Author: Shui Shi
(Our station,July 31)
One
On August 1, 2026, the People's Liberation Army of China embarked on a glorious 99 year journey. Under the leadership of the CPC, this army arrived from a young age, grew from weakness to strength, invincible and invincible, and built an unparalleled miracle for the motherland and the people. The fundamental reason for its success is to uphold the absolute leadership of the Party, adhere to the purpose of serving the people, and maintain the true nature of the people's army.
In July 2026, it will be in the period of "seven down and eight up". Many regions in China have been affected by rainstorm, flood and typhoon, resulting in serious natural disasters. Among them, nearly 4000 teachers and students from Guigang Senior High School in Guangxi were severely flooded and surrounded by Typhoon Maysak No. 10. When the People's Liberation Army's assault boat came through the waves, the trapped teachers and students shouted excitedly, "The People's Liberation Army has arrived." This slogan quickly spread across the internet and became a hot search.
Netizens commented that the People's Liberation Army has arrived, and this is a unique security password for Chinese people, because every Chinese person understands that it means reliance and hope have come, and "we are saved". This sound embodies the Chinese people's deep-seated sense of security and trust, and is a resolute oath made by the people and their soldiers, whose blood is thicker than water.
The slogan "The People's Liberation Army has arrived"can be traced back to the period of the Liberation War. According to historical records, on September 24, 1948, after eight days and nights of fierce fighting, the East China Field Army captured Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. When the banner of victory was raised at the top of the city, the people throughout the city enthusiastically shouted, "The People's Liberation Army has arrived!". At that time, the route taken by the People's Liberation Army to attack the city was later named "Liberation Road". This initial slogan was the people's fervent hope for liberation and a new life. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it entered an era of peace, and it transformed from a celebration of victory to a cry of hope in dire straits.
Two
Why do the people shout "The People's Liberation Army has arrived"in times of crisis? Where does the People's Liberation Army come from and for whom?
For thousands of years, in the eyes of the Chinese people, "soldiers and bandits are one family, oppressing the people". The military is a tool for safeguarding the interests of the ruling class.
After the CPC stepped onto the stage of history, the people's army came into being. Coming from the people, coming for the people.
In July 1921, the Communist Party of China, which worked for the interests of the people, was founded in Shanghai to lead the people in the new democratic revolution, which was an epoch-making event.
At the beginning of the founding of the party, there was a lack of experience. Emphasis was placed on the development of the workers' and peasants' movement, while neglecting the establishment of a people's armed force. At the time when the Great Revolution was in full swing, the Kuomintang reactionaries betrayed the revolution, betrayed the people, and massacred the CPC and the revolutionary masses. The Chinese revolution was at a critical moment when its life hung by a thread. In the harsh struggle and bloody lessons, our party deeply realizes that without a people's army, there is nothing for the people. Political power emerges from the barrel of a gun. Only by establishing revolutionary armed forces can we achieve victory in the Chinese revolution and change the fate of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
On August 1, 1927, Zhou Enlai and others led the "Nanchang Uprising", firing the first shot of our party's armed resistance against the reactionary Kuomintang. Then on September 9, Mao Zedong and others led the "Autumn Harvest Uprising" in Hunan and Jiangxi, and on December 11, Zhang Tailei and others led the "Guangzhou Uprising", as well as armed uprisings in many other regions, marking the beginning of the CPC's independent leadership of the revolutionary war and the creation of the people's army, and opening a new era of Chinese revolution.
Due to the strength of the enemy and our weakness, all uprisings failed. The Autumn Harvest Uprising led by Mao Zedong went to Jinggangshan and opened up a revolutionary path of surrounding the cities from the countryside and seizing political power through armed forces.
In April 1928, Zhu De and Chen Yi led the remaining forces of the Nanchang Uprising to Jinggangshan and met with the Autumn Harvest Uprising troops led by Mao Zedong, establishing the Fourth Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. Commander Zhu De, Party representative Mao Zedong, and the masses of workers and peasants are the mainstay of the military. This is the first unit to raise the banner of the "Red Army".
