A century ago, China was poor and weak, and it was bullied by big powers. Since then, our country has gone through many setbacks and hardships before rising up and achieving glory. The Chinese nation has undergone unprecedented changes — from standing up to prospering and becoming powerful and having established its position amongst nations of the world. Never in history have we been closer to the goal of the great renewal of the Chinese nation, and never in history have we had greater confidence and capability to realize this goal. This tremendous change is attributed to the fact that we have chosen the path of socialism which was opened up by the October Revolution, that the CPC has been leading the people to closely integrating the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete and real situation of the Chinese revolution, construction and reform, paving a broad road for the great renewal of the Chinese nation that suits China's actual conditions. History and reality have incontrovertibly proved that only socialism can save China, only socialism with Chinese characteristics can develop China and realize the great renewal of the Chinese nation.

Today, we commemorate the October Revolution and continue to progress on the path of socialism. The most important task is to keep to and develop the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, strive for the realization of the Two Centenary Goals and the Chinese Dream of the great national renewal, and in turn making more brilliant achievements and brighter prospects for socialism, and making even greater contribution to exploring better development path for humankind.

First, we must unswervingly uphold and develop Marxism. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, pointed out that on the fundamental issue of upholding the guiding role of Marxism, we must maintain unswerving resolve, never wavering at any time or under any circumstances, and that if we deviate from or abandon Marxism, our Party would lose its soul and direction. Meanwhile, for Marxism to play a guiding role in practice and be enriched and developed in the process, it must be combined with the conditions of each country. The victory of the October Revolution was a brilliant example of Lenin's ingenious use of the basic tenets of Marxism in the Russian revolution. The extraordinary achievements made in China's revolution, development and reform and the solid steps taken on the country's great journey to realize its lofty ideal are also the results of the CPC always adhering to Marxism as a guide to action and continuously localizing Marxism in practice.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forth a series of new visions, thinkings, and strategies for the governance of China in the country's great endeavors to advance reform and opening up and develop socialist modernization. These visions, thinkings and strategies have upheld and developed Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and they have also deepened the CPC's understanding of the laws of governance by the Communist Party, the laws of building socialism, and the laws of the development of the human society. In China's historical endeavors to realize its Two Centenary Goals and fulfill national renewal, the most practical and important way of adhering to Marxism is to follow the principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping's major addresses and his new visions, thinkings, and strategies for the governance of China.

There will never be an end to practice and neither will there be an end to practice-based theoretical innovation. In order to engage in the great struggle, pursue the great undertaking, push forward the great cause, and realize the great dream in the new era, we still need to preserve the theoretical character of Marxism to move forward with the times, combine it with the reform and development realities of contemporary China in a deeper way, push for theoretical innovation on the basis of new practices, strive for positive interactions between innovation in theory and innovation in practice, and open new horizons in the localization of Marxism.

Second, we must be firm in strengthening socialist and communist ideals and convictions. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that Chinese communists' faith in Marxism, socialism and communism is their political soul and sustains them through all tests. Over the past 90-plus years, one generation of CPC members after another have shed their blood, laid down their lives, and continued the hard work of those preceding them with unswerving resolve, in order to achieve national independence and prosperity and bring happiness to the people. They have done this because they have faith in Marxism and are determined to fulfill the socialist and communist ideals. Only by standing firm in strengthening the ideals and principles can we refrain from being arrogant and impatient in time of victories and successes, and restrain ourselves from feeling depressed and uncertain in time of setbacks and adversities. Instead, we can remain firm in our pursuit and harden ourselves into steel. When the socialist movement suffered serious setbacks worldwide, Comrade Deng Xiaoping, citing the restorations of monarchies in the historical process of capitalism superseding feudalism, said with full confidence: "Some countries have suffered major setbacks, and socialism appears to have been weakened. But the people have been tempered by the setbacks and have drawn lessons from them, and that will make socialism develop in a healthier direction." Facts have proven that China's huge success is precisely because of its unswerving adherence to socialist and communist ideals and principles and to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.