Firmly Guarding the Main Position of Online Ideology

Ideological work is the work of establishing a heart for the nation and a soul for the people. With the rapid development of internet technology and the continuous expansion of network application fields, cyberspace is increasingly becoming an important platform for information dissemination, economic development, and social interaction, a distribution center for diverse social trends of thought, and the main battlefield, main position, and forefront of ideological struggle. It is the main direction and top priority for doing ideological work well in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Without cybersecurity there is no national security," "Grasping the dominant power over online ideology means safeguarding the country's sovereignty and political power," and "We must make online public opinion work the top priority of propaganda and ideological work." These important expositions deepen the regular understanding of online ideological work, constitute an important component of Xi Jinping's important thought on building a strong cyber country, and provide the fundamental guidance and action guide for us to cope with the complex cyberspace and carry out the great struggle in the ideological field.

意识形态工作是为国家立心、为民族立魂的工作。随着互联网技术的迅速发展和网络应用领域的不断扩展，网络空间日益成为信息传播、经济发展和社会互动的重要平台，成为多元社会思潮的集散地和意识形态斗争的主战场、主阵地、最前沿，是做好新时代意识形态工作的主攻方向、重中之重。习近平总书记强调，“没有网络安全就没有国家安全”，“掌握网络意识形态主导权，就是守护国家的主权和政权”，“要把网上舆论工作作为宣传思想工作的重中之重来抓”。诸多重要论述深化了网络意识形态工作的规律性认识，构成习近平总书记关于网络强国重要思想的重要组成部分，为我们应对错综复杂的网络空间，进行意识形态领域的伟大斗争提供了根本遵循与行动指南。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must stabilize the main backbone. Handling China's affairs well depends on the Party. In July 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on cybersecurity and informatization work, clearly putting forward the "Ten Adherences" important principles for doing well in cyberspace work on the new journey of the New Era, among which the first is "adhering to the Party's management of the internet." As an extension of ideology in the space of the internet, online ideology is not a simple reflection of ideology in the real field but a superstructure of concepts that comprehensively uses network media to screen, process, and present, with prominent characteristics such as virtuality, spontaneity, unboundedness, technicality, anonymity, and difficulty of control, reflecting new trends such as fragmentation, concealment, and pan-entertainment. It especially requires a strong and powerful leadership core to steer the ship, ensuring that the Party always becomes the most reliable main backbone in the great struggle to cope with various risks and tests of online ideology. On the new journey of the New Era, adhering to the Party's management of online ideological work must practically play the core role of the Party in commanding the overall situation and coordinating all parties. It is necessary not only to implement comprehensive planning by the Party, formulate the top-level design of online ideology, determine the work direction, and gather striving strength but also, under the unified leadership of the Party, mobilize the joint participation of multiple subjects such as government management, enterprise fulfillment of responsibilities, social supervision, and netizen self-discipline, enhance the comprehensive governance capacity of modern networks, and increase the multi-party synergy for doing online ideological work well. It is necessary to promote the institutionalization of the network, establish and improve the online ideological work accountability mechanism, resolutely break the capital manipulation of network technology innovation, consciously resist all reactionary thoughts, remarks, and behaviors that harm the Party's leadership, firmly uphold the Two Establishments, always achieve the Two Upholds [1]1 From a speech by Xi Jinping at the National Conference on Cybersecurity and Informatization (April 2018)., and win the leadership, management, and discourse power over online ideology.

