Writing in the Liberation Army Daily (解放军报) today, Cai Weisu (蔡伟素), vice-minister of the logistics division for the Chengdu Military Region, spoke out against what he called “political liberalism,” calling for unquestioning obedience by CCP members and military personnel to “the policies, regulations and discipline demands of the Party.”
“Discipline is the guarantor of the line of the ruling Party, the lifeline of the armed forces and the Party,” Cai wrote.

Whether in the extreme hardship of revolution and war, or in the complicated era of peace and development, our Party and our armed forces must maintain strict political discipline, protecting the political stands of Party members and ensuring the thoroughness of the revolution. Today, every Party member must consciously defend the discipline and high position of the Party . . . struggling with a clear-cut stand against all that damages the unity of the Party, that violates the discipline of the Party, and that does harm to the basic interests of the Party. . .


Cai continued: “Party members and cadres must conscientiously study and grasp the the policies, regulations and discipline demands of the Party, not stepping on the ‘red line’ and not charging into ‘forbidden zones’. They must speak [the Party’s] politics (讲政治), obey commands and follow the rules, firmly opposing liberalism in politics, and they must not heed, trust or pass along hearsay, consciously subjecting their words and deeds to the restraint of policy and discipline..”
Two more portions of Cai’s editorial follow:

Strengthening our political consciousness and strictly observing political discipline are not abstract concepts, and even less empty slogans. Their importance lies in active practice, and their weight in experience and training. The words and actions of leading cadres all have an impact on the armed forces, and we must at all times keep cool heads, evincing in our actual work and concrete actions the principle of “in talking politics, having the interests of the whole nation at heart and having a strong sense of discipline.”
We must deeply study the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, closely integrating it with the realities of our armed forces, observing and handling issues while standing at the political heights, accurately seeing the various tensions and difficulties facing social development in our nation . . .


[ABOVE: An editorial in today’s Liberation Army Daily (highlighted in red by CMP) speaks out against “political liberalism.”]
Here are some comments made to a Sina Weibo post on the editorial by the official Weibo of Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolis Daily at 5:03pm:

(1) What is this all about? Are military orders not being followed? The military doesn’t dare go to the mats with foreign countries, except where folding quilts, marching and showing off regalia are concerned. Struggling internally, is that all they can do? It’s just a leadership handover [during the upcoming 18th Party Congress]. Is it necessary to get so worked up?
(2) So everything is for the interest of the Party? And the interests of the country and of the people, do they mean nothing?
(3) The brainwashing here is the same as in the property market.
(4) Officials want to preserve their so-called “authority” even if it means killing people! When will they understand respecting the interests of the people in their hearts, putting that first?
(5) Is Party discipline supreme, or the laws of the nation? So it seems the person who wrote this doesn’t understand the law?
(6) Dida, dida, dida, dida, in the silence of the night who do you talk to? // Comrade Huang Keqiang once said: “During the war of resistance against the Japanese, Chairman Mao used radio . . . to direct us, dida dida [like clockwork].” ‘Dida dida’ means carrying out [orders] without condition, without supervision by anyone.
(7) The dida back in Mao Zedong’s day had the people at heart. The roar of detonation heard today is the people’s homes crashing to the ground [being demolished for development].
(8) It’s all about the changeover of leadership! Every day now they send out these public opinion offensives, these people with the courage of rats! It’s laughable! This shows that there are ghosts in their hearts!
(9) I don’t understand a word this paper that protects the Party says.
(10) Glory to the army that protects the Party! Glory to Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping!


David Bandurski

CMP Director

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