Xi’s Take on Hu Yaobang: What Signal Was He Sending to Party Cadres?

On Friday, the paper reported that Xi Jinping delivered a speech at an event marking the 110th anniversary of the birth of former General Secretary Hu Yaobang.

First, it is extremely important that Hu has been commemorated with such an event. Second, as this excellent analytical piece in the Inside China substack informs, it was Hu Jintao that brought Hu Yaobang back to the public discourse in 1998. Xi’s comments must be looked at in the context of the balance between competing ideological and policy competition within the Party, and the accommodation of different groups by Xi. Finally, as in most such cases, Xi uses this occasion to underscore his vision for the Party and his policy agenda. The messages around persisting with Marxism and the two integrations, reform and opening up, anti-corruption and work style are important. Xi called on cadres to emulate Hu’s approaches in these domains. The remarks around Hu’s efforts to rehabilitate those who had been punished during the Cultural Revolution are also important.

Let’s look at the entire speech. Xi said:

“Comrade Hu Yaobang was a time-tested loyal communist warrior, a great proletarian revolutionary and statesman, an outstanding political worker of our army, and an excellent leader who long held important leadership positions in the Party. He made immortal contributions to national independence and liberation, socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening up, and socialist modernization.” 胡耀邦同志是久经考验的忠诚的共产主义战士，伟大的无产阶级革命家、政治家，我军杰出的政治工作者，长期担任党的重要领导职务的卓越领导人，为民族独立和解放、社会主义革命和建设、改革开放和社会主义现代化建设建立了不朽功勋.

Xi then detailed the different positions that Hu held throughout his career, saying that “from being a revolutionary warrior charging into battle to being a pioneer of reform and opening up, regardless of which post he was at or what position he held, he always maintained a selfless spirit of dedication and an indomitable revolutionary enthusiasm, tirelessly contributing everything to the cause of the Party and the people.”

In the next section, Xi characterises Hu’s life as one of “struggle” and “dedication.” “Throughout his 60-year revolutionary career, he fully demonstrated his noble character of upholding his beliefs and dedicating himself to his ideals, the people-centered sentiment of having his heart with the people and having benefits accrue to all under heaven, his spirit of seeking truth from facts and daring to pioneer new paths, his excellent qualities of being pragmatic, responsible, and courageous; and his lofty demeanor being fair and upright and honest and self-disciplined. He is forever worthy of our study.” 胡耀邦同志的一生，是光辉的一生、战斗的一生、奉献的一生。在长达60年的革命生涯中，他充分展现了坚守信仰、献身理想的高尚品格，心在人民、利归天下的为民情怀，实事求是、勇于开拓的探索精神，求真务实、敢于担当的优秀品质，公道正派、廉洁自律的崇高风范。他永远值得我们学习.

“Comrade Hu Yaobang, with his lofty aspirations, demonstrated unwavering revolutionary will in his long-term struggle for communism. We should emulate him, firmly upholding our ideals and beliefs, and remaining steadfastly loyal to the Party. Comrade Hu Yaobang said: ‘Without Marxist theory, there would be no us today.’ ‘Our daily life contains communism and cannot be separated from communism.’ Faced with the severe tests of war, the difficulties and obstacles of the era of peaceful construction, the serious persecution suffered during the Cultural Revolution, and the major challenges of the new period of reform and opening up, his ideals, convictions, and revolutionary will were always firm as rock, and he remained utterly loyal to the Party and the people.” ——胡耀邦同志志存高远，在为共产主义不懈奋斗的长期实践中表现出坚韧不拔的革命意志，我们要像他那样，坚定理想信念，对党忠贞不渝。胡耀邦同志说：“没有马克思的学说，就没有我们的今天。”“我们每天的生活都包含着共产主义，都离不了共产主义。”面对战争环境的严峻考验，面对和平建设年代的艰难险阻，面对“文化大革命”中遭受的严重迫害，面对改革开放新时期的重大挑战，他的理想信念和革命意志始终坚如磐石，对党和人民赤胆忠心.