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须把稳主心骨。办好中国的事情，关键在党。2023年7月，习近平总书记对网络安全和信息化工作作出重要指示，明确提出了新时代新征程做好网信工作的“十个坚持”重要原则，其中位于首位的就是“坚持党管互联网”。网络意识形态作为意识形态在互联网空间场域的延伸，并不是对现实领域意识形态的简单反映，而是综合运用网络媒介实施筛选、加工与呈现的观念的上层建筑，具有虚拟性、自发性、无界性、技术性、匿名性、难控性等突出特征，体现出碎片化、隐蔽化、泛娱乐化等新动向，尤其需要一个坚强有力的领导核心领航掌舵，确保党在应对网络意识形态各种风险考验的伟大斗争中始终成为最可靠的主心骨。新时代新征程，坚持党管网络意识形态工作要切实发挥党总揽全局、协调各方的核心作用。既要由党实施全面统筹，制定网络意识形态的顶层设计、决定工作方向、汇聚奋斗力量；又要在党的统一领导下调动政府管理、企业履责、社会监督、网民自律等多主体共同参与，提升现代网络的综合治理能力，增加做好网络意识形态工作的多方合力。要推进网络制度化建设，建立健全网络意识形态工作问责机制，坚决破解网络技术创新的资本操控，自觉抵制一切危害党的领导的反动思想、言论和行为，坚决拥护“两个确立”、始终做到“两个维护”，赢得网络意识形态领导权、管理权和话语权。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must identify the main problems. Problems are the voice of the times and the guide for work. In recent years, with the joint efforts of all sectors of society, online ideological work has implemented problem rectification throughout, heading towards problems and making corrections against problems, extensively carrying out a series of special actions represented by "Qinglang" and "Jingwang" [2]2 A common metaphor indicating a struggle of equal intensity to war but without direct military conflict, used here to refer to ideological struggle online.. The chaotic situation of online public opinion has been effectively governed, and the network ecology continues to improve. But at the same time, it must be clearly seen that, facing a rapidly developing and complex cyberspace, China's ideological struggle has not achieved a decisive victory, still facing a series of internal and external risks and challenges, which are also the direction of our efforts to firmly guard the main position of online ideology in the future. On one hand, we must maintain strategic focus, rationally identify and effectively respond to the interweaving and collision of diversified thoughts, cultures, and values in cyberspace, especially be vigilant against the infiltration and destruction of some Western capitalist countries using the internet, a new technological tool, in China's ideological field, adhere to consolidating and expanding mainstream ideological public opinion, and occupy the high ground of online ideology. On the other hand, we must grasp the characteristics of risks and enhance the ability to prevent and resolve risks in the field of online ideology. The rapid development of the internet makes the spread of public opinion fast in speed and wide in scope, easily forming information cocoons [3]3 A term meaning to unite people’s hearts and forge a common spirit (or soul), referring to the consolidation of ideological unity and faith within the Party and society. and public opinion storms, presenting a multi-occurrence trend, posing a threat to social stability. This requires us to deeply study and judge the new signs, new trends, new tendencies, and new characteristics in the field of online ideology, accurately grasp the generation and evolution mechanism of online public opinion, strengthen online public opinion guidance and risk prevention, fight a strategic proactive battle with preparation for online ideology, and turn the internet, the biggest variable, into the biggest increment for career development.

