Xi Jinping: “Immeasurable Splendor, many Tribulations”

The following is an excerpt from Xi Jinping’s acceptance speech on March 13 after his “re-election” as State Chairman of the PRC.

It starts with some pseudo-history: Xi doesn’t explicitly place “semi-colonialism” and “semi-feudalism” into the same number of years or centuries, but whoever would like to take away the impression that everything that went wrong in China was the fault of foreign imperialists is free to do so.

^{Oh-so honored}

This has become part of building narratives in Chinese propaganda; Xi took a similar approach when “retelling” the history of the Korean War. in 2020. The guise of innocence in international relations isn’t as much about openly lying, but to leave any aspects out of the stories that might be inconvenient.

Main Link:

Speech at the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress (在第十四届全国人民代表大会第一次会议上的讲话)

Delegates!
各位代表：

This assembly has elected me Chairman of the PRC for another term. I would like to express my sincere thanks for the trust all delegates and all the country’s nationalities have placed in me!
这次大会选举我继续担任中华人民共和国主席，我对各位代表和全国各族人民的信任，表示衷心感谢！
This is my third term at the sublime position as State Chairman. The people’s trust is my main motivation for further progress, and also a heavy responsibility to sholder. I will faithfully fulfill my duties as assigned by the constitution, with the needs of the state as my mission, the people’s interests as the criteria, I will work with devotion, wholeheartedly and respectfully, and never betray the great trust of the delegates and all the country’s nationalities!
这是我第三次担任国家主席这一崇高职务。人民的信任，是我前进的最大动力，也是我肩上沉甸甸的责任。我将忠实履行宪法赋予的职责，以国家需要为使命，以人民利益为准绳，恪尽职守，竭诚奉献，绝不辜负各位代表和全国各族人民的重托！

Delegates!
各位代表！

In it’s 5,000 years of civilizational history, the Chinese nation has created immeasurable splendor, and also been through many tribulations. During modernity¹⁾, China, step by step, became a semicolonial and semifeudal society, suffering from the great powers’ bullying and humiliation, being partitioned, undergoing the chaos of war, and the bitterness of the people being in terrible situations. The Communist Party of China has, after its foundation, tightly united and led all nationalities and people of the country, gone through a century of struggle, wiped out the national humiliation, the Chinese people has become master of its own destiny, the Chinese people have welcomed the huge leap²⁾ from standing up to getting rich, from getting rich to becoming strong. The Chinese nation has taken an irreversible historical turn.
具有五千多年文明史的中华民族，在历史上创造了无数辉煌，也经历过许多磨难。近代以后，中国逐步成为半殖民地半封建社会，饱受列强欺凌、四分五裂、战乱频繁、生灵涂炭之苦。中国共产党成立之后，紧紧团结带领全国各族人民，经过百年奋斗，洗雪民族耻辱，中国人民成为自己命运的主人，中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，中华民族伟大复兴进入了不可逆转的历史进程。

From now on to this mid-century, comprehensively building a strong, modern socialist country and promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the entire party’s, the entire country’s and the entire people’s central duty. The relay baton of building a strong country and of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese people has been assigned to us by history. In accordance with the party’s 20th National Congress’s srategic arrangements, we will coordinate and promote the general concept of the “Integration of the Five Dimensions”, coordinate the concept of the “Four Comprehensives”, accelerate the construction of Chinese-style modernization, unite and struggle, pioneer and innovate, and make contributions on the new journey that live up to the era, to history, to the people’s achievements, so as to promote the construction of a strong country and to the national rejuvenation!
从现在起到本世纪中叶，全面建成社会主义现代化强国、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，是全党全国人民的中心任务。强国建设、民族复兴的接力棒，历史地落在我们这一代人身上。我们要按照党的二十大的战略部署，坚持统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，加快推进中国式现代化建设，团结奋斗，开拓创新，在新征程上作出无负时代、无负历史、无负人民的业绩，为推进强国建设、民族复兴作出我们这一代人的应有贡献！

[…]

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Notes

1)	Seems this could be translated as after modernity, but that wouldn’t make sense to me because 近代 – among Chinese, and not among Americans or Taiwanese – usually refers to the times from around 1912 and 1949. Among the latter, it would be from the late Ming dynasty to 1912.
2)	not to be confused with the “great leap forward” (see “Gasps of Admiration”, Xi’s “Resisting U.S., aiding Korea” commemorative speech, 2020)

No further Orders, Militant Greetings

All the news I’ve learned on Twitter (or elsewhere)

Source: VoK. 75th founding anniversary of the “Korean People’s Army” – see last item of this blog for details
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Sunday, Febr 5, 2023	“While the three major indicators of production, consumption and investment all rose for the second consecutive year, suggesting a recovery in industrial activity, the most recent monthly data suggests otherwise”, KBS World Radio reported last Sunday. The government attributed declines in the most recent industrial output comparison (month-on-month) to “slowing exports and weakened domestic recovery”.
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Sun Febr 5 / Mon 6, 2023	“A presumed weather balloon from North Korea entered South Korean airspace for a few hours” last Sunday (Febr 5), KBS World Radio reported on Monday. “The Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) […] instructed the frontline unit to simply keep a close eye on the balloon after assessing that it was a weather balloon, without giving further orders.”
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Monday, Febr 6, 2023	40 Taiwanese search -and-rescue workers left for Turkey on Monday night (Taiwan standard time). Interior minister Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) and foreign minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said that Taiwan helped in the same spirit in that Turkey had helped during the September 1999 earthquake in Taiwan.
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Tuesday, Febr 7, 2023	Communist Party of China general secretary Xi Jinping (also state chairman and central-military-commissions chairman) gave an opening speech to a Seminar for the implementation of Xi Jinping’s ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era and the spirit of the party’s 20th national congress. According to Chinese television’s main evening news on Tuesday night local time, newly-joined members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and alternate members, provincial-level leading cadres as well as comrades from the democratic parties’ central committees, the all-China industrial and trade association, and others took part in the seminar.
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Tuesday, Febr 7, 2023	The Eighth Central Military Commission of North Korea’s ruling “Workers’ Party of Korea” held its fourth expanded meeting on Monday, February 6, South Korea’s foreign radio reported on Tuesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly chaired the meeting and emphasized a need to “react to the current situation” and to “further improve preparedness for war” This was seen as a signal that North Korea was closely following the South Koreas and America’s strengthened extended deterrence, and react to joint South Korean and US miltary exercises, according to the South Korean radio report.
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Wed, Febr 8 / Thu, 9, 2023	North Korea held a nightly military parade on February 8, celebrating “the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, the revolutionary armed forces of the Workers’ Party of Korea”, North Korean foreign radio station “Voice of Korea” reported. Some of the 150 photos published by VoK also featured North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter.  Kim Jong Un sent militant greetings*) to the life guardsmen taking part in the parade, says VoK.

