Primary Source: Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military (1)
A Vermilion Translation Project
This is our new translation project on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) series, “Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military.” The goal of this project is to educate non-Chinese speakers on PLA ideology and illustrate how the PLA is not a national military, it is the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party.
In its original form, this series delves into the relevance of Xi Jinping Thought to the PLA and discusses how reforms need to be made within the PLA to strengthen commitment to Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party as a whole.
We’ve translated the text from Chinese into English and then from Communist Party jargon into plain text.
VERMILION: What led to “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Strengthening the Military”?
Xi analyzes the current international situation as undergoing “great changes unseen in a century.” While seemingly benign, this refers to the rise of the east (primarily China) and the fall of the west (primarily the US). It is in this context that Xi says China will transition from simply being a large nation to a powerful nation, and in doing so will be able to create an international order in its own image.
Xi believes that China is presently facing unprecedented external pressure as well as the possibility of international systemic shocks. During this transition there will be chaos that produces obstacles and opportunities, and CCP cadres must be ready to seize these opportunities while also being prepared to negotiate any obstacles.
Facing this situation, Xi orders the military to overcome its own legacy hurdles in order to be better at waging modern war and enabling the CCP. Xi believes this presents the Chinese military with a rare and historic opportunity to develop.
Notes: When Xi mentions “Rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he is not simply referring to increasing the political status of the People’s Republic of China. He is talking about the “rejuvenation” of Han Chinese people as led by the Chinese Communist Party.
1.如何理解习近平强军思想形成的时代背景？
党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央，把握强国强军时代要求，与时俱进创新党的军事指导理论，形成习近平强军思想。习近平强军思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分，是党的军事指导理论最新成果，是坚持走中国特色强军之路、全面推进国防和军队现代化的行动纲领。这一思想是在中国特色社会主义进入新时代、世情国情军情发生深刻变化的历史条件下形成发展的，是从新时代强军事业全部实践中产生的理论结晶。
当今世界正经历百年未有之大变局。这是党的十八大后习主席科学分析国际形势发展变化作出的一个重大战略判断。这个大变局，体现在国际经济、科技、文化、安全、政治等格局都在发生深刻复杂变化，国际力量对比深刻调整，逆全球化思潮上升，全球治理体系变革加速推进，发展道路和发展模式之争更加激烈。特别是世纪疫情冲击下，百年变局加速演进。这个大变局，最突出的特点是“东升西降”。中国发展理念、发展道路、发展模式的影响力吸引力显著增强，中国日益发挥着世界和平建设者、全球发展贡献者、国际秩序维护者的重要作用。总体上看，和平与发展仍然是时代主题，但世界进入动荡变革期，外部环境更趋复杂严峻和不确定。习近平强军思想始终以宽广的世界眼光来观察当代中国军事问题，是在准确识变、科学应变、主动求变中创立并不断丰富发展的。
我国正处在由大向强发展的关键阶段。经过新中国成立以来特别是改革开放40多年的不懈奋斗，我国经济实力、科技实力、综合国力和人民生活水平跃上了新的大台阶，成为世界第二大经济体、第一大工业国、第一大货物贸易国、第一大外汇储备国。党的十八大以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，实现中华民族伟大复兴进入了不可逆转的历史进程。当前和今后一个时期，我国发展仍然处于重要战略机遇期，但机遇和挑战都有新的发展变化，机遇更具有战略性、可塑性，挑战更具有复杂性、全局性。我国面临更为严峻的国家安全形势，外部压力前所未有，传统安全威胁和非传统安全威胁相互交织，“黑天鹅”、“灰犀牛”事件时有发生。习近平强军思想始终把国防和军队建设放在实现中华民族伟大复兴大目标下来运筹，是在坚决维护国家主权、安全、发展利益的实践中创立并不断丰富发展的。
习言习语
▶当今世界正经历百年未有之大变局，这样的大变局不是一时一事、一域一国之变，是世界之变、时代之变、历史之变。
▶领导干部要胸怀两个大局，一个是中华民族伟大复兴的战略全局，一个是世界百年未有之大变局。
▶大变局带来大挑战，也带来大机遇，我们必须因势而谋、应势而动、顺势而为。
新一轮科技革命和军事革命加速发展。从世界近几场局部战争和军事行动看，现代战争信息化程度不断提高，智能化特征日益显现，战争制胜观念、制胜要素、制胜方式发生重大变化。世界新军事革命速度之快、范围之广、程度之深、影响之大，为第二次世界大战结束以来所罕见。各主要国家纷纷抢占军事战略制高点，争夺国际军事竞争新优势。特别值得关注的是，科技革命对军事革命驱动作用愈发凸显，一些前沿技术发展很快，可能从根本上改变战争面貌和规则。习近平强军思想敏锐把握世界军事发展趋势和现代战争规律，是在大力推进军事创新、引领我军赶上时代潮流中创立并不断丰富发展的。
国防和军队建设进入新时代。党的十八大开启强国强军新征程，国防和军队建设站在新的历史起点上，具有坚实的实践基础，面临难得的发展机遇。同时，也存在许多长期积累的体制性障碍、结构性矛盾、政策性问题，遇到许多新情况新问题。这些年，我军经历一场广泛而深刻的军事变革，实现了政治生态重塑、组织形态重塑、力量体系重塑、作风形象重塑，在中国特色强军之路上迈出坚实步伐，取得一系列重大理论成果、实践成果、制度成果。习近平强军思想植根于强军实践、作用于强军实践，是在引领强军事业奋力开创新局面中创立并不断丰富发展的。
1.）How to understand the historic background of the formation of Xi Jinping Thought on strengthening the military?
