Red Genes Are the Spiritual Foundation for Young People of the New Era to Make Achievements and Build Careers

On July 1 this year, at the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping addressed the youth: “Young people of the New Era in China must steadfastly listen to the Party and follow the Party, set lofty aspirations, bravely shoulder the responsibilities of the times, integrate personal pursuits into the cause of the Party and the state, seize the day and live it to the fullest, run the historical relay race well on the new journey, pave the way with youth, and let ideals shine!” On the eve of this year’s May Fourth Youth Day, in his reply letter to representatives of winners of the China Youth May Fourth Medal and the New Era Youth Pioneer Award, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “This year marks the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan

今年7月1日，习近平总书记在庆祝中国共产党成立105周年大会上寄语青年：“新时代中国青年要坚定不移听党话、跟党走，树立远大志向，勇担时代重任，把个人追求融入党和国家事业，只争朝夕、不负韶华，在新征程上跑好历史接力赛，用青春铺路、让理想闪光！”今年五四青年节前夕，习近平总书记在给中国青年五四奖章暨新时代青年先锋奖获奖者代表的回信中强调“今年是‘十五五’开局之年，青年建功正当其时”，勉励其“胸怀远大理想，矢志拼搏奋斗，带动广大青年把个人追求融入国家发展大局，立足各自岗位不断创造新业绩，在新征程上贡献青春力量”。习近平总书记的殷殷嘱托，为新时代青年坚定理想信念、在推进中国式现代化中挺膺担当指明了前进方向、提供了根本遵循。

The red gene is the spiritual lifeblood of Chinese Communists and the spiritual foundation for young people in the New Era to make achievements. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The red gene must be passed on. The Chinese nation has gone from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, experiencing countless hardships and creating countless miracles. We must make future generations remember that we must never forget our original aspiration and never lose our direction or path.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, quoted The rock-solid ideal and belief is the spiritual core of the red gene, carrying a firm faith in the scientific theory of Marxism and a persistent pursuit of the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics; it is the spiritual calcium [2] that enables Communists to withstand storms without abandoning their original aspiration. The deep and sincere sense of responsibility for the family and the country is the value foundation of the red gene, containing the fundamental stance that individual destiny is closely linked to the destiny of the nation and the country, and condensing the original aspiration and founding mission of “seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.” The practical character of integrating knowledge and action is the practical trait of the red gene, embodied in the conscious action and will to fight to overcome difficulties, dare to venture and act, and be good at starting and completing tasks.

红色基因是中国共产党人的精神血脉，是新时代青年建功立业的精神根基。习近平总书记强调：“红色基因就是要传承。中华民族从站起来、富起来到强起来，经历了多少坎坷，创造了多少奇迹，要让后代牢记，我们要不忘初心，永远不可迷失了方向和道路。”坚如磐石的理想信念是红色基因的精神内核，承载着对马克思主义科学理论的坚定信仰、对共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想的执着追求，是共产党人历经风浪而初心不改的精神之钙。赤诚深厚的家国担当是红色基因的价值底色，蕴含着个人命运与国家民族命运紧密相连的根本立场，凝结着“为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴”的初心使命。知行合一的实干品格是红色基因的实践特质，体现为攻坚克难、敢闯敢拼、善作善成的行动自觉和奋斗意志。

Standing at the new starting point of the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan, [3] the “two overall situations” [4] are accelerating their evolution and deeply interacting, providing important opportunities for young people to make achievements. The in-depth development of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation has opened up a broad track for young people to display their talents. Advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization has built a grand stage for young people to realize the value of their lives. It is necessary to combine the inheritance of the red gene with seizing the opportunities of the times, guiding the vast number of young people to strengthen their ideals and beliefs and find the correct direction for struggle in the tide of the times, so as to gather surging youthful strength for making achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

站在“十五五”开局之年的新起点上，“两个大局”加速演进并深度互动为青年建功立业提供了重要契机，新一轮科技革命和产业变革深入发展为青年施展才华开辟了广阔赛道，推进和拓展中国式现代化为青年实现人生价值搭建了宏大舞台。必须把传承红色基因与把握时代机遇结合起来，引导广大青年在时代浪潮中坚定理想信念、找准奋斗方位，为建功“十五五”凝聚磅礴青春力量。

Use the red gene to cast the soul and consolidate the foundation of young people’s ideals and beliefs. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only when ideals and beliefs are set right can young people stand straight, walk steadily, and grow healthily.” [5] This reveals the fundamental role of ideals and beliefs in the growth of young people. Ideals and beliefs, as the “master switch” of life, fundamentally affect the direction and height of life development. Youth is a critical stage for the shaping of values. Faced with the influence of multiple trends of thought, the red gene provides the vast number of young people with a rock-solid spiritual anchor—it carries a firm belief in Marxism, condenses the correct choices made by countless young people at major historical junctures over the past hundred years, and is the most precious spiritual nourishment for the younger generation to establish a correct worldview, outlook on life, and value system. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the tasks of reform and development are arduous. Only by using the red gene to cast the soul can young people maintain their resolve in the face of trials of wind and waves. It is necessary to promote the normalization and institutionalization of Party history learning and education, integrate red education into the national education system, and run it through the entire process of talent cultivation; fully leverage the educational and nurturing functions of venues such as revolutionary memorial halls and martyrs’ cemeteries; use modern science and technology to create immersive and experiential learning scenarios; pay attention to the unique exemplary and guiding role of “living textbooks” such as veteran Party members and veterans; and promote the internalization of “listening to the Party and following the Party” as a conscious value principle for young people.