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Notes

^*) 战斗问候 in VoK’s Chinese version
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Newly appointed Russian Ambassador to China addresses Chinese Public

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Igor Morgulov is Russia’s new ambassador to China, replacing Andrey Denisov there.

According to Russia’s state-run “Sputnik” website, Morgulov was born on May 4, 1961 and graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University’s Asian and African Countries’ Research Institute. He speaks Chinese and English as foreign languages (even “fluently” according to RIAC, a thinktank’s website). He held the post of Counselor and Minister of the Russian embassy in China from 2006 to 2009, headed the Russian foreign ministry’s Asian Department next, and was appointed deputy foreign minister in 2011. Still according to “Sputnik, he has been awarded the “For Merit to the Fatherland” medals, order 4 and order 2, among other awards. “Sputnik” also quotes from President Putin’s presidential decrees that remove Morgulov from his previous post and appoint him to his new one, similar to the way TASS newsagency also does.

When you google Morgulov’s role as a deputy foreign minister, you’ll probably get the impression that central, east and southeast Asia were his main fields of work from 2011 to 2022, as well – including Russia’s relations with North and South Korea, as well as the Korean nuclear issue.
As a rule, there appear to be about half a dozen to ten deputy-minister posts in Moscow – see “Current Deputy Foreign Ministers” on Wikipedia. In that light, becoming Russia’s ambassador to China should count as quite a promotion (it’s probably the most important embassy for Moscow anywhere around the world).

Morgulov addressed the Chinese public by video this week, published by China News Service on Youtube on Friday.

^{Click photo for video}

Translation:

亲爱的中国朋友们，你们好。首先请允许我自我介绍一下。我是莫尔古洛夫。本月１３日俄罗斯总统普京把我任命为新的俄罗斯驻华大使。对我来讲，这是一个很大的荣幸，也是很大的责任。	Dear Chinese friends, pleased to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Morgulov. On the 13th of this month, Russian President Putin has appointed me as Russia’s new ambassador in China. For me, that’s a great honor and a great responsibility.
１９８３年，作为第一批苏联留学生的一员，我首次来到中国。从那时候起，我的职业生涯同你们的古老而日新月异的美丽的国家紧密地联系在一起。在当今的复杂多变的国际形势下，俄中两国建立的新时代全面战略协作伙伴关系具有特殊的意义。	In 1983, I came to China for the first time, as a member of a group of Soviet students abroad. Ever since, my professional career has been closely linked to your ancient and rapidly progressing beautiful country. In today’s complicated and unsettled international situation, the comprehensive strategic partnership established by Russia and China in the new era is of special significance.
在新的岗位上，我愿意同中国朋友们积极合作，为落实好俄中两国元首所达成的重要的共识进一步推动两国关系全面发展，加强俄中两国人民之间的传统友谊而努力。朋友们，下个月我将要抵达北京。期待与大家尽快相见。谢谢。	On my new post, I wish to work actively with our Chinese friends, to implement well the important consensus reached between the Russian and Chinese heads of state and to promote our two countries’ relations further, and to make great efforts to strengthen the traditional friendship between the peoples of our two countries. Friends, next month, I will arrive in Beijing. I hope to see you all very soon. Thank you.

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Related

“Important choice, firm action”, Sept 14, 2022
Restive bulk of allies, May 6, 2022

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What do Xi Jinping’s and Kim Jong-un’s Congratulatory Telegrams look like?

Punched tape, email, portable document format? Don’t know about you, but when I hear that Putin sends a congratulatory telegram to Kim Jong-un, I’d really like to know what that telegram looks like. If you do, too, keep reading. If not, don’t let me bore you.

^{Victorious triple chin}

“Ars Technica”, in a blogpost of June 2013, gives us a first clue:

Samuel Morse’s version of telegraphy—Morse code over the wire—died a long time ago. It was replaced by Telex, a switch-based system similar to telephone networks, developed in Germany in 1933. The German system, run by the Federal Post Office, essentially used a precursor to computer modems and sent text across the wire at about 50 characters per second. Western Union built the US’ first nationwide Telex, an acronym for Teleprinter Exchange, in the late 1950s.

Ordinary Chinese cadres appear to send faxes – they are considered to be more reliable or legally binding than emails, and fax machines are relatively easily available.

As I have no idea what North Korea‘s or Russia’s “telegrams” look like, I’ll focus on China’s. The political folklore on both sides of the Yalu River is becoming more alike by the day, anyway.

There is an article concerning diplomatic protocol available online, written by quite an authority, it seems, but without verifiable autenticity. According to  the info provided, the autor would be a former advisor or counselor  at the Chinese foreign ministry’s (FMPRC) protocol department (礼宾司). His name is Wu Deguang, born in 1938.

