The Theory and Propaganda Department of the CCP's official newspaper People's Daily
published (February 23) an important article under its signature 'Ren Lixuan' (任理轩)
captioned 'Deeply grasp the "two establishments" and resolutely achieve "two maintenances"
(in-depth study and implementation of the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC
Central Committee)'.
Explaining that grasping the "two establishments" meant to achieve the "two safeguards", it
said that early in the revolution, the Party "faced the danger of failure". But then at the Zunyi
Conference Mao Zedong Thought was established. Mao Zedong Thought helped the Party
overcome "rightist opportunism" and "left" dogmatism. It then said Xi Jinping Thought does
the same and added "It is a blessing for the party and the country, the people, and the Chinese
nation to have a leader like General Secretary Xi Jinping"! The People's Daily article explained
that the "two establishments" are "the most fundamental guarantee for advancing the historical
process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" and are "the most important political
achievements since the 18th Party Congress". It suggested that after Hu Jintao's term the 18th
Party Congress party realized that "loose and soft management" led to corruption, serious
problems in the political ecology, deterioration in Party and mass relations, lack of creativity,
cohesion, and combat effectiveness, but now the "soft situation" has been "fundamentally
reversed", centralized leadership guaranteed, anti-corruption struggle won "overwhelming
victory", and "hidden dangers" eliminated. It identified four things that are now required: i)
safeguard XJP's core position; ii) ideologically identify with the core; iii) be politically loyal
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to the core; and iv) maintain the core in action. The article described Xi Jinping times as
"leader" (领袖), of which two times are as "people's leader" (人民领袖). It referred to Xi
Jinping as the "core" (核心) 48 times and at the end of the essay, Xi Jinping and "core" become
completely synonymous. Interestingly the article appears to do a lot in terms of clarifying "two
establishments", its relationship with the "two safeguards", and the historical importance of
introducing them now. Xi Jinping is important, but less so as a person, more so as an idea
subservient to historical necessity and the party.
(Comment: This is an important article and its appearance at this time would seem to be to
reinforce Xi Jinping's ideological credentials in the Chinese Communist Party.)
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