“Ideals and beliefs are the spiritual pillar and political soul of Communists. On the road ahead, no matter how the situation changes or how complex the environment, all Party members must firmly uphold their faith in communism, their belief in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and their confidence in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, forge a strong Party spirit, actively throw themselves into Chinese-style modernization construction, and struggle vigorously to realize lofty ideals and common ideals.” 理想信念是共产党人的精神支柱和政治灵魂。前进道路上，无论形势如何变化、环境多么复杂，全党同志都要坚定对共产主义的信仰、对中国特色社会主义的信念、对实现中华民族伟大复兴的信心，锤炼坚强党性，积极投身中国式现代化建设，为实现远大理想和共同理想奋力拼搏.

“Comrade Hu Yaobang emphasised proceeding from reality in everything, and made important contributions to advancing the Sinicization of Marxism and setting right deviations in the organizational line. We must be like him, uphold seeking truth from facts, and be determined in pursuing truth. Comrade Hu Yaobang emphasized that ‘Marxism is a developing science, a guide for revolution.’ ‘Chinese Communists should be revolutionaries who both have foresight and practical spirit. He organised and promoted the great debate on the criterion of truth, making important theoretical preparations for our Party to re-establish the ideological line of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts. He attached importance to new theoretical explorations based on the new practices of reform and opening up, and put forward that ‘all new ideas, new creations, and new experiences that accord with the interests of the people and the demands of the times, we should gladly absorb; all old frameworks, old routines, and old tunes that do not accord with new historical tasks and the demands of revolutionary practice, we should dare to discard’. He was selfless and fearless, insisting on correcting mistakes, decisively redressing unjust, false, and wrong cases, resolutely implementing the Party’s policies on cadres and intellectuals, enabling large numbers of veteran comrades who had been persecuted to return to leadership posts, and enabling large numbers of cadres, intellectuals, and ordinary people who had suffered injustice and persecution to be vindicated and cleared of wrongs. ——胡耀邦同志注重一切从实际出发，为推进马克思主义中国化和实现组织路线拨乱反正作出了重要贡献，我们要像他那样，坚持实事求是，矢志追求真理。胡耀邦同志强调：“马克思主义是发展的科学，是革命的指南。”“中国共产党人应该是既有远见卓识又有求实精神的革命者。”他组织和推动真理标准问题大讨论，为我们党重新确立解放思想、实事求是的思想路线作了重要理论准备。他重视根据改革开放新的实践进行新的理论探索，提出“凡属符合人民利益和时代要求的新思想、新创造、新经验，我们都应该乐于吸收；凡属不符合新的历史任务和革命实践要求的老框框、老套套、老调调，我们都应该敢于抛弃”。他无私无畏，坚持有错必纠，大刀阔斧平反冤假错案，坚决落实党的干部政策和知识分子政策，使大批受到迫害的老同志重新走上领导岗位，使大批蒙受冤屈和迫害的干部、知识分子和普通群众得到平反昭雪.

“Marxism is an irrefutable truth, and seeking truth from facts is our Party’s fundamental ideological method, working method, and leadership method. All Party members must adhere to the ‘two integrations’, deeply advance theoretical innovation based on practice, and continuously create new horizons for the Sinicization and modernisation of Marxism. We must emphasise integrating theory with practice, consciously use the Party’s innovative theory to arm our minds, guide practice, and drive work; dare to uphold truth; and correct errors in a timely manner, continuously demonstrating the truth-power of Marxism in advancing the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.” 马克思主义是颠扑不破的真理，实事求是是我们党的基本思想方法、工作方法、领导方法。全党同志要坚持“两个结合”，深入推进实践基础上的理论创新，不断开创马克思主义中国化时代化新境界。要注重理论联系实际，自觉用党的创新理论武装头脑、指导实践、推动工作，勇于坚持真理，及时修正错误，在推进新时代中国特色社会主义的伟大实践中不断展现马克思主义真理力量。

