We are, of course, soberly aware that we will come upon all kinds of obstacles and difficulties on the path of socialist modernization. At present, the major problems calling for urgent solution are the unhealthy phenomena in our Party style and lowered standards of social conduct, which are the aftermath of the "cultural revolution"; the continuance of serious criminal activities undermining the socialist economy, politics and culture; and the unwieldiness, overstaffing and inefficiency in leading bodies at various levels, and the failure of our economic systems to fully meet the needs of the expansion of the productive forces. Consequently, as already said above, in the period to come we must systematically complete the organizational reform and reforms in the economic systems, go all out in building socialist spiritual civilization, hit hard at the serious criminal activities undermining our socialist economy and socialist system, and rectify the Party style and consolidate the Party organizations. Fulfilment of these four tasks will provide an important guarantee that we can adhere to the socialist system and succeed in socialist modernization. The whole Party, particularly Party committees at all levels, must lay great stress on these tasks and work unswervingly to accomplish them.

Our comrades should take a correct approach towards difficulties. It is entirely wrong to see only the bright and not the difficult side of the situation, to the point of mistaking one's subjective desires for objective reality and rushing blindly ahead. We suffered greatly from such an approach in the past and should always remember the lessons learnt. On the other hand, it is likewise entirely wrong to fear and cower before difficulties, lose faith in the strength of the Party and the masses, and waver and procrastinate even after the Central Committee has correctly analysed the situation and formulated principles and tasks accordingly. Things today are far different from those in past periods when our Party encountered tremendous difficulties. When our Red Army was compelled to go on the Long March, it was vastly outnumbered by the enemy, yet we overcame that difficulty. During the "cultural revolution" the Lin Biao and Jiang Qing counter-revolutionary cliques ran rampant and the whole country was thrown into chaos, yet we turned the tide. So can there be any difficulties today which we cannot overcome? The correct attitude for Marxists in the face of difficulties, the revolutionary style for Communists striving to create a new situation is to throw themselves enthusiastically into the great work of socialist modernization and, going among the masses and digging into the actual work, forge ahead in the struggle with added vigour, indomitably and indefatigably.

Comrades! The historical experience of the Party during the past 60-odd years teaches us that the fundamental reason why the Party has been able to lead the Chinese people in winning one great victory after another is its integration of the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. The supreme historical contribution of Comrade Mao Zedong and the other proletarian revolutionaries of the older generation is that they succeeded in making such an integration. To turn China with its backward economic and cultural base into a modern and powerful socialist country in this new historical period is one of the most gigantic creative undertakings in human history. Many problems involved in it were not, and could not have been, raised or solved by Marxists in the past. In such an undertaking, ideological and political deviations of one kind or another or deviations in concrete work may occur within our ranks. This is not strange, nor can it be entirely avoided. What is important is that the whole Party, Party committees at all levels in particular, must uphold the four cardinal principles, adhere to the correct line followed since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee and oppose both the "Left" tendency of trying to revert to the erroneous theories and policies which prevailed during and before the "cultural revolution" and the Right tendency of bourgeois liberalization as reflected in distrust or rejection of the four cardinal principles. We must resolutely take over and learn to use the stand, viewpoint and method of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, acquire a deeper understanding of the actual work in all fields, make systematic investigations and studies, and be good at conducting appropriate criticism and education and waging necessary struggles against wrong tendencies. Provided we persist in doing this, we can certainly accumulate new experience, break new ground in theory and carry forward Marxism-Leninism and Mao Ze-dong Thought under new historical conditions and in great new fields of practice.

Comrades! For several decades beginning with the 1920s, China's forerunners in the communist cause and millions of other glorious revolutionary fighters and martyrs shed their blood and gave their lives in heroic struggles to bring China to its present state of progress. In the new historical period, let us carry out the behest of our martyrs and accomplish, in this vast land of ours, the great undertaking never attempted before.

In terms of experience of struggles, our contingent of Party cadres consists of people of four generations: those who joined the revolution in the Party's early days, during the Agrarian Revolutionary War, during the War of Resistance Against Japan and the War of Liberation, and after the founding of the People's Republic. This testifies that our cause is of long standing and is assured of successors. The ranks of our Party will advance incessantly like the flowing waters of the Changjiang River. This congress of ours will go down in the Party's history as one which has defined the Party's principles and tasks for the new period politically and achieved the co-operation of old and new cadres and the succession of the new to the old organizationally, and one which creates a new situation in all fields of socialist modernization.

Let the whole Party rally still more closely under the great banner of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought! Let our Party unite still more closely with the people of all nationalities in the country, with the democratic parties and all patriotic fellow-countrymen at home and abroad, and with all the progressive forces and friendly public figures in other countries who support our cause! Let us march forward dauntlessly and with one heart and one mind. No force on earth can deter us. Our triumph is certain!