Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has called on Party members in the new era to carry forward revolutionary traditions and strive for new accomplishments on the new journey.
Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a letter of reply to Zhang Liansheng, a 102-year-old Party member with Xinhua News Agency, ahead of the 105th founding anniversary of the CPC, which falls on July 1.
Xi extended sincere greetings to Zhang and veteran Party members and comrades across the country.
In the reply, Xi noted that Zhang, as a radio operator with the "Fourth Brigade" of a central armed force during the War of Liberation (1946-49), followed the Party Central Committee through the flames of war in northern Shaanxi in Northwest China about eight decades ago, devoted his entire life to communications technology with hard work and still cares about the cause of the Party and the country.
"I would like to express my respect to you," Xi wrote, speaking highly of Zhang's sincere and profound love for and faith in the Party.
Xi asked all Party members never to forget their original aspiration and founding mission, emphasizing the importance of faithfully performing their duties, working diligently and taking responsibility.
The "Fourth Brigade" was a Xinhua working team that followed the Party Central Committee and Mao Zedong in northern Shaanxi during that war, and was responsible for news reporting and liaison work.
It initially had over 40 members, including editors, translators, radio operators and logistics personnel, and later grew to more than 100.
In a recent interview, Zhang expressed gratitude to the Party, Xi and fellow Party members for their care and support. "I am an ordinary Party member," he said. "I have always received care and education from the Party, and I feel deeply honored and moved. I will remain loyal to the Party and to the Party's cause."
Zhang said he could no longer recall many details clearly due to his age, but the sound of Morse code has stayed with him.
"The Party organization sent me to Yan'an to learn how to receive and send telegrams," he said. "I am old now, and I have forgotten many things. But dit-dit-dah, dah-dit-dit, dah-dah-dit-dit — I will remember that for the rest of my life."
From March 1947 to March 1948, over the course of one year and five days, members of the "Fourth Brigade" followed the Party Central Committee for more than 1,000 kilometers across northern Shaanxi under harsh and tense conditions, enduring shortages of food and medical care and, at times, the danger of nearby enemy forces.
"Life was hard and we had no vehicles. We relied on our own legs," Zhang recalled. "But we were young and cheerful then, and we were not afraid. We did whatever we were asked to do."
The deeds and names of the "Fourth Brigade" remained little known for decades and after years of research, the names of 70 members have now been confirmed.