“Comrade Hu Yaobang actively advocated and promoted reform and opening up, devoting tremendous effort to advancing socialist modernization. We should emulate him, standing at the forefront of the times and boldly pursuing reform and innovation. Comrade Hu Yaobang viewed reform as ‘a question relating to the success or failure of our entire enterprise’, emphasising that ‘without a series of profound reforms, we can never develop the socialist cause, and we can never achieve socialist modernization’; ‘we must have the courage to eliminate all difficulties and explore new situations and new problems that our predecessors never encountered’; we must ‘comprehensively and in a planned and step-by-step manner reform all old things that hinder the development of socialist modernization.’ He held that rural reform must draw lessons from the past of ‘thinking too narrowly and imposing limits too rigidly,’ and must be opened up, and opened up again; he encouraged the special economic zones to ‘handle special matters specially, handle new matters newly, keep the stance unchanged but the methods entirely new’. He emphasized that opening to the outside must utilize both domestic and foreign resources, open both domestic and international markets, and dare to leap into a broader world to open up new prospects.” 胡耀邦同志积极倡导和推进改革开放，为推动社会主义现代化建设倾注了大量心血，我们要像他那样，勇立时代潮头，锐意改革创新。胡耀邦同志将改革视为“关系我们事业全局成败的问题”，强调“不经过一系列的深刻改革，绝不能发展社会主义事业，绝不能实现社会主义现代化”；“要有敢于排除万难，探索前人没有遇到过的新情况、新问题的勇气”；要“全面而有计划有步骤地改革一切妨碍社会主义现代化发展的旧事物”。他认为农村改革要汲取过去“想得太窄，限得太死”的教训，要放开，再放开；他鼓励经济特区“特事特办，新事新办，立场不变，方法全新”。他强调对外开放要利用国内国外两种资源，打开国内国际两个市场，敢于跳到更广阔的天地里去打开局面.

Reform and opening up is a crucial magic weapon for the Party and the people to catch up with the times, and also a fundamental driving force for advancing Chinese-style modernisation. All Party comrades must dare to face various difficulties and challenges, use the spirit of gnawing hard bones to further comprehensively deepen reform, persist in and perfect the socialist system with Chinese characteristics in upholding fundamental principles while breaking new ground, advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, resolutely eliminate all institutional and mechanism obstacles that restrict high-quality development, and continuously liberate and develop social productive forces, stimulate and enhance social vitality.改革开放是党和人民事业大踏步赶上时代的重要法宝，也是推进中国式现代化的根本动力。全党同志要敢于面对各种困难挑战，用啃硬骨头的精神进一步全面深化改革，在守正创新中坚持和完善中国特色社会主义制度，推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，坚决破除一切制约高质量发展的体制机制障碍，不断解放和发展社会生产力、激发和增强社会活力.

Comrade Hu Yaobang possessed a sincere and profound love for the people. He did a large number of concrete and good deeds for developing the economy and enabling the people to quickly live good lives. We should emulate him, always keeping the people in our hearts and ensuring that the benefits go to all. The couplet inscribed by Comrade Hu Yaobang: ‘with the people in my heart, I care not whether an issue is big or small; when the benefits are for all, why bother over whether one gains more or gains less?’ profoundly expresses his deep affection for the people. He said, ‘why did the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China win the hearts of the people? The fundamental reason lies in socialism with Chinese characteristics, which guides the people to become prosperous through their wisdom and hard work.’ ‘If the country cannot become strong and the people cannot become prosperous, everything is out of the question.’ ‘We Communist Party members must think on behalf of the people at all times and in every moment, so that the people can become prosperous as soon as possible’. Throughout his life he maintained the character of working people, regarded himself as a member of ordinary masses, and pursued life’s pleasures and values in serving the people. He was very concerned about the production and livelihood of people and masses in underdeveloped regions, often traveling light and going deep into the grassroots and deep among the masses, listening to the voices of the masses, and doing practical things for the masses. 胡耀邦同志人民情怀真挚深厚，为发展经济、让人民尽快过上好日子做了大量实事好事，我们要像他那样，始终心在人民，做到利归天下。胡耀邦同志题写的“心在人民，原无论大事小事；利归天下，何必争多得少得”对联，深刻表达了他对人民的赤子之情。他说：“党的十一届三中全会为什么大得人心？根本之点就在于有中国特色的社会主义，引导人民用智慧和劳动的双手富裕起来。”“国家富强不起来，人民富裕不起来，一切无从谈起。”“我们共产党员要时时刻刻为人民着想，使人民尽快富裕起来。”他一生保持劳动人民本色，把自己当作普通群众的一员，在为人民服务中追求人生乐趣和价值。他十分关心欠发达地区人民群众生产生活，经常轻车简从深入基层、深入群众，倾听群众呼声，为群众办实事.