This is how he is quoted:

Congratulatory telegrams and congratulatory messages are most frequently used methods of congratulations. State leaders, foreign ministers and diplomatic envoys overseas generally use diplomatic letters, diplomatic telegrams or formal diplomatic notes  to send letters or telegrams of congratulations. Leaders’ congratulatory telegrams can usually be passed on by the relevant embassies or consulates abroad, or directly be sent by electronic means (电传)^*).
贺电和贺函是最常用的祝贺方式。国家领导人、外长、驻外使节一般采用外交函件、外交电报或正式照会的方式发送贺函、贺电。领导人的贺电可通过有关驻外使领馆转递，也可通过电报局或经电传直接拍发。

Different from a lot of other things (and people), Chinese authorities don’t show congratulatory telegrams received around like trophies. So there remains an air of mystery around those messages, or their substance.

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Notes

^*) The “Yellowbridge” online dictionary explains “electronic means” as follows:

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August 15, 1945 Commemoration: Putin, Kim, according to KCNA

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Dizzying heights: Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin,
Vladivostok, April 25. 2019 (Source: Kremlin)

Putin to Kim Jong-un	金正恩收到普京发来的贺电
Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) — Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, received a message of greeting from Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, on August 15.	朝中社平壤８月１５日电　朝鲜民主主义人民共和国国务委员长金正恩同志１５日收到了俄罗斯联邦总统弗拉基米尔•弗拉基米罗维奇•普京发来的贺电。
In the message, Putin extended sincere felicitation to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on the occasion of the day of liberation, a national holiday.	普京总统在贺电中表示，值此民族节日——解放日之际，谨向尊敬的金正恩阁下致以由衷的祝贺。
The message noted that the two countries have deeply kept the memories of servicepersons of the Red Army and patriots of Korea who fought shoulder to shoulder for the liberation of Korea.	我们两国珍藏着为了实现朝鲜的解放，并肩作战的红军战士们和朝鲜的爱国者的回忆。
The glorious traditions of friendship and cooperation gained in the grim days serve as a durable foundation for developing the good neighborly relations between the Russian Federation and the DPRK today, it stressed.	在严峻的年代里缔造的友好合作的光荣传统，如今也成为发展俄罗斯联邦和朝鲜民主主义人民共和国之间睦邻关系的牢固基础。
It said that we would continue to expand the comprehensive and constructive bilateral relations with common efforts,	普京总统表示相信，我们做出共同努力，将继续扩大综合性的建设性双边关系。
adding that this would entirely conform with the interests of the peoples of the two countries and contribute to strengthening the security and stability of the Korean peninsula and the whole of the Northeastern Asian region.	这将完全符合我们两国人民的利益，而且将为加强朝鲜半岛和整个东北亚地区安全与稳定做出贡献。
It wished Kim Jong Un good health and success and all citizens of the DPRK happiness and prosperity. -0-	普京总统在贺电中祝愿尊敬的金正恩阁下身体健康、事业有成，同时希望贵国的全体公民享受幸福和繁荣，并表示了敬意。（完）
http://www.kcna.kp (Juche111.8.15.)	http://www.kcna.kp (主体111.8.15.)

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Kim Jong-un to Putin	金正恩向普京发去贺电
Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) — Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, sent a message of greeting to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, on August 15.	朝中社平壤８月１５日电　朝鲜民主主义人民共和国国务委员长金正恩同志１５日向俄罗斯联邦总统弗拉基米尔•弗拉基米罗维奇•普京发去贺电。电文如下：
Kim Jong Un in the message extended the warm greetings to the president, the government and people of the Russian Federation on behalf of the government and the people of the DPRK on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.	值此朝鲜解放７７周年之际，我以朝鲜民主主义人民共和国政府和人民的名义谨向你和俄罗斯联邦政府以及人民致以亲切的问候。
The servicepersons of the heroic Red Army showed the example of noble internationalism by dedicating their blood and precious lives to the struggle for liberating Korea, and merits and feats performed by them are deeply kept in the minds of the Korean people as an eternal monument, the message noted.	英勇的红军全体官兵在争取朝鲜解放的斗争中树立了无私奉献自己的鲜血和生命的国际主义的崇高典范，而且他们所建树的功绩和功勋作为永恒的纪念碑巍然屹立且永远珍藏在了我国人民的记忆中。
The DPRK-Russia friendship forged in the anti-Japanese war against the common enemy has been invariably consolidated and developed century after century, it noted, adding that the strategic and tactical cooperation, support and solidarity between the two countries have put on a new high stage in the common front for frustrating the hostile forces’ military threat and provocation, and high-handed and arbitrary practices.	在反对共同敌人的抗日大战年代里凝成的朝俄友谊跨世代和世纪不断得到巩固和发展下来，如今两国之间的战略战术合作和支持声援在粉碎敌对势力的军事威胁和挑衅、强权和专横的共同战线上正在提升到新的更高阶段。
It expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries based on comradely friendship and militant unity would grow stronger in all fields on the basis of the agreements reached at the 2019 meeting in Vladivostok and thus contribute to the prosperity and wellbeing of the peoples of the two countries.	我表示相信，根植于同志式友谊和战斗团结的朝俄友好合作关系将本着２０１９年在符拉迪沃斯托克会晤中达成的协议精神，在各领域进一步得到蓬勃加强和发展，为实现两国人民的繁荣和福利做出贡献。
The message sincerely wished the Russian president good health and big success in his responsible work for defending the sovereignty and interests of the country and people and achieving the prosperity of the country. -0-	借此机会，衷心祝愿你身体健康，并在维护国家和人民的主权和利益、争取国家复兴的责任重大的工作中取得更大的成果。（完）
http://www.kcna.kp (Juche111.8.15.)	http://www.kcna.kp (主体111.8.15.)