On December 28-29, 1929, the Fourth Red Army held the 9th Party Congress in Gutian Town, Shanghang County, Fujian Province, known as the Gutian Conference.
The Gutian Conference systematically summarized the experience of our party's struggle to establish the Red Army since 1927, established the party's absolute leadership over the military, and carried out ideological and political building of the party and the army.
Emphasizing the use of Marxism Leninism and the correct line of the Party to educate the Party and the army, drawing a clear line between the people's army and the old army, and determining the proletarian army building line. Clearly, the Red Army is an armed group that carries out revolutionary political tasks. The fighting of the Red Army was not simply for the sake of fighting, but for the purpose of propagating, organizing, arming the masses, and helping them build revolutionary political power.
The Gutian Conference combined Marxism Leninism with the specific practice of the Chinese revolutionary struggle, and solved the fundamental problem of how to maintain the Party's proletarian vanguard nature and build a new type of people's army by strengthening the Party's ideological work. The various principles for the construction of the Red Army stipulated in the resolution passed at the meeting were not only implemented in the Fourth Red Army, but also gradually implemented in various Red Army regions, which had a profound impact on strengthening the construction of the Party and the Red Army.
The Gutian Conference is an important milestone in the history of our party and military construction. A new type of people's army was born.
The Fourth Red Army continued to develop and grow, becoming the Central Red Army, with Zhu De as the commander-in-chief and Mao Zedong as the chief political commissar. The Red Army was both a combat team and a production team, as well as a work team. It established a revolutionary regime and opened up the Central Revolutionary Base Area (Central Soviet Area) centered on Ruijin, Jiangxi.
The Nationalist army launched five encirclement campaigns against the Central Soviet Area. Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai successively commanded the Red Army to crush the enemy's four "encirclement and suppression" campaigns.
Later, due to the influence of Wang Ming's leftist erroneous line and the erroneous command of the temporary head of the Party Central Committee, Bo Gu, and advisor Li De, the fifth anti encirclement and suppression campaign failed. In October 1934, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Red Army were forced to take the Long March.
In the early stages of the Long March, under the command of Bo Gu and Li De, the Red Army suffered heavy losses. In the Battle of Xiangjiang, the number of soldiers decreased from 80000 to 30000, and the future was bleak.
From January 15th to 17th, 1935, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held an expanded meeting in Zunyi, Guizhou. The meeting focused on summarizing the experience and lessons learned from the failure of the fifth anti encirclement and suppression campaign, affirmed Mao Zedong's basic principles for the Red Army's operations, passed the "Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's Resolution on Opposing the Enemy's Five Encirclement and Suppression Campaigns," and formulated the tasks and strategic guidelines for the Red Army in the future. The meeting reorganized the central leadership structure and elected Mao Zedong as an executive member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. This is a vital turning point in the history of the Party, ending the rule of leftist dogmatism in the Party Central Committee, establishing Mao Zedong's leadership in the Red Army and the Party Central Committee, saving the Party, the Red Army and the Chinese revolution at an extremely critical moment, which marks the political maturity of the CPC.
From then on, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Chairman Mao as the core, the People's Army overcame all obstacles and marched forward without hesitation. We achieved great victories in the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the War of Liberation, and established a socialist new China where the people are the masters of the country.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the People's Liberation Army fully fulfilled its functions of defending the motherland and safeguarding the peaceful labor of the people. It successfully carried out the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea and multiple border self-defense operations, demonstrating national and military power, providing strong guarantees for socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening up, and building a socialist modernized strong country, and providing strong force support for maintaining regional and world peace.
Three
The 99 year history of the People's Army is a history of heroic struggle for the people, and a history of the people and the army sharing the same breath and destiny.