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须找准主问题。问题是时代的声音，也是工作的向导。近年来，在社会各界的共同努力下，网络意识形态工作把问题整改贯穿始终，奔着问题去、对着问题改，广泛开展以“清朗”“净网”系列为代表的一系列专项行动，网络舆论乱象丛生的状况得到了有效治理，网络生态持续向好。但同时也要清晰看到，面对快速发展和错综复杂的网络空间，我国意识形态斗争并没有取得决定性的胜利，仍然面临着一系列内部和外部的风险挑战，这也是我们未来牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地的努力方向。一方面，要保持战略定力，理性甄别和有效应对网络空间中多元化思想、文化、价值观的交织碰撞，尤其警惕一些西方资本主义国家利用互联网这一新型技术工具对我国意识形态领域的渗透破坏，坚守巩固扩大主流思想舆论，占领网络意识形态高地。另一方面，要把握风险特点，提升网络意识形态领域风险防范化解能力。互联网的快速发展使得舆情传播速度快、影响范围广，容易形成信息茧房、舆论风暴，并呈现多发态势，对社会稳定造成威胁。这要求我们深入研判网络意识形态领域的新苗头、新动向、新趋势、新特点，准确把握网络舆情生成演化机理，加强网上舆论引导和风险防范，打好网络意识形态有准备的战略主动之战，使互联网这个最大变量变成事业发展的最大增量。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must sing the main melody well. The Communist Party of China is a proletarian party armed with the scientific theory of Marxism. Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology for the Party and the country to establish themselves, and also the banner and soul of socialist ideology. This fundamentally determines that at any time we must unswervingly uphold Marxism, implement the fundamental system of Marxism's guiding position in the ideological field throughout all fields and the whole process of building a strong cyber country, so that upholding and developing Marxism always becomes the main melody and strongest voice of online ideology. On one hand, strengthening the main melody requires enhancing network content construction. It is necessary to adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which is the Marxism of contemporary China and the Marxism of the 21st century, combine it with the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, focus on relying on mainstream media platforms such as Party newspapers, Party journals, Party radio and television, and Party websites, not only comprehensively and systematically expound the basic viewpoints, rich connotations, ideological system, and theoretical character of this important thought, but also guide the vast number of netizens to adhere to the world outlook and methodology contained in this thought, analyze online ideological events from the basic Marxist stand, viewpoint, and method level, continuously enhance the explanatory power and persuasiveness of Marxism, and consolidate the network discourse power of Marxist ideology. On the other hand, strengthening the main melody also requires innovating forms and methods. It is necessary to fully use new media, new technologies, and other media tools, promote the deep integration of Marxist theoretical propaganda and education with information technology, promote the transformation of Marxist academic discourse into popular discourse that is easy to understand and loved, make Marxism "come alive," effectively enhance the appeal, affinity, and identity of Marxism, and promote the theory to truly enter the mind, enter the heart, and enter action [4].

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须唱好主旋律。中国共产党是以马克思主义科学理论武装起来的无产阶级政党。马克思主义是我们立党立国的根本指导思想，也是社会主义意识形态的旗帜和灵魂。这从根本上决定了我们在任何时候都必须毫不动摇地坚持马克思主义，坚持把马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度贯彻到建设网络强国的各领域全过程，使坚持和发展马克思主义始终成为网络意识形态的主旋律、最强音。一方面，壮大主旋律要加强网络内容建设。要坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想这一当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义为统领，结合新时代中国特色社会主义伟大实践，重点依托党报、党刊、党台、党网等主流媒体平台，不仅全面系统阐释这一重要思想的基本观点、丰富内涵、思想体系和理论品格，还引导广大网民坚持从这一思想所蕴含的世界观、方法论，从马克思主义基本立场、观点和方法层面对网络意识形态事件进行分析，不断增强马克思主义的解释力和说服力，巩固马克思主义意识形态的网络话语权。另一方面，壮大主旋律还要创新形式方式。要充分运用新媒体、新技术等媒介工具，推动马克思主义理论宣传教育同信息技术高度融合，推动马克思主义学术话语向通俗易懂、喜闻乐见的大众话语转变，使马克思主义“活”起来，切实增强马克思主义的吸引力、亲和感和认同感，推动理论真正入脑入心入行。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must cultivate mainstream culture. Culture and ideology are closely related, and are the spiritual bloodline of a country and a nation. Since entering the internet era, striving to build a strong cultural country and striving to build a strong cyber country need to be planned together, go hand in hand, proceed side by side, and support each other. Cultivating a positive, healthy, upward, and good network culture, building and strengthening the online ideological and cultural position, is not only an important part of socialist cultural construction but also an inherent requirement for managing the complex situation in the field of online ideology and grasping the initiative in ideological struggle. First, we must adhere to making the past serve the present, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, deeply explore the contemporary value of excellent traditional Chinese culture from poems and classics, cultural relics and intangible cultural heritage, legends and stories, let new media empower excellent Chinese culture, stimulate the vitality and vitality of excellent traditional Chinese culture, and consolidate the cultural foundation of online ideological work. Second, through carefully creating creative and down-to-earth integrated media products such as illustrations, animations, and micro-videos, timely discover and publicize advanced models, revolutionary deeds, heroic figures, etc. that inherit revolutionary traditions, further inherit the red gene, carry forward revolutionary culture, clearly oppose historical nihilism, and occupy the online ideological position. Third, we must closely follow the realistic needs and times needs of the people's spiritual culture, adhere to the principle that positive energy is the general requirement, being able to manage is the hard truth, and using it well is real skill, insist on using advanced socialist culture, mainstream values, and positive voices to lead the construction of online ideology, continuously increase the supply of high-quality content, innovate network communication means, widely carry out online selection activities of advanced models such as role models of the times, most beautiful people, and the "Five One Hundred" network fine works of Chinese positive energy [5], strive to build an online ideology with strong cohesion and leading power, and firmly construct a common ideological foundation of upward and good spiritual home and united struggle for hundreds of millions of netizens.