“Korean People’s Army’s” 90th-anniversary: Ever-victorious Feats

The following is a lineup of the Chinese and English translations of Kim Jong-un’s speech on Kim Il-sung Square on April 25, provided by “Voice of Korea”, North Korea’s foreign radio station. Either translation will give you the gist of the other, but the wording is often somewhat different. A simultaneous translation given by Phoenix TV‘s edtitor who covered North Korean television’s live transmission is again, in terms of wording, somewhat different from the Chinese version given by “Voice of Korea”.
Kim made his speech at a nightly parade, celebrating the 90th anniversary of the North Korean army.

North Korean TV / Phoenix coverage, April 25, 2022

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Main link: 敬爱的金正恩同志在庆祝朝鲜人民革命军建立90周年阅兵式上的讲话	Main link: Speech made by President of State Affairs Kim Jong Un at military parade for celebrating 90th anniversary of KPRA
英勇的朝鲜民主主义人民共和国武装力量全体官兵： 阅兵部队指挥员和战士们： 应邀出席庆祝典礼的参战老兵同志们、模范军人和立功者同志们： 尊敬的平壤市各位市民： 亲爱的同志们：	All the brave officers and men of the armed forces of our Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Officers and men of the units participating in the military parade, Comrade war veterans, exemplary soldiers and merited persons invited to this square of celebration, Esteemed Pyongyang citizens, Dear comrades,
今天我们举行盛大的阅兵式，庆祝我们伟大的党、国家和人民的意义深远而光荣的纪念日。 此时此刻，长久建军史的荣耀光彩夺目，我们大家都为可靠地保卫党和革命、祖国和人民、和平与稳定的自己的武装力量感到无比自豪。 全国人民看着高举胜利的军旗来到金日成广场的可靠的劲旅，可以估计共和国武装力量的现代化程度，并再一次感受到90年前朝鲜真正的第一支武装力量诞生是在我国革命和民族的历史上以及我们国家和人民未来的发展中具有多么深远而伟大的意义。	Today we are holding a grand military parade in celebration of an anniversary, significant and glorious for our great Party, state and people. At this moment overflowing with the glory of the long history of our army building, we are all here filled with a great pride in having the armed forces that firmly defend the Party, the revolution, the country and the people and reliably guarantee peace and stability. Seeing the dependable elite units massed in this Kim Il Sung Square with their victorious colours and feeling, through them, the level of the modern character of the armed forces of our Republic, all the people across the country will realize once again the profound and great significance the birth of their country’s first genuine armed forces 90 years ago had in the history of our revolution and nation and will have in the future development of our state and people.
朝鲜人民革命军的建立，是在民族解放、自力独立的旗帜下宣布反帝决死抗战的全民族性壮举，同时，是依靠强有力的革命武装力量开创主体革命新时代的历史性事件。	The founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army was an event of national significance that declared a death-defying resistance against imperialism under the unfurled banner of winning national liberation and independence by our own efforts, as well as a historic event that ushered in a new era of the Juche revolution that relies on powerful revolutionary armed forces.
这一事件的重大意义不仅仅在于历史风云中遭受侵凌的人民拥有了自己的民族军队，开始有了中兴的希望，更是在于向国内外宣布了朝鲜革命者誓与侵犯我们民族尊严与主权的敌人抗战到底的坚定的反帝革命思想、依靠主体力量一定实现人民的自由与解放以及革命胜利的不屈不挠的意志。	The major meaning of this event is not confined only to the fact that our people, who were forced to live a pitiable life in the turmoil of history, could have their own national army and the hope of their revival; it also lies in the fact that the event declared at home and abroad the steadfast idea of anti-imperialist revolution of the Korean revolutionaries to settle accounts to the end and by force of arms with those who infringed upon the dignity and sovereignty of our nation and their unyielding will to win the people’s freedom and liberation and the revolution’s victory without fail by the internal forces.
历史如实地证明了朝鲜革命者为开拓我国人民的命运与未来而做出的这一抉择和他们的意志是非常正确的。	History has clearly proved that this determination and will the Korean revolutionaries opted for to carve out the destiny and future of their people was absolutely correct.
朝鲜人民的优秀儿女在白头山密林里举起革命武器，那是朝鲜民族独立精神和希望的表现，是伟大团结的旗帜，也是给沾满泪痕的朝鲜人的拳头增添自尊气概与坚强力量的原动力。	The revolutionary weapons the fine sons and daughters of our people held aloft in the forests of Paektu were an expression of the soaring spirit of independence of the Korean nation, their hope and the great banner of their unity, as well as the force that loaded the mettle of self-dependence and Herculean strength in the tear-stained fists of the Korean people.
就在这支武装队伍里酝酿成熟了朝鲜革命的远大构想，造就了战胜帝国主义暴力的不折不挠精神与钢铁力量，奠定了在我国革命发展中具有根本意义和长远意义的伟大传统。	Thanks to these armed ranks, a far-reaching plan of the Korean revolution was matured, the unyielding spirit and formidable strength with which to prevail over the imperialist tyranny were nurtured, and the great traditions, basic and everlasting in the development of our revolution, were created.
从建军初期就具有并传承至今的那一思想、信念与传统成为了我们的革命武装力量的精神力之根底、百战百胜的保证。我们的革命武装力量站在空前激烈的反帝对抗战与阶级斗争的前线，在发生变化的历史环境中牢记自己固有的革命性、阶级性与使命，为保卫党和革命、捍卫领土与人民而发扬不朽的英勇精神和牺牲精神。	The ideology, faith and traditions, which our revolutionary army cherished and succeeded from the outset of its founding, constituted the basis of the spiritual strength and ever-victorious guarantee that made it possible to display an undying heroic and self-sacrificing spirit in defending the Party, the revolution, the territory and the people in the fiercest-ever anti-imperialist confrontation, in the first line of grim class struggle and in the ever-changing circumstances of history, mindful of its intrinsic revolutionary and class nature and mission.
我们的军队开展艰苦卓绝的浴血斗争，完成了祖国解放、民族复兴的伟大事业；发扬大无畏的英勇精神，击退以美国为首的帝国主义联合势力武装侵略，光荣地捍卫了祖国的主权、尊严与安宁；在社会主义革命和建设的整个历史期间，以高洁的牺牲精神保卫自己的执政党、政权、领土与人民，建树百战百胜的伟绩。我们党和我国人民为拥有如此英勇、刚强而忠心耿耿的军队感到无上光荣和骄傲。	This army achieved the great cause of the country’s liberation and nation’s revival through an unprecedented bloody struggle, repulsed the armed aggression by the US-led allied imperialist forces and defended with honour the sovereignty, dignity and safety of the country with an unrivalled heroic spirit; it has recorded ever-victorious feats while defending the ruling Party, the government, the territory and the people throughout the historical course of the socialist revolution and construction with an ennobling self-sacrificing spirit. Our Party and people regard it as a source of their greatest honour and pride to have such a brave, steely and loyal army.
我们决不能忘记我们疆土上的所有胜利果实、所有成就里都凝聚着我们革命军队所立下的首功。	All our priceless gains, plus everything else on this land, are associated, first of all, with the services of our revolutionary army. This we should keep in mind.
