Scottish scholar: The Long March spirit is alive in China today

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March. To mark the occasion, China International Communications Group (CICG) launched the international communication project "Together on the Long March: 90th Anniversary of an Epic Journey." The initiative aims to help global audiences better understand the founding ideals and mission of the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as the enduring values that have guided the Chinese people through decades of struggle and development.

On July 24, as a key component of this project, the sharing and exchange meeting titled "The Enduring Echo of the Long March: Toward a Shared Future" was held in Yan'an. More than 50 Chinese and foreign guests gathered to discuss the contemporary relevance of the Long March spirit.

Below is the full text of the speech delivered by David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor of Foreign Languages Press under the China International Communications Group and recipient of the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award.

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished leaders and guests. Over the six weeks that we have followed the route of the Long March, I have given many interviews and answered many questions. The questions I'm most commonly asked are: Tell me about your experience, what do you feel the spirit of the Long March is, and what do you see about the relevance of the spirit of the Long March to modern China. I would like to address these questions.

First of all, in terms of the experience. I arrived in Jiangxi with only limited knowledge of the Long March. The story was like a puzzle; I only had the outline, and most of the pieces in the middle were missing. Now over the course of these six weeks, I have a much clearer picture. We have visited most of the sites of the major events of the Long March: the Xiangjiang River crossing, for example, where the Red Army suffered its most severe military setback; the four crossings of the Chishui River, where the Red Army faced its most intense strategic and tactical test, outwitting the enemy in a grand contest. There were immense physical hardships: crossing the Jiajin Pass and the Mengbishan Pass, then traversing the grasslands. These ordeals were grueling.

But the moments that touched me most were the Battle of Luding Bridge and the battle at the Lazikou Gorge. Why? Because at every location I have mentioned, the entire campaign might have ended in failure if the operation went wrong. Yet at these two critical spots, the whole mission hinged upon the personal bravery of a tiny group of people. Only a couple of dozen fighters at Luding Bridge, only a few dozen at the Lazikou Gorge. Everything rested on individual courage and what they chose to do.

I don't think there is any comparable historical scenario where a military force could survive such heavy losses and press onward. Many troops could easily have been wiped out. You can only accomplish something like this when two vital qualities exist: one is outstanding leadership, and the other is absolute faith — full dedication to the shared cause. So to me, capable leadership and wholehearted commitment to the mission are the core values of the Long March. These are what struck the deepest chord with me.

Now let's talk about its relevance to modern China. Over the 20 years I have lived here, I have witnessed many new "Long Marches." The first one I experienced firsthand was the response to the Wenchuan Earthquake. Faced with a catastrophic natural disaster, there was tremendous mobilization. I was on the ground and witnessed it with my own eyes.

The shirt I am wearing today embodies the spirit of the Long March. Let me explain. Targeted poverty alleviation was another Long March, another enormous challenge for China. Lifting hundreds of millions out of absolute poverty was an immense hurdle, one of humanity's greatest challenges. China delivered success in targeted poverty alleviation. No other country has attempted such an ambitious undertaking, and I believe for many reasons, no others could have succeeded.

Why did China succeed? Thanks to strong leadership that formulated practical, viable strategies to realize this grand goal. Policies that were rolled down through several administrative levels down to the grassroots, where tens of millions of people took countless practical actions to carry out the strategy and turn goals into reality.

The shirt I wear was made for me by a young craftswoman named Gulbostan. I met her in remote western Xinjiang. She is talented, bright, diligent and full of aspirations. Her current vision is not to become rich, it is to promote her traditional Uygur culture through her work. She uses traditional Uygur styles in creating modern clothing, and she designed this outfit I have on.

Twenty years ago, Gulbostan would have received minimal education, and would have had no chance to display her skills beyond her own family. Today, thanks to the achievements of targeted poverty alleviation, she has access to education and professional training. Roads, logistics and communication infrastructure enable her to show her craftsmanship to the whole world.

Gulbostan is just one member of this great endeavor, one individual with one story. But targeted poverty alleviation empowered tens of millions of Chinese people with aspirations, creativity and entrepreneurship — people who would have had no opportunities two decades ago. Just like the Long March, it gave them a chance to achieve their goals and live their dreams.

To me, this is a wonderful symbol of how the Long March spirit lives on today. Thank you.