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须培育主流文化。文化与意识形态紧密相关，是一个国家和民族的精神血脉。进入互联网时代以来，努力建设文化强国与努力建设网络强国需要一体谋划、相伴而行、齐头并进、互为支撑。培育积极健康、向上向善的网络文化，建强筑牢网上思想文化阵地，既是社会主义文化建设的重要内容，也是驾驭网络意识形态领域复杂局面、掌握意识形态斗争主动权的内在要求。一要坚持古为今用、守正创新，从诗词典故、文物非遗、传说故事中深入挖掘中华优秀传统文化的时代价值，让新媒体为中华优秀文化赋能，激发中华优秀传统文化的生机与活力，夯实网络意识形态工作的文化底蕴。二要通过精心打造有创意、接地气的图解、动漫、微视频等融媒体产品，及时发现和宣传继承革命传统的先进典型、革命事迹、英雄人物等，进一步传承红色基因、弘扬革命文化，旗帜鲜明反对历史虚无主义，占领网络意识形态阵地。三要紧扣人民精神文化现实需求和时代需要，遵循正能量是总要求、管得住是硬道理、用得好是真本事，坚持用社会主义先进文化、主流价值、正面声音引领网络意识形态建设，不断加大优质内容供给，创新网络传播手段，广泛开展时代楷模、最美人物、中国正能量“五个一百”网络精品等先进典型网上推选活动，努力建设具有强大凝聚力和引领力的网络意识形态，牢牢构筑起亿万网民向上向善的精神家园和团结奋斗的共同思想基础。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must promote mainstream values. Mainstream values are the common conceptual identity of society. What kind of mainstream values there are determines what kind of country, society, and citizens there are, and what kind of orientation, path, and action there is. While the internet brings convenience to social communication, it also affects and impacts social values. In the large network environment where multiple netizen groups coexist and multiple cultural values interweave, continuously promoting and practicing mainstream values must give full play to the leading role of the core socialist values. This is because the core socialist values are the beneficial achievements of Chinese Communists guided by Marxism inheriting and developing excellent traditional Chinese culture, covering the value demands at the three levels of the country, society, and individual, not only embodying the spirit of contemporary China but also manifesting the core content of contemporary Chinese mainstream values. They have become the proper meaning of dealing with the complex situation of socialist ideology and multicultural values interweaving, strengthening the leading of mainstream values in cyberspace, and promoting network civilization construction. The process of adhering to the core socialist values to lead the construction of online ideology is to implement its basic requirements in the whole process and all aspects of cyberspace such as online propaganda, online culture, online services, and online governance, and promote its concepts to be internalized in mind and externalized in action, continuously increase the cognitive identity, behavioral identity, and emotional identity of mainstream values online, and truly make the core socialist values the mainstream of the internet.