我们的革命军队不仅作为国防主体，而且作为国家发展的强大力量，始终遵照党的构想，为实现远大理想投入宏伟的革命事业，忘我奋斗，从而开创社会主义建设的新历史，发扬光大伟大的我们 国家的尊严与荣誉，建树了无与伦比的伟大功勋。	Not only as the main force for national defence but also as a powerful force for national development, our revolutionary army, true to the Party’s intentions, has always made devoted efforts to carry out the ambitious revolutionary undertakings aimed at attaining lofty ideals. By doing so, it has performed such great exploits, which no others could do, in creating a new history of socialist construction and enhancing the dignity and honour of our great state.
过去90年来，我们的革命武装力量把忠于自己的党、政权和人民的精神视为第一生命、最高荣誉，誓死保卫朝鲜革命的血统，坚决拥护朝鲜劳动党的思想和伟业，可靠保证我们国家的存立、发展以及人民的幸福。	Regarding it as its lifeblood and top honour to be faithful to the Party, the government and the people, our revolutionary army has kept the lineage of the Korean revolution safe and sound and defended the ideology and cause of the Workers’ Party of Korea resolutely, and reliably guaranteed the existence and development of our state and the welfare of our people.
由于有了这一不可磨灭的丰功伟绩，长达一个世纪的朝鲜革命历史以胜利和光荣发光生辉。	Thanks to these exploits of lasting value it has performed over the past 90 years, the annals of the Korean revolution spanning a century are resplendent with victory and glory.
我们永远都不会忘记：在艰苦卓绝的各个革命年代，伟大的武装力量始终站在前头开辟了进军道路；我们共和国光荣而豪迈的胜利历史是以革命军队高洁的血汗和牺牲为代价谱写的。	We will remember for all ages that our great armed forces have always opened up the way for advance in the vanguard at each of the difficult revolutionary stages and that the glorious and worthwhile victories of our Republic have been won at the cost of the priceless blood and sweat our revolutionary army shed and the noble self-sacrifice it made.
现在要在这一胜利的阅兵式广场上阔步前进的共和国武装力量的精锐部队官兵们，还有此时此刻也在祖国的陆海空哨所以及社会主义建设各大战区建立殊勋的所有官兵都是我国武装力量光荣历史的当之无愧、引以自豪的继承者和体现者。	The glorious history of our armed forces is embodied in the proud and honourable successors, that is, the officers and men from the elite units of the Republic’s armed forces, who will march in fine array across this square of victors, and all other soldiers standing guard at the air, ground and naval posts and performing feats of labour at sites of grand socialist construction throughout the country.
借此意义深远的机会，我代表我们党和政府向为了祖国的自主独立和人民解放，为了革命武装力量的加强和发展，为了社会主义事业的胜利前进付出宝贵生命的抗日革命先烈和人民军烈士致以崇高敬意，并且向接好革命先烈的班，走着伟大继承之路的朝鲜人民军和共和国武装力量的全体官兵表示热烈祝贺。	Availing myself of this meaningful opportunity, I, on behalf of our Party and government, would like to pay noble tribute to the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners and martyrs of the People’s Army, who dedicated their precious lives in the struggle for national sovereignty and independence and the people’s liberation, for the build-up of the revolutionary armed forces and for the victorious advance of the socialist cause. I also offer hearty congratulations to all the officers and men of the Korean People’s Army and all other members of the armed forces of our Republic, who are making a great journey of faithful succession to their revolutionary forerunners.
与此同时，我还要向把心爱的丈夫和儿女送到卫国前线的所有家庭表示由衷的感谢。	In addition, I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the families on this land, which have had their dear husbands and children stand at the forefront of national defence.
同志们： 革命武装力量90年来用武装捍卫了祖国的繁荣富强。这一光荣行程要延续一百年、一千年。	Comrades, The glorious 90-year journey our revolutionary armed forces have made safeguarding the prosperity and development of the country by force of arms, should be continued for another hundred, nay a thousand years.
在接下来的年代里，我们要继续彰显强军的盛誉，以跟过去90年无法比拟的飞快速度变得更强大。	In the era we are living in now, we should continue to exalt the glory of the powerful army and change to be more powerful at a fast speed incomparable with the past 90 years.
在实力对抗激烈的当今世界，国家的尊严和权力以及可靠而真正的和平是由胜过任何敌人的强有力的自卫力量提供保证的。	In the present world where different forces collide fiercely with one another, a nation’s dignity and sovereignty and reliable genuine peace are guaranteed by powerful defence capability that can overpower any enemy.
我们要不断地强起来。	We should continuously grow stronger.
培养保卫自己的力量，不能有满足和终止。不管跟谁对抗，我们必须确保军事强势。	There is no satisfaction or accomplishment in cultivating strength for defending ourselves, and, whoever we confront, our military supremacy should be more secure.
这是革命的要求，子孙万代的未来也取决于此。	The revolution demands this, and the future of all the generations to come depends upon this.
我们的革命武装力量建设总路线是把人民军造就成为百战百胜的军队。	Our general line of building the revolutionary armed forces is to make the People’s Army an ever-victorious army.
百战百胜的军队，这应该是我们人民军永恒的名称和我国革命武装力量的宝贵声誉。	An ever-victorious army-this must be the eternal name of our People’s Army and shine as a priceless honour belonging only to our revolutionary armed forces.
人民军要狠抓我们党的军队建设方向和总路线，大力开创革命武装力量发展的新阶段。	The People’s Army should hold fast to our Party’s orientation and general line of army building and dynamically open up a new phase of its development.
为此，要把实现政治思想强军化和军事技术强军化定为核心目标，着力加强我国武装力量，使之成为绝对拥护朝鲜劳动党的领导并无限忠于自己革命事业的思想与信念的强军、具有立即应对任何战争和危机的勇气和能力以及自信的最精锐强军。	To do so, it should define it as the core target to strengthen itself politically and ideologically and make itself strong in military technology, and give a stronger impetus to consolidating itself into an army, strong in ideology and faith, which is absolutely loyal to the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea and boundlessly faithful to its revolutionary cause and into an elite force possessed of courage, capability and self-confidence for responding to any type of war and crisis without any hesitation.
政治思想强军化是我们军队建设的核心，是第一大战略任务。	Strengthening it politically and ideologically is the main aspect and first strategic task of our building of the army.
我们的革命军队要作为党和人民的军队、阶级的军队完成好自己的使命，并且要灵活地应对任何形式的战争和危机。在这一方面重要的是军队做好政治思想准备，武装力量的主体——军人群众做好思想精神准备。	The political and ideological preparedness of the army and the ideological and spiritual preparedness of the masses of the soldiers, the motive force of the armed forces, are basic in the effort to make our revolutionary army fulfil its mission as the army of the Party, people and class and actively respond to any type of war and crisis.
我们今后要在军队里进一步培养坚定的革命精神和阶级意识，这在加强我国军队的战斗力和国防力量方面起到决定性作用。	The staunch revolutionary spirit and class awareness of the army we have to further cultivate in the future will play a decisive role in building up the fighting efficiency of our army and defence capabilities of the nation.