During the Long March of the Red Army, in Shazhou Village, Rucheng County, Hunan Province, three female Red Army soldiers stayed overnight at the home of elderly Xu Jiexiu. Before leaving, they cut off half of their only blanket and left it for the elderly. The old man said, what is a Communist Party? When the Red Army was crossing the grassland, soldier Xie Yi first gave his bag of dry food to the mother and son who were fleeing, and he starved to death on the grassland. My mother said that it was the Red Army who saved us with their lives. The people regard the Red Army as their own army, providing food and water, treating the wounded, transmitting intelligence, and even risking their lives to protect Red Army soldiers.
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the five brave soldiers of the Eighth Route Army lured the Japanese invaders to the cliffs of Langya Mountain to protect the common people. They bravely blocked the enemy and eventually jumped off the cliff. 82 soldiers of the New Fourth Army fought fiercely against over a thousand Japanese and puppet soldiers in Liu Laozhuang, Huaiyin, Jiangsu, to cover for the relocation of the masses. They sacrificed their lives heroically and fought to the end with their flesh and blood to defend their positions. Represented by Ming Deying, the "Yimeng Red Sister"provided medical assistance to the wounded of the Eighth Route Army, established a wartime daycare center, and organized logistical support, making contributions to the Anti Japanese War. The People's Armed Forces such as the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army united with the people to carry out tunnel warfare, landmine warfare, assault warfare, and sparrow warfare The vast ocean of people's war buried the Japanese aggressors.
During the Liberation War, the people enthusiastically supported the front line. During the Battle of Menglianggu, due to the urgent need for bridge construction and lack of materials, Li Guifang, the president of the Women's Rescue Committee in Yinan County, led 32 women to build a temporary passage on the Wen River using 7 door panels and bodies. They formed a bridge with people carrying door panels and supported it in waist deep ice water for over an hour, allowing nearly a regiment of the People's Liberation Army to quickly pass through and rush to the battlefield. During the Huaihai Campaign, a total of 5.43 million migrant workers, 206000 stretchers, 880000 vehicles, 305000 pickups, and 767000 livestock were mobilized in the four liberated areas of East China, Central Plains, Hebei Shandong Henan, and Central China. They transported over 14.6 million tons of ammunition, 960 million kilograms of grain, and other military supplies to the front line. Comrade Chen Yi once said, "The victory of the Huaihai Campaign was pushed out by the people with small carts." After the People's Liberation Army liberated Shanghai, they slept on the streets to avoid disturbing the people. The people say that the People's Liberation Army has arrived and the Kuomintang will never come back.
After the national victory, the People's Army faithfully fulfilled its function of defending and building the motherland. Whenever a disaster strikes, the phrase 'The People's Liberation Army is here' becomes the most secure phrase heard by the people in the disaster area. In the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, more than 100000 People's Liberation Army soldiers rushed to Tangshan at night and rescued over 16400 people from the rubble that had been flattened; The catastrophic flood in 1998 led to the deployment of 300000 People's Liberation Army troops on the front line of flood control, which was the largest military operation along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River since the Liberation War; In the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, more than 146000 People's Liberation Army soldiers sacrificed their lives at the fastest speed to participate in earthquake relief efforts; In the COVID-19 in 2020, more than 4000 medical personnel from the military gathered to fight the epidemic; In the 2021 Henan floods, more than 8000 soldiers of the people were mobilized upon hearing of the "flood" and continued to fight on the front line of flood control. Since July 2026, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Gansu and other places have been affected by typhoons, rainfall, floods and other disasters, resulting in a series of reservoir dam collapses, landslides and other disasters. Thousands of soldiers of the people's children immediately joined the rescue and disaster relief efforts, fully safeguarding the safety of people's lives and property. In some places, when the flood control officers and soldiers who completed their tasks were preparing to evacuate, thousands of people spontaneously took to the streets to bid farewell to their heroes. On the red banners hanging along the street, words such as "A thousand words come together in one sentence - thank you, cherish" are particularly eye-catching. It demonstrates the unity between the military and civilians, and writes a deep bond between fish and water.
