Strong Military Forum | On the New Journey, the August 1st Military Flag Is Calling
On the New Journey, the August 1st Military Flag Is Calling
■ Zhang Shunliang
August 1st — a day that marks the glory and dreams of the people's armed forces.
Year after year, August 1st comes; and now August 1st is here again. The Chinese People's Liberation Army is about to celebrate its 99th birthday.
Ninety-nine years of wind rolling the battle flag red; ninety-nine years of hot blood forging loyalty. One military flag, dyed red through a century of trials; one military spirit (军魂), casting ten thousand li of mountains and rivers. The crimson August 1st Military Flag carries the momentous years of an armed force, inscribes the unyielding backbone of a nation, and bears witness to the magnificent journey from the founding of the army to the strengthening and revitalization of the military.
From the thunderclap at dawn over Nanchang that ignited the spark of armed revolution, to the surging tide of military strengthening in the new era with armored forces striding boldly forward — generation after generation of revolutionary soldiers have carried forward glorious traditions, continued the red bloodline, remained committed to strengthening the military and preparing for war, and concentrated their efforts on tempering the sword for victory. The battle flag has always stood tall atop mountains and rivers, shining at the forefront of the drive to build a strong military.
The red of the August 1st Military Flag is the "red of the original aspiration (初心红)" dyed by the blood of martyrs, the "red of faith (信仰红)" forged by the soldiers' wholehearted loyalty, and the "red of a prosperous age (盛世红)" upon which the nation's peace and security rests.
At this very moment, officers and soldiers guarding the borders sleep with their weapons at the ready, holding fast to their posts, safeguarding the tranquility of the frontier with their youth; great-power warships cleave through waves and patrol the deep blue, building an iron wall to secure the maritime gateway; guardians of the blue sky soar on the wind and look down upon the heavens, protecting ten thousand li of sky and clouds with their lofty aspirations.
Regardless of what post they occupy, what work they are responsible for, or what mission they undertake, every officer and soldier must always hold the great cause of family and nation in their hearts, keep the great enterprise of military strengthening in mind, plant faith deep in their hearts and carry their mission on their shoulders, interpret the soldier's sense of responsibility through tireless striving, write the answer sheet of military strengthening through courageous struggle, and let the August 1st Military Flag shine with the light of victory at all times.
Only by knowing where one comes from can one understand where one is going. The founding of the army was to break through the darkness and establish our military spirit (军魂); the strengthening of the military is to defend the territory, pacify the nation, protect the country, and deter threats from afar. The crimson August 1st Military Flag carries the glory of victory, and also embodies the great expectations of the era and the future of a strong military.
On August 1st, 2027, the Chinese People's Liberation Army will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding. Looking toward tomorrow, the time has come for a critical period in achieving the centenary goal of army building (建军一百年奋斗目标). This is the solemn responsibility of the era that the people's armed forces must shoulder, and the historical answer sheet they must deliver. The mission is glorious; the responsibility is great.
The banners surge; thunder and wind stir. Standing at "99" and gazing toward "100," the military flag flutters and flies in the wind — the signpost lies underfoot, the dawn lies ahead. Revolutionary soldiers of the new era are born at the right time, yet carry heavy responsibilities on their shoulders; those fortunate enough to be part of this must also work hard within it. This is both a gift of life and a stage for striving.
The red of the August 1st Military Flag is red because the original aspiration remains unchanged, red because loyalty is forever steadfast, red because the struggle never ceases. Chairman Xi has pointed out that the greater the cause, the more it is filled with challenges, and the more it requires bearing heavy burdens with full awareness of their weight. On the new journey, the situation is more severe, the tasks are more arduous, and the mission is more glorious. Every officer and soldier must carry on the past and open up the future with a high-spirited bearing and a striving posture, forging ahead with determination, working hard and practically, and overcoming difficulties and obstacles.
Where the military flag points, that is where the mission reaches; where the war drums sound, that is where the charge must go. "The best way to celebrate the anniversary of a great revolution is to concentrate attention on the unfinished tasks of the revolution." The soldier's mission, in its most essential interpretation (硬核的诠释), is to sharpen military skills and capabilities and advance toward war; the glory of the military flag, in its most substantive foundation (厚重的底色), is to strive and forge ahead, strengthening and revitalizing the military.
The glory of history has already been inscribed in the annals; a brand-new journey is now unfolding underfoot. Standing at a new historical starting point, let us forge our souls with loyalty, strengthen our capabilities through military training, fulfill our pledges through dedication, and achieve merit through hard work — refining our military skills and capabilities at our posts, facing difficulties with courage and determination, merging the passion of youth into the cause of military strengthening, and pouring the sweat of our striving onto the path of military strengthening, so that the August 1st Military Flag may forever fly high on the new journey.