革命者一代一代地接替，我们要与日益凶残的帝国主义进行长期的对抗。我国革命的这一特殊性要求我们坚定不移地承接源于白头山的伟大的革命思想和精神的接力棒，以此作为军队建设和反帝斗争中迫切的战略任务。只有把它当作军队建设的核心来狠抓，我国革命武装力量才能坚定地保持和加强质量上的优势。	The unique character of our revolution is that one generation of the revolution is continually replaced by another and we have to face for a long period of time the imperialists who grow ever more ferocious with each passing day. This presents it as a crucial strategic task of army building and anti-imperialist struggle to stoutly carry on the baton of the great revolutionary ideology and spirit which originated in Paektu. When we carry out this task as the core in army building, we will surely be able to maintain and consolidate the qualitative supremacy of our revolutionary armed forces.
人民军的所有党组织和政治机关要继续燃起思想革命烈火，竭尽全力培养军人的革命思想和精神力量。	All the Party organizations and political bodies of the People’s Army should continue to stoke up the flames of the ideological revolution and focus their all-out effort on cultivating the revolutionary ideology and spiritual strength of the soldier masses.
要把建设思想与信念的强军作为最首要的任务，培养所有官兵成为思想的近卫兵，让他们按照党中央的革命思想和意志去战斗，彻底体现阶级觉悟和不屈不挠的战斗精神，丝毫不差地百发百中党中央所指定的靶心。	Regarding it as our top-priority task to develop the People’s Army into an army strong in ideology and faith, we should prepare all the service personnel to be ideological guardsmen who fight only in line with the revolutionary ideology and will of the Party Central Committee, who cherish staunch class awareness and indomitable fighting spirit as part of their mental qualities, and who never allow a single misfire or an inch of deviation from the centre of the target designated by the Party Central Committee.
其次，要大力推进军事技术强军化，以大大提高人民军的战斗力。	We should also strongly push ahead with building it up into an army strong in military technology with a view to radically improving its fighting efficiency.
世界军事力量的发展趋势和急速变化的现代战争模式要求我们军队加快军事技术现代化进程。	The global trend of military development and rapidly-changing style of warfare at present demand that we modernize our army at a faster rate in terms of military technology.
要高举军队现代化的标语，全力以赴地把人民军加强和发展成为具有高新军事技术的强军。	Holding aloft the slogan of modernizing the army, we should strive to the utmost to develop our People’s Army into a powerful army equipped with highly advanced military technology.
要推动军事人才培养体系的现代化，大量培养出机智灵活地指挥各军种、兵种部队的全能指挥员；提高作战战斗训练的现代化水平，以使全军的所有部队和区分队圆满完成任何战斗任务。	By pressing ahead with the modernization of the military talents training system, we should bring up a larger number of officers who are fully capable of commanding units of different arms and services at all levels. And we should make all the units and sub-units of the army fully ready to carry out any combat missions by modernizing their operation and combat training.
国防科学部门和军事工业部门要继续研发和实战部署新一代尖端武器装备，以不断提高人民军的军事震慑力。	The sectors of defence science and munitions industry should continue to develop and deploy for actual combat cutting-edge military hardware of new generations so as to ceaselessly increase the military power of the People’s Army.
尤其是，从质量和数量上加强我们国力的象征、我国军事力量的核心——核武力，以便在任何战争状况下根据各种作战目的和任务以各种手段发挥核战斗能力。	In particular, the nuclear forces, the symbol of our national strength and the core of our military power, should be strengthened in terms of both quality and scale, so that they can perform nuclear combat capabilities in any situations of warfare, according to purposes and missions of different operations and by various means.
当前局势催促我们为持久确保共和国武装力量的现代性和军事技术强势采取更为积极的措施。	The prevailing situation demands that more proactive measures be taken to provide a firm and sustained guarantee for the modern character and military technological supremacy of our Republic’s armed forces.
为应对剧变的政治军事形势和将会面临的各种危机，我们坚持不懈地建设自卫性的、现代化的武装力量。我们要更快、更坚定地走这一条路，尤其是继续采取以最快的速度增强和发展我国核武力的措施。	To cope with the rapidly-changing political and military situations and all the possible crises of the future, we will advance faster and more dynamically along the road of building up the self-defensive and modern armed forces, which we have followed unwaveringly, and, especially, will continue to take measures for further developing the nuclear forces of our state at the fastest possible speed.
我国核武力的基本使命是遏制战争，但如果在我们国土上发生我们不愿意看到的情况，那么，我国核力量的使命不能仅仅局限于防止战争。	The fundamental mission of our nuclear forces is to deter a war, but our nukes can never be confined to the single mission of war deterrent even at a time when a situation we are not desirous of at all is created on this land.
万一任何势力侵犯我们国家的根本利益，那么，我们的核武力不得不义无反顾地履行自己的第二个使命。	If any forces try to violate the fundamental interests of our state, our nuclear forces will have to decisively accomplish its unexpected second mission.
共和国核武力要时刻做好一切准备，以随时完成自己责任重大的使命，动用特有的遏制力。	The nuclear forces of our Republic should be fully prepared to fulfil their responsible mission and put their unique deterrent in motion at any time.
同志们，人民军官兵们： 现在，我们的武装力量做好了一切准备，能应付任何战争。	Comrades, officers and men of the People’s Army, Our armed forces are now fully prepared for any type of war.
以英勇的朝鲜人民军为核心的朝鲜民主主义人民共和国全体武装力量要始终坚定自己事业必胜的信念，信心百倍地面对一切挑战、迎头痛击；要忠实履行捍卫人民的安宁、尊严与幸福的神圣使命，保持天下无敌的军事强势，可靠地保证我国社会主义发展。	All the armed forces of the DPRK, with the heroic Korean People’s Army as their core, should always firmly believe in their cause, march forward valiantly against all challenges filled with confidence, remain faithful to their sacred mission of defending the safety, dignity and happiness of the people, and securely guarantee the development of our socialism by maintaining their invincible military supremacy.
共和国武装力量的全体官兵： 只要你们心中沸腾着革命先烈的鲜血和高贵精神，革命武装力量作为朝鲜劳动党的思想、意志和我们国家与人民的力量的体现者始终站在革命斗争的前方，我们朝鲜式社会主义事业就永远战无不胜。	All the officers and men of the armed forces of the Republic, As long as your hearts are pulsating with the precious blood and noble spirit of the revolutionary forerunners and as long as the revolutionary armed forces are always standing at the vanguard of the revolution as the embodiment of the ideology and will of the Workers’ Party of Korea and of the strength of our state and people, the cause of socialism of our own style will be ever-victorious in the future, too.
朝鲜人民军和全体共和国武装力量的指挥员和战士们： 让我们为了伟大的我国人民的安宁和幸福，为了伟大的我们国家的无限光荣和胜利，奋勇前进吧。 伟大的我国革命武装力量万岁！ 伟大的我们祖国朝鲜民主主义人民共和国万岁！	Commanding officers and men of the KPA and all other armed forces of the DPRK, For the safety and happiness of our great people, For the eternal glory and victory of our great state, Let us fight vigorously. Long live our great revolutionary armed forces! Long live our great country, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea!

