Xi Jinping Praises Heroes of the New Era
习近平深情礼赞新时代英雄
On July 1, 2026, at a gathering marking the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping stated that the people are the creators of history and the true heroes, according to a report from People's Daily Online republished by NetEase. The piece, presented as a video compilation, frames the Party's history as an epic of heroic achievements under its leadership and asserts that the 'new era' since the 18th Party Congress has seen Xi personally champion a culture of respecting, defending, learning from, and caring for heroes.
The view from inside
The piece is part of the '时习之' series, which reinterprets Xi Jinping's statements for a domestic audience. It employs the loaded term '新时代英雄' (new-era heroes) and the four-character slogan '崇尚英雄，捍卫英雄，学习英雄，关爱英雄' (respect heroes, defend heroes, learn from heroes, care for heroes), signaling an official push to embed loyalty and self-sacrifice as civic virtues. Xi is portrayed as the personal architect of this hero-worship culture, with the narrative treating the Party's historical role as unquestionably heroic and the need for more heroes as self-evident. The intended audience is Party members and the general public, aiming to reinforce ideological cohesion around the leadership.
What an outside reader should notice
The article is entirely hagiographic, mentioning no specific individual hero or actual event; it functions as a generic ideological reinforcement. There is no acknowledgment of any controversy, failure, or critique of the hero narrative. Outside China, similar anniversary coverage might focus on historical achievements but also include debate about the cult of personality or the instrumental use of 'heroes' for political mobilization.
Key points
- Xi Jinping spoke on July 1, 2026, at the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China.
- He said the people are the creators of history and the true heroes.
- The article highlights a campaign since the 18th Party Congress to promote respect, defense, learning from, and care for heroes.
- It is a video compilation produced by People's Daily Online and republished by NetEase.
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