On August 5, 2019, Qi Yu, Party Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Foreign Ministry met with the new personnel of the Foreign Ministry in 2019 at the Olive Hall and delivered a heart-warming speech.
Secretary Qi Yu, on behalf of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the CPC Committee, and the personnel of the Foreign Ministry, extended a warm welcome to the new members. He said, I am sincerely happy to see so many young people full of vigor and vitality join the diplomatic team and look forward to seeing your progress and future success. At present, the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has been developed rapidly and diplomatic talents are needed, which means you join the diplomatic service at the perfect timing. The diplomatic service has a promising future, so do all the new members. However, this will not happen spontaneously, but requires long-term and arduous efforts. At present, the new personnel are at the key stage of “fastening the first button correctly” mentioned by President Xi Jinping. I would like to take this opportunity to make a few suggestions.
Firstly, study hard. President Xi Jinping stated that a good learner would make remarkable progress. In the new era, diplomatic work has higher requirements for the competency of diplomatic personnel. You need to develop the habit of studying hard and life-long learning. You need to study policies and theories as well as skills and techniques. You need to learn from your predecessors and colleagues as well as history and archives. You need to acquire knowledge from the books and also in practice. Learning will help you improve your competence comprehensively. For new diplomatic personnel, the most important thing is to study the fundamental principles of Marxism, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, so as to build a solid foundation in political and ideological work.
Secondly, adopt a down-to-earth attitude. Every new diplomat hopes to make achievements. However, there is no shortcut to success and you must take one step after another. Many small things may seem insignificant, but are actually compulsory courses and the most basic training in your career. Just as the common saying goes, “the knife is sharpened on the whetstone, and people grow up in practice.” Only by practicing and training can you develop continuously. I hope that you can carefully finish every little task assigned by your leader, so as to lay a solid foundation for your future career.
Thirdly, be enterprising. One can accomplish nothing without resolve. Being admitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is just the beginning of your career. I wish that you will always maintain an enterprising spirit, and do not fear difficulties and setbacks. I hope that you will not only make a good start of your diplomatic career, but also perform well in the long run. A lot of young comrades have emerged in good time, thanks to the care and cultivation of the organization, and their own ability and diligence. However, you need to bear in mind that those who succeed at an early time must have worked extremely hard and made extraordinary sacrifices. To become experts and masters, you need to be prepared to make unheralded contributions for at least ten years. And it takes at least twenty years of accumulation for one to become professionals and great masters. This is the natural law, and you need to be mentally prepared for a long-term struugle time.
Fourthly, strictly observe discipline. Disciplines are the “lifeline” of diplomatic work and the “amulet” of diplomatic personnel. Behind each and every discipline, there are hefty lessons learned from the past. I hope that you can start from now, hold discipline in awe, keep them firmly in mind, and strictly observe the discipline. Only by strictly observing discipline, can you achieve stable and long-term development. Young comrades, especially young party members, shall keep firmly in mind and abide by the bottom-line in six aspects of Party members conduct, You should obey the organizations and arrangements and strictly avoid behaviors in disregard of the rules and self-centered behaviors.
Secretary Qi encouraged the new diplomats and said that you joined the diplomatic team on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, which is very special. You will also be the witnesses, participants, and constructors of “the two centenary goals”. It is hoped that new diplomats would not fail the great era as well as the expectation of the Party and the people, and make due contributions to the diplomatic course of the Party and China.