以红色基因铸魂，筑牢青年理想信念的根基。习近平总书记指出：“理想信念树正了，青年才能立得正、行得稳，健康成长。”这揭示了理想信念对青年成长的基础性作用。理想信念作为人生的“总开关”，从根本上影响着人生发展的方向和高度。青年时期是价值观形塑的关键阶段，面对多种思潮影响，红色基因为广大青年提供了坚如磐石的精神之锚——它承载着对马克思主义的坚定信仰，凝结着百余年来无数青年在重大历史关头所作出的正确抉择，是青年一代树立正确世界观、人生观、价值观最宝贵的精神滋养。“十五五”时期改革发展任务艰巨，以红色基因铸魂，青年才能在风浪考验面前保持定力。要推动党史学习教育常态化长效化，将红色教育融入国民教育体系、贯穿人才培养全过程；充分发挥革命纪念馆、烈士陵园等场所的教育涵养功能，运用现代科学技术打造沉浸式、体验式学习场景，注重发挥老党员、老战士等“活教材”的独特示范引领作用，推动“听党话、跟党走”内化为青年自觉的价值遵循。

Empower with the opportunities of the times and stimulate the momentum for young people to make achievements. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Contemporary Chinese youth are fortunate to live in this era, with an incomparably broad stage to display their talents and an incomparably bright prospect for realizing their dreams.” [6] This clarifies the opportunities that the times provide for the development of young people. Personal growth is an interactive process closely intertwined with social history; the size of the actual stage affects the breadth and depth of young people’s talent display. The outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan clearly states “supporting young people to strive to be pioneers and main forces in various fields and aspects of work.” Frontier fields such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing urgently need a large number of young innovative talents. The vigorous development of new quality productive forces has given rise to a large number of new business forms and new positions. The strategy for coordinated regional development has opened up differentiated growth paths for young people in different regions. It is necessary to deepen the docking mechanism between university disciplines and majors and industrial demand, and improve the collaborative education system of industry, academia, and research; fully leverage the supporting functions of platforms such as youth development-oriented cities and entrepreneurship incubation bases; improve the policy system for introducing young talents and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, and transform policy opportunities into development dividends that young people can feel and access. The vast number of young people should inherit and carry forward the profound sense of responsibility for the family and the country inherent in the red gene, and display youthful brilliance in taking on responsibilities and making achievements in the New Era.

以时代机遇赋能，激发青年建功立业的动能。习近平总书记指出：“当代中国青年生逢其时，施展才干的舞台无比广阔，实现梦想的前景无比光明。”这点明了时代为青年发展提供的机遇。个人成长是与社会历史紧密交织的互动过程，现实舞台的大小影响着青年才华施展的广度和深度。“十五五”规划纲要明确提出“支持青年在各领域各方面工作中争当排头兵和主力军”，人工智能、先进制造等前沿领域急需大批青年创新人才，新质生产力蓬勃发展催生大量新业态新岗位，区域协调发展战略为不同地区青年开辟了差异化成长路径。要深化高校学科专业与产业需求的对接机制，完善产学研协同育人体系；充分发挥青年发展型城市、创业孵化基地等平台的支撑功能；完善青年人才引进、创新创业扶持等政策体系，将政策机遇转化为青年可感可及的发展红利。广大青年要传承弘扬红色基因内蕴的深厚家国担当，在建功新时代的担当作为中展示青春风采。

Stand firm with practical action and responsibility, and temper the style of young people to be good at starting and completing tasks. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Communists in the New Era must inherit the red gene, remain true to our original aspiration and founding mission, fulfill our duties, take practical action and responsibility, and write excellent answers on the new journey.” [7] This clarifies the practical essence of inheriting the red gene. The red gene is a practical tradition that is continuously activated and enriched through the practical struggle of generations. The value of inheriting the red gene lies in integrating knowledge and action. Young people are in the golden period of life, full of energy and active thinking, and have the advantage of transforming the red gene into practical action. It is necessary to fully leverage the tempering function of practical positions such as the grassroots frontline and major projects, improve the working mechanism for young people to go to the grassroots for training and participate in key projects, and support young people to make achievements on the front line of tackling “bottleneck” problems and serving the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas; improve the incentive mechanism, perfect the fault-tolerance and error-correction mechanism, and give play to the benchmarking and leading role of role models such as “Role Models of the Times,” transforming the revolutionary spirit of the older generation of revolutionaries—“sacrifice with abundant courage” [8]—into a practical style of “the more difficult the situation, the more forward we must advance.” [9]

以实干担当立身，砥砺青年善作善成的作风。习近平总书记强调：“新时代共产党人要传承红色基因，不忘初心、牢记使命，履职尽责、实干担当，在新征程上书写优异答卷。”这阐明了传承红色基因的实践本质。红色基因是在一代代人的实干奋斗中被持续激活、不断丰富的实践传统，传承红色基因贵在知行合一。青年正处于人生的黄金时期，精力充沛、思维活跃，具有将红色基因转化为实干行动的优势。要充分发挥基层一线、重大项目等实践阵地的锤炼功能，完善青年到基层锻炼、参与重点工程的工作机制，支持青年在攻克“卡脖子”难题、服务乡村全面振兴等一线建功立业；健全激励机制，完善容错纠错机制，发挥“时代楷模”等榜样的标杆引领作用，将革命先辈“为有牺牲多壮志”的奋斗精神转化为“越是艰险越向前”的实干作风。

(The author is Vice President of the Academy of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Renmin University of China)

（作者为中国人民大学习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究院副院长）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