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须弘扬主流价值。主流价值是社会共同的观念认同，有什么样的主流价值，就有什么样的国家、社会和公民，就有什么样的取向、路径和行动。网络在为社会交流带来便利的同时，也影响和冲击着社会价值观念。在多元网民群体并存、多元文化价值交织的网络大环境中不断弘扬和践行主流价值，必须充分发挥社会主义核心价值观的引领作用。这是因为社会主义核心价值观是中国共产党人以马克思主义为指导，继承和发展中华优秀传统文化的有益成果，涵盖了国家、社会、个人三个层面的价值诉求，既集中体现了当代中国精神，也彰显着当代中国主流价值的核心内容，成为应对社会主义意识形态与多元文化价值观相互激荡的复杂局面，加强网络空间的主流价值引领，推进网络文明建设的题中应有之义。坚持以社会主义核心价值观引领网络意识形态建设的过程，就是要将其基本要求贯彻落实到网络宣传、网络文化、网络服务、网络治理等网络空间全过程各方面，并推动其理念内化于心、外化于行，不断增加网络主流价值的认知认同、行为认同、情感认同，真正使社会主义核心价值观成为网络主流。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must strengthen mainstream public opinion. Things develop in the movement of contradictions, and truth is evergreen in the struggle against error. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "The internet is a double-edged sword. A picture or a video can form an explosive spread within hours through the whole media, having a great impact on the public opinion field." In the era of rapid internet development, everyone has a "microphone," and various viewpoints and positions confront each other online, providing fertile soil for the occurrence of online public opinion, bringing many risks and challenges to the ecology of online public opinion. As a brand-new form of public opinion, the internet is diverse in form and rapid in change, requiring us to scientifically understand the laws of online public opinion, actively adapt to the requirements of informatization, strengthen internet thinking, and improve the level of using and governing the network. On one hand, we must dialectically understand online public opinion and face up to its positive value. It is necessary to accurately recognize that online public opinion, as the high attention and expression of views by netizens on social issues, directly reflects social emotions, to a certain extent represents the people's livelihood, public opinion, and wisdom, and provides important references for government decision-making and social governance. On the other hand, we must strengthen correct guidance and cultivate and strengthen mainstream public opinion. We must adhere to the correct orientation of public opinion, actively promote the construction of government new media, and give play to its important guiding role in promoting government affairs openness, optimizing government services, gathering social consensus, and innovating social governance. For online public opinion on policies and matters involving public interests, authoritative information should be released in a timely manner, and authoritative answers should be promptly given to questions of concern and doubt from the masses. Use accurate and authoritative information sources to squeeze the space for false information and online rumors, strengthen real-time monitoring, analysis and evaluation, positive guidance, follow-up tracking of online public opinion, guide online public opinion to become healthy and orderly, further enhance the dissemination power, guidance power, influence power, and credibility of mainstream public opinion, so that the Party's voice spreads wider, further, and deeper.

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须壮大主流舆论。事物在矛盾运动中发展，真理在同谬误斗争中常青。习近平总书记指出，“网络是一把双刃剑，一张图、一段视频经由全媒体几个小时就能形成爆发式传播，对舆论场造成很大影响。”互联网快速发展的时代，人人都有“麦克风”，各类观点、立场在网络交锋，为网络舆情发生提供了丰沃的土壤，给网络舆情生态带来诸多风险挑战。互联网作为一种全新的舆论形态，形式多样、变化迅速，要求我们必须科学认识网络舆论规律，主动适应信息化要求、强化互联网思维，提高用网治网水平。一方面，要辩证认识网络舆论，正视其应有的正面价值。要准确认识到网络舆论作为网民群众对社会问题的高度关注与观点表达，直接反映了社会情绪，一定程度上代表了民生、民意、民智，为政府决策、社会治理提供了重要参考。另一方面，要加强正确引导，培育壮大主流舆论。要坚持正确舆论导向，积极推动政务新媒体建设，发挥其在推进政务公开、优化政务服务、凝聚社会共识、创新社会治理等方面的重要引导作用。对涉及公共利益的政策和事项的网络舆论要及时发布权威信息，对群众关切和质疑的问题及时进行权威解答，以来源准确权威的信息挤压虚假信息、网络谣言的滋生空间，加强对网络舆情的实时监控、分析评估、正面引导、跟进追踪，引导网络舆论走向健康、有序，进一步增强主流舆论的传播力、引导力、影响力、公信力，让党的声音传得更开、传得更广、传得更深入。