Four
The slogan "The People's Liberation Army has arrived" carries the solemn commitment of the Party and the military to the people in the simplest five words, verifies the governance effectiveness of the Chinese system, and gathers the spiritual strength of the Chinese nation to help each other in times of crisis.
The reason why the "The People's Liberation Army has arrived" is strong is fundamentally because the nature and purpose of the People's Army led by the Party have never changed. Today's People's Liberation Army has modern equipment such as aircraft carriers, stealth fighters, and advanced missiles, but the slogan "The People's Liberation Army is here" born in the era of Xiaomi and rifles still applies. This strong contrast precisely highlights that the military spirit of the People's Army has not changed. It sends a clear signal to the people of the whole country: no matter how the equipment is upgraded, this army will always be the children of the people and the "cutest people". From flood control and disaster relief to earthquake rescue, from overseas evacuation to epidemic prevention and control, the functions of the People's Liberation Army have continuously expanded during peacetime, but its fundamental purpose of "serving the people wholeheartedly" has been most vividly reflected in every "reversal".
"The People's Liberation Army has arrived" reflects China's efficient organizational and mobilization capabilities, as well as its institutional advantages. When 'The People's Liberation Army is here' is shouted, it means that the country's highest level emergency response mechanism has been activated. The People's Liberation Army has a rigorous command system, strong delivery capabilities, and strict discipline, which enables it to reach the most dangerous places in the shortest possible time and quickly establish lifelines such as communication, medical care, and life support. This ability of 'being called upon and able to fight' is a powerful proof of the modernization of national governance under extreme conditions. In disasters, chaos and panic are the biggest enemies. The emergence of the People's Liberation Army is not only a supplement of manpower and material resources, but also represents the return of order. It can quickly stabilize public opinion and lay the foundation for subsequent government and civilian rescue forces to enter, making it an irreplaceable core force in the national emergency system.
"The People's Liberation Army has arrived" demonstrates the spiritual cohesion of the Chinese national community. This slogan embodies deep cultural and social psychological values, serving as a powerful emotional bond that connects the nation with individuals, the collective with families. In the Chinese language context, the three characters' People's Liberation Army 'have become synonymous with "sense of security". No matter where they are or what difficulties they encounter, as long as they see this camouflage green, the people will have a strong sense of belonging and confidence. This trust is built on repeated life and death commitments. This psychological "stabilizing the sea needle" effect is a soft power that cannot be replaced by any material resource. Especially for the "80s" and "90s" who experienced the 1998 flood control and Wenchuan earthquake, as well as the "00s" and "2010s" who grew up in the midst of the epidemic and floods, "the arrival of the People's Liberation Army" is a warm and powerful collective memory shared by different generations. This kind of memory constantly strengthens the centripetal force and cohesion of the whole society, making "military civilian fish water situation" a deeply ingrained cultural consciousness.
The spiritual core of the slogan "The People's Liberation Army has arrived" spans over half a century and is a two-way emotional rush. For the military, it is to always maintain the original intention and practice skills diligently; For the people, it is always trust and full support. When soldiers hold the people high above their heads, the people hold the soldiers deeply in their hearts. This also enlightens us that times are changing, but the deep affection between the military and civilians for life and death will always be our greatest confidence in overcoming all difficulties.
Now, China has embarked on a new journey of Chinese path to modernization
The people's army must not forget its original aspiration and mission, always maintain its political nature, resolutely adhere to the Party's command, be able to win battles, and have a good work style, and contribute to the construction of a socialist modernized strong country.
The unity of the military and civilians is like one person, let's see who can be the enemy in the world!
July 30, 2026
Author Introduction:
Shui Shi, male, holds the rank of colonel in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. He has been engaged in theoretical propaganda and political leadership work in military headquarters and colleges for a long time. He is a well-known expert in party and military history research and a disseminator of red culture.
(Reported by Hong Kong Radio and Television Station)