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Related

Xi Jinping’s “Resisting U.S., aiding Korea” speech (1)	Nov 2, 2020
Xi Jinping: “A mighty and majestic War” (2)	Nov 4, 2020
Xi Jinping: “Pave a bloody road”	Dec 14, 2020
Xi Jinping: “Gasps of admiration”	Dec 26, 2020

Forgetful Fury

There’s a lot of talk about China feeling uneasy about Russia these days – which may be so.

But don’t expect China to support any measures that could topple Russia’s regime. For one, they need Russia on their side if they try to invade Taiwan: politically for sure, and militarily (in terms of arms supplies or other kinds of technical support), probably. Also, it is generally useful to have a permanent backer at the UN Security Council (if the Chinese ambassador there forgets his smelling salts, for example, and passes out at a critical moment for feeling uneasy, next to Russia).

If you know China’s North Korea policy, you’ll know it’s Russia policy even better. North Korea is a disaster zone with missiles, and Russia is a gas station with missiles, working warheads, and veto power. And with tanks, obviously, but that doesn’t matter to China.

If China did anything that toppled Russia’s regime, it would be inadvertently.

But there’s another reason for China’s reservations, too. China’s regime is much worse than Russia’s. It’s fascinating how easily the hell named Xinjiang has been forgotten on the international scene. Do those who ask China to condemn the invasion of Ukraine really know who they are talking to? Do they want to prove the obvious, because they know the answer? Or do they hope for a moderating effect of Beijing’s unease, on Moscow’s killing spree?