This idea was formed and developed under the historical conditions of socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and the profound changes in the world situation, national conditions and military situation. It is the theoretical crystallization from the whole practice of the cause of building a strong military in the new era.
The world today is experiencing major changes that have not occurred in a century. This is a major strategic judgment made by President Xi after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China by scientifically analyzing the development and changes of the international situation. This great change is reflected in the profound and complex changes in the international economy, science and technology, culture, security, politics and other patterns, the profound adjustment of the international power balance, the rise of the anti-globalization trend, the acceleration of the reform of the global governance system, and the intensification of the dispute over the development path and development model. Especially under the impact of the epidemic in the 21st century, the changes in the past century have accelerated. The most prominent feature of this great change is "rising in the east and falling in the west". China's development concept, development path and development model are significantly more influential and attractive. China is increasingly playing an important role as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order. On the whole, peace and development remain the theme of the times, but the world has entered a period of turbulence and change, and the external environment is becoming more complex, severe and uncertain.
China is at a critical stage of development from large to strong. After more than 40 years of unremitting efforts since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially the reform and opening up, China's economic strength, scientific and technological strength, comprehensive national strength and people's living standards have risen to a new level, becoming the world's second largest economy, the first largest industrial country, the first largest goods trading country, and the first largest foreign exchange reserve country. At present and in the future, China's development is still in an important period of strategic opportunities, but both opportunities and challenges have new development changes. Opportunities are more strategic and flexible, and challenges are more complex and overall. China is facing a more severe national security situation, with unprecedented external pressure. Traditional security threats and non-traditional security threats are intertwined, and "black swan" and "grey rhinoceros" incidents occur from time to time.
▶The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century. Such a major change is not a one-time event, one domain or one country, but a change in the world, the times, and history.
▶Leading cadres must have two overall situations in mind, one is the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the other is the major changes in the world that have not been seen in a century.
▶Great changes bring great challenges as well as great opportunities. We must plan accordingly, move in response to the trend, and act according to the trend.
A new round of scientific and technological revolution and military revolution accelerated development. From the perspective of the recent local wars and military operations in the world, the degree of informatization in modern wars has been continuously improved, the characteristics of intelligence have become increasingly apparent, and the concepts, elements and ways of winning have changed significantly. The speed, scope, depth and influence of the world's new military revolution are rare since the end of the Second World War. Major countries have seized the commanding heights of military strategy and strived for new advantages in international military competition. What is particularly noteworthy is that the driving role of the scientific and technological revolution in the military revolution has become increasingly prominent. Some cutting-edge technologies have developed rapidly and may fundamentally change the face and rules of war.
National defense and military construction have entered a new era. The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has launched a new journey to strengthen the country and the military. National defense and military construction stand at a new historical starting point, have a solid practical foundation, and face a rare development opportunity. At the same time, there are many institutional obstacles, structural contradictions and policy problems accumulated over a long period of time, and many new situations and problems are encountered. Over the years, our army has undergone a broad and profound military transformation, achieved the reshaping of political ecology, organizational form, power system, style and image, and made solid steps on the road to building a strong military with Chinese characteristics, and achieved a series of major theoretical, practical and institutional achievements.