As General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao pointed out in his speech at the 90th anniversary of the CPC, the Party faces the growing danger of lack of drive and initiative, incompetence, divorce from the people, and corruption. The CPC must advance with the times, and a CPC advancing with the times must have foresight and be prepared for dangers in times of peace, says an article of China News Service. Excerpts:

The awareness of hardship is rooted in Chinese leadership's sober understanding of the fierce international competition. As the world undergoes rapid developments, deep reforms and great transformations, China faces a period of strategic opportunities. But globalization has increased external uncertainties and made comprehensive national power and international frictions fiercer. Besides, the global economic crisis and social unrest in some countries have also had an impact on China, making the Chinese leadership realize that the situation requires immediate action from the rapidly developing world.

The awareness is rooted in the CPC's profound understanding of China's national conditions, too. China is undergoing social transformation, where big adjustments of benefit-based relationships will occur among all sections of society and social conflicts may emerge and intensify. Limited social resources have aggravated the conflicts caused by the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Only by maintaining and deepening the awareness of hardship, learning more about the actual conditions of the people, addressing their concerns and resolving the social conflicts can the CPC nip potential dangers in the bud.

Some Party officials are divorced from the people and China's real conditions, have resorted to deception, violated laws and discipline and even been involved in corruption, which runs counter to the Party's basic purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly. If the CPC lacks the awareness of hardship and lets such malpractices grow and spread, these problems will undermine the CPC's credibility and threaten its governance.

At a time of profound changes in global, national and intra-Party conditions, Hu Jintao said in his speech: "We are now faced with many new developments, problems, and challenges in our effort to enhance the Party's leadership and governance and its ability to resist corruption and degeneration and to withstand risks, and strengthen its governance capacity and advanced nature. We are facing long-term, complicated and severe tests in governing the country, in implementing reform and opening-up and in developing the market economy, as well as tests in the external environment."

The emphasis on awareness of hardship is neither to neglect the achievements we have made nor aimed at self-denial. Instead, it is aimed at keeping a sober mind to comply with the characteristics of the times, to provide answers to new questions and to overcome new challenges.

The answer given by the CPC to many troubling difficulties is to maintain close ties with the people. As Hu Jintao said: "The growth of the Party over the past 90 years shows that the fact that the Party comes from the people, takes root among the people and serves the people ensures its invincibility."

Historical experience and an analysis of the current conditions are meant to better confront the future. Talking about talents and young people, Hu Jintao said: "Young people represent the future of both China and its people. They also represent the future and hope of the Party." This is the future of China, judging from a profoundly historical perspective.

The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily 07/22/2011 page9)