Op-Ed Contributors

Keeping close to the people

By Zheng Qingyuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-03 07:56

The mass viewpoint is the basic idea of historical materialism, as well as the ideological foundation for us to do mass work. Only by truly understanding and firmly establishing the mass viewpoint, can we unswervingly and unremittingly do mass work well. Compared with the past, our economic strength and financial resources have improved significantly, the various resources at our disposal have greatly increased, and the available scientific and technological means have been greatly enriched. But we must keep firmly in mind that no force in the world can replace the people's power, and that we cannot lose or forget the mass viewpoint at any time under any circumstances.

We must always remember that, after 61 years in power, the greater wealth, more resources, and more channels at our disposal mean only that should have more determination, more wisdom, and more ways to appreciate people's concerns, resolve their worries, and satisfy their expectations.

To establish the mass viewpoint, the most fundamental thing is to achieve a profound understanding that the mass line is the fundamental guarantee for realizing the Party's ideological, political and organizational lines. We must firmly uphold the viewpoint that the people are the creators of history, that we must serve the people heart and soul, and govern for the people's well-being. We must learn from the people, that there are no small matters when it comes to people's interests, that being faithful to the Party is consistent with being faithful to the people, and so on.

We must correctly handle the relationship with the masses, position ourselves properly in such a relationship, always respect the masses in our hearts, be close to the masses in our feelings and rely on the masses in our work. We must draw wisdom and strength from the masses, and always share a common lot with the people and have our hearts linked to those of the people.

The mass stand is a fundamental political matter determining the nature of our Party. That our Party has received the masses' endorsement and support is because our Party has always spoken and acted from the position of the utmost majority of the people, and represented the fundamental interests of the utmost majority of the people. Always proceeding from the standpoint of the masses, instead of that of individuals or the minority in words and deeds, and always representing the fundamental interests of the utmost majority of the people, instead of those individuals or a certain group of people, is the key factor determining whether people are for or against us, and whether our cause succeeds or fails.

We are at a critical period of reform and development and facing various complex situations. The yardstick for our mass stand lies in whether we can successfully realize, safeguard and develop the fundamental interests of the utmost majority of the people. Only by firmly upholding the mass stand, can our Party correctly formulate its theories, policies and guiding principles and be ever-victorious, and our Party members and leading officials correctly treat their careers, the people and themselves, and make practical achievements that can stand the tests of practice, history, and the people.

To firmly uphold the mass stand, we must adhere to the principle that all are for the masses, and all rely on the masses. We must stick to the guiding line of "from the masses, to the masses", proceed from the interests of the masses in thinking about problems, making decisions, and going about our work, always concern ourselves with people's needs and ask people for their opinions about governance. We must uphold the consistency between respect for the law of social development and the people's central role in history, work hard for lofty ideals and for the benefits of the utmost majority of the people, and we must uphold the consistency between fulfilling the Party's various tasks and realizing the people's interests.