The last point would be the likeliest. But it doesn’t look like a gamechanger either.

Be mad at Moscow, if you have to, but don’t be forgetful.
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Related

We cannot even die for a cause like them, Uyghur Times, March 2, 2022
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North Korean Foreign Ministry Statement on Taiwan

The following press release was published by KCNA on Saturday, in Chinese, English, and probably in other languages, too.
No link from here, because KCNA doesn’t provide permalinks.

Saturday’s KCNA headlines

Pyongyang, October 23 (KCNA) — Pak Myong Ho, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, on Oct. 22 made the following press statement:	朝中社平壤１０月２３日电　朝鲜民主主义人民共和国外务省副相朴明浩２２日发表了谈话。谈话内容如下：
Recently, the U.S. is building up military tension by inciting independence of Taiwan, which is an inseparable territory of China.	近期，美国鼓吹中国不可分割的领土——台湾的独立，正在加剧军事紧张。
This year alone, the U.S. dispatched all kinds of battleships into the Taiwan Straits on the plea of “freedom of navigation” whenever occasion called. Some time ago, it even mobilized a battleship of its ally only to escalate tension in the Taiwan Straits.	仅在今年，美国打着“航行自由”的旗号，频频派遣各种军舰驶入台湾海峡，日前还动员盟国军舰，使台海紧张局势逐步升级。
The U.S. announced its plan for arms sale to Taiwan worth 750 million US$ by putting forth the unlawful “Taiwan Relations Act”, and it is staging large-scale joint military exercise in the waters near Taiwan. Like this, it is increasing all the more its military threats against China.	美国借用非法的“与台湾关系法”，出台价值７．５亿美元的对台军售计划，在台湾周边水域进行大规模联合军演等进一步加大对中国的军事威胁力度。
It is an open secret that the members of the U.S. special forces and the detachment from U.S. Marine Corps have trained the Taiwanese army while stationing in Taiwan for more than one year.	美军特种部队队员和美海军陆战队分遣队一年多时间驻扎在台湾且训练台湾军队，这已经是公开的秘密。
This is an actual proof that the U.S. is using Taiwan as a tool to put pressure on China and an outpost to overpower China in an emergency though it outwardly maintains “One China” policy.	这证实虽然美国表面上声称坚持“一个中国”政策，但实际上把台湾用做反华打压工具、有事时压制中国的前哨基地。
Taiwan is an integral part of China. The Taiwan issue, from A to Z, belongs to the internal affairs of China.	台湾是中国的一部分，台湾问题彻头彻尾是属于中国内政的问题。
The U.S. acts constitute a naked interference in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and cause a grave threat to the international peace and stability.	美国此举是对中华人民共和国的露骨的干涉内政行为，也是对国际和平与稳定的严重威胁。
It is too natural and just demand that the Chinese government has, on several occasions, called for the U.S. to be as good as its word in abiding by the “One China” principle as well as a solemn commitment it made to China, not to have any kind of government-level exchanges with Taiwan, not to send a wrong signal to the separatist forces of Taiwan and to refrain from any action which aggravates the situation of the Taiwan Straits.	中国政府在各个场合敦促美国应以实际行动恪守“一个中国”原则和向中国作出的庄严承诺，不与台湾进行任何形式的官方往来，不要向台湾的分裂势力发出错误信号，不给台海形势制造麻烦，是理所当然的正当主张。
We fully support the Chinese government and people in their stand to defend the national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to realize the unification of the motherland without fail.	我们完全支持中国政府和人民要维护国家主权和领土完整，一定要实现祖国统一的立场。
The situation of Taiwan is, on no account, irrelevant to the situation of the Korean peninsula.	台湾形势与朝鲜半岛局势并非无关。
The indiscreet meddling by the U.S. into the issue of Taiwan entails a potential danger of touching off a delicate situation on the Korean peninsula.	美国在台湾问题上的无端干涉具有可能进一步促进岌岌可危的朝鲜半岛局势紧张的潜在危险。
It is a well-known fact that the U.S. troops and its military bases in south Korea are in use to put pressure on China and that the huge forces of the U.S. and its satellite states, which are being concentrated near Taiwan, can be committed to a military operation targeting the DPRK at any time.	驻南朝鲜美军兵力和军事基地都在用于反华打压工具，集聚在台湾周边的美国及其追随势力的庞大兵力可能随时投入到针对我国的军事作战行动，这是众所周知的事实。
The hostile forces are already speeding up the deployment of their forces from all directions which are aimed at our country and China while making lame assertion, like a guilty party filing the suit first, that the DPRK and PRC can, in cooperation, cause military tension in Taiwan and on the Korean peninsula. This reality proves that the U.S. is in its bid to stifle our country and China, both socialist countries, in order to hold its supremacy.	敌对势力早已采取“恶人先告状”的手法，传出朝中两国可能携手在台湾和朝鲜半岛加剧军事紧张的无赖主张，大举加快针对我国和中国的全防卫性军力部署步伐。这一现实证明，美国为了维持其霸权地位，企图同时扼杀我国和中国这两个社会主义国家。
The U.S. should bear in mind that its reckless interference in internal affairs, its attempt for division and an open act of double standard would only invite tragic consequences of lifting an ax to drop it on its own foot.	美国要搞清楚，其冒险的内政干涉、分裂活动和露骨的双重标准行为只会带来搬起石头砸自己脚的悲惨苦果。
It is in correlation with the situation on the Korean peninsula that we would continue to watch the U.S. very closely in its stance to hold hegemony over the issue of Taiwan. -0-	我们将美国在台湾问题上的霸权主义行为与朝鲜半岛局势联系起来，继续保持警惕予以严密注视。（完）

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