To firmly guard the main position of online ideology, we must build the main platform. The contest of ideology is also the contest of platforms. We must strengthen the construction of the main position and main platform. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "The core technology of the internet is our biggest 'f

牢牢守住网络意识形态主阵地，必须搭建主平台。意识形态的较量也是平台的较量，必须加强主阵地、主平台建设。习近平总书记指出，“互联网核心技术是我们最大的‘命门’，核心技术受制于人是我们最大的隐患。”从承载运行机制看，网络意识形态说到底要依托于网络信息技术运行，甚至在一定程度上说，先进的网络信息技术掌握在谁手里，网络意识形态的主导权就由谁来掌控。建立建强网络意识形态主平台，要实施网络信息领域核心技术设备攻坚战略，紧紧牵住核心技术自主创新这个“牛鼻子”，抓紧突破网络发展的前沿技术和具有国际竞争力的关键核心技术，积极推动高性能计算、移动通信、量子通信、核心芯片、操作系统等研发和应用，把网络核心技术牢牢掌握在自己手中，为建设网络强国、做好网络意识形态工作提供坚实的安全屏障和坚强技术保障。

“If we fail to get past the challenge of the internet, we will fail to get past the challenge of long-term governance.”[1]1 From a speech by Xi Jinping at the National Conference on Cybersecurity and Informatization (April 2018). Standing at a new historical starting point for building a cyber power, doing the work of online ideology well is a “war without smoke of gunpowder”—the tasks are arduous, the responsibilities significant, and the implications far-reaching.[2]2 A common metaphor indicating a struggle of equal intensity to war but without direct military conflict, used here to refer to ideological struggle online. We must deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on building a cyber power, and unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate hearts and forge souls;[3]3 A term meaning to unite people’s hearts and forge a common spirit (or soul), referring to the consolidation of ideological unity and faith within the Party and society. grasp the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China over online ideological work; consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the field of online ideology; further strengthen mainstream values, mainstream public opinion, and mainstream culture amid the exchange and integration of various cultures; make efforts to solve prominent problems in the field of online ideology; and actively build a technologically advanced security barrier for online ideology. Then we will surely be able to hold, defend, and firmly occupy the main front of online ideology, stride forward on the path toward a cyber power, and provide strong ideological guarantees, powerful spiritual motivation, strong public opinion support, and favorable cultural conditions for realizing the construction of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

“过不了互联网这一关，就过不了长期执政这一关。”站在建设网络强国新的历史起点上，做好网络意识形态工作是一场“没有硝烟的战争”，任务艰巨、责任重大、影响深远。我们要深入学习贯彻落实习近平文化思想、习近平总书记关于网络强国的重要思想，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，把握中国共产党对网络意识形态工作的坚强领导，巩固马克思主义在网络意识形态领域的指导地位，在各种文化交汇融合中进一步壮大主流价值、主流舆论、主流文化，着力解决网络意识形态领域存在的突出问题，积极构建技术领先的网络意识形态安全屏障，就一定能够守住、守好、守牢网络意识形态主阵地，在迈向网络强国的道路上阔步前进，为实现强国建设、民族复兴提供坚强思想保证、强大精神动力、有力舆论支持、良好文化条件。

[Author Introduction: Zhao Yuanyuan, doctoral candidate, School of Marxism, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Ye Benqian, professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Marxism, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and specially invited researcher at the Sichuan Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.]

【作者简介：赵媛媛，电子科技大学马克思主义学院博士研究生；叶本乾，电子科技大学马克思主义学院教授、博士生导师，四川省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心特约研究员。】

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