ahead in solidarity, bringing together Chinese at home and abroad to realize the Chinese Dream together. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Next, Mr. Guo, please.

Guo Yezhou:

Ladies and gentlemen, the year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the 100th anniversary of the Party's external work. Looking back on history, we can proudly say that it was a century of advancing the cause of the Party and the country and contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It was a century of bringing about profound changes in the relationship between China and the rest of the world and that between the CPC and the rest of the world. It was a century of connecting the fundamental interests of the Chinese people with the common interest of humankind and making new contributions to human progress.

Over the past century, the Party's external work has always progressed hand in hand with the cause of the Party and the people, taken the theoretical achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context as its guide to action, and gone through the whole process of China's revolution, country building, and reform.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has been personally planning, directing and taking part in the Party's external work. The Party's external work has been advancing with pioneering and enterprising spirit, making an important contribution to the historic achievements and the historic shifts in the cause of the Party and the country. The CPC is moving closer to center stage like never before with increasing global influence, the ability to inspire and the power to lead.

As was pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, "the external work of the Party constitutes an important front of our Party, an important component of our country's overall diplomacy and an important manifestation of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics." This observation summarizes in a scientific way the Party's external work over the past century and is fundamental guidance for the direction of the external work of the Party in the new era.

Since the founding of the CPC in 1921, its external work has always been an important front of the Party. This reflects the political nature of the Party's external work. Staying committed to the Party's ideals, we have done work that directly embodies the Party's will. The Party's external work is a great cause carried out by the whole Party with coordination.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Party's external work has been an important part of China's overall diplomacy. This highlights the strategic function of the Party's external work. Through party-to-party exchanges at all levels and in various forms, the Party's external work helps guide, consolidate, and promote state-to-state relations and provides a channel for communication when bilateral relations hit rock bottom. Through the building of a new type of party-to-party relations, we also contribute to the building of a new type of international relations and interactions between China and the rest of the world.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, which heralded a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party's external work has increasingly become an important manifestation of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. This demonstrates the unique style of the Party's external work. In our work, we insist on giving full play to our distinctive advantages, highlighting political guidance and passing on our excellent traditional culture. The Party's external work demonstrates a distinctively Chinese style and vision.

Our Party now maintains regular exchanges with over 560 political parties and organizations in more than 160 countries. Indeed, our friends can be found in every corner of the world.

Looking to the future, we will earnestly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, continue to serve the role of the Three Important Perspectives, take a holistic approach to the situation both at home and abroad, focus on the goal of rejuvenating the Chinese nation and promoting the progress of humanity and always keep in mind what is of vital importance to the nation. We must keep firmly in mind the need to maintain the Four Consciousnesses which are maintaining political integrity, thinking in terms of the big picture, following the leadership core, and keeping in alignment with the CPC Central Committee. We must bolster Four-sphere Confidence. This means staying confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must ensure the Two Upholds: upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

We must ensure that the Party's external work is always in line with the major judgments, strategies and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, and see to it that the ruling status of the Party is sustained and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is upheld. We must firmly safeguard our nation's sovereignty, security and development interests.

We must accurately grasp the external environment and historical position of the Party and the country, and intensify our study of the laws that govern the changing international situation and landscape, providing useful reference for the decision-making of the Party Central Committee.

We will continue to advance the innovation in the theory and practice of the Party's external work, optimize its overall strategic arrangement, systems and mechanisms, advance the framework of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, make innovations to tell the CPC story well, promote high-quality BRI cooperation, facilitate the building of a new development paradigm, and work with political parties of other countries to build a global community with a shared future for mankind and a better world together. Thank you.