Our Party’s greatest political advantage lies in its close ties with the masses. The people are the Party’s greatest source of strength in governance. All Party members must always remember that the country is the people, and the people are the country; uphold the principle of putting the people first; remain united with the people; consciously practice the Party’s fundamental purpose; follow the Party’s mass line in the new era; and through solid struggle, continuously enhance the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security, promoting more significant and substantial progress towards common prosperity for all the people. 我们党的最大政治优势是密切联系群众，人民是我们党执政的最大底气。全党同志要牢记江山就是人民、人民就是江山，坚持人民至上，同人民心连心，自觉践行党的根本宗旨，走好新时代党的群众路线，以扎实奋斗不断增强人民群众获得感幸福感安全感，推动全体人民共同富裕取得更为明显的实质性进展.

Comrade Hu Yaobang attached great importance to rectifying Party conduct, setting a shining example for carrying forward the Party’s fine traditions and style. We should emulate him, maintaining integrity and leading by example in all aspects. Comrade Hu Yaobang pointed out: ‘whether Party conduct is good or not is a question of whether the Party can stand firm, whether it can exist and develop.’ ‘Conduct is a silent appeal, an invisible spiritual force.’ He demanded that senior Party cadres take the lead in setting a good example and improving Party conduct. He detested unhealthy tendencies and corruption, and required the entire Party to wage a serious and tenacious struggle against them to the end. He emphasized that ‘communists must practice integrity personally’, and must be particularly strict in demands on themselves and their families. He was fair and upright, democratic in work style, mindful of the overall situation, open and aboveboard, spoke Party character and fairness with justified confidence and clear-cut stance, and personally set the rules that relatives and friends were not permitted to come to Beijing to ask him to handle private matters, nor permitted to use his name to handle private matters. ——胡耀邦同志高度重视端正党风，为发扬党的优良传统和作风树立了光辉典范，我们要像他那样，保持一身正气，处处以身作则。胡耀邦同志指出：“党风好不好，是党能不能站得住，能不能存在和发展的问题。”“作风是一种无声的号召，无形的精神力量。”他要求党的高级干部率先垂范，带头搞好党风。他对不正之风和腐败现象深恶痛绝，要求全党与其作严肃认真、顽强到底的斗争。他强调“共产党人清廉要身体力行”，对自己和家人的要求要格外严格。他公道正派、作风民主，顾全大局、光明磊落，理直气壮、旗帜鲜明讲党性、讲公道话，亲自定下不许亲友上京找他办私事、不许亲友打他的招牌办私事的规矩.

The Party’s work style is the Party’s image; it concerns the people’s support or opposition, and concerns the Party’s very survival. All Party comrades, especially leading cadres, must remember that the Party’s self-revolution is forever on the road, comprehensively governing the Party strictly is forever on the road, persistently and unremittingly implement the spirit of the 8-Point Central Regulations, be diligent in self-cultivation, strict in self-discipline, resolutely prevent and overcome privileged thinking and privileged phenomena, resolutely resist unhealthy tendencies and corruption phenomena, and always maintain the political character of Communists of being upright and clean, using fine Party conduct and government conduct to lead social conduct and public conduct. 党的作风就是党的形象，关系人心向背，关系党的生死存亡。全党同志特别是领导干部要牢记党的自我革命永远在路上、全面从严治党永远在路上，锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神，勤于修身，严于律己，坚决防止和克服特权思想、特权现象，坚决抵制不正之风和腐败现象，始终保持共产党人清正廉洁的政治本色，以优良党风政风引领社风民风.

Apart from Xi’s speech, the report on the symposium says that:

While presiding over the symposium, Cai Qi said that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech reviewed Comrade Hu Yaobang’s immortal contributions to the Party and the people, and called on all Party members to learn from Comrade Hu Yaobang’s lofty spirit and fine style. It possesses very strong political, ideological, and guiding qualities. We must earnestly study and understand it, and ensure its thorough implementation. We must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, strengthen the four consciousnesses, enhance the four self-confidences, and achieve the two safeguards, pooling our efforts and striving forward to comprehensively advance the building of a strong nation and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernisation. 蔡奇在主持座谈会时说，习近平总书记的重要讲话，回顾了胡耀邦同志为党和人民建立的不朽功勋，号召全党同志学习胡耀邦同志的崇高精神风范和优良作风，具有很强的政治性、思想性、指导性。我们要认真学习领会，抓好贯彻落实。要更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，凝心聚力、奋发进取，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业而努力奋斗.