Chinese Wisdom in Xi's Words: Sharing the people's pleasure and sorrow

President Xi Jinping greets residents on Monday while visiting Maona, a village in Wuzhishan, to learn about the alignment of rural vitalization with poverty alleviation achievements during his inspection tour in Hainan province. Li Xueren/Xinhua

BEIJING -- Ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius once suggested that governors of nations should share the pleasure and sorrow of their people. This millennia-old wisdom is still alive in today's governance in China.

"When one takes pleasure in the people's pleasures, the people will also take pleasure in one's pleasures, and when one sorrows over the people's sorrows, they will also sorrow over one's sorrows," Mencius said during China's Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC).

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has cited this Chinese aphorism on various occasions to explicate the Party's relationship with the people.

Earlier this month, during his inspection tour in the southern province of Hainan, Xi called on Party cadres to make every possible effort to ensure that people can live happy lives.

"What the CPC cares about is how to make sure the lives of Chinese people of all ethnic groups are getting better every day," Xi said during a visit to a village on the tour.

The people-centered philosophy is a fine Party tradition. Since its founding in 1921, the CPC has pursued the people's happiness as its mission and has considered its close ties with the people as its greatest political strength.

"Putting the people first" was listed as one of the 10 "secrets" behind the Party's success when the CPC reviewed its century-long history last year.

"The Party has in the people its roots, its lifeblood and its source of strength," Xi said while addressing a ceremony marking the Party's centenary in July 2021.

Under the CPC's leadership, China has declared victory in the critical battle against poverty as envisaged, achieved the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule, and began a new journey toward the second centenary goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects.

"As long as the 1.4 billion Chinese people stay united, and the 95 million CPC members stay close to the people in pursuit of a shared future, we will surely be able to continue creating miracles on our new journey ahead," Xi said.