Comrades: I have not yet visited this agricultural fair, so I cannot say for sure whether it is good or not. However, I have heard that it is quite satisfactory—better than last year. I attended last year’s fair, and this year’s event is even better. This is the result of the hard work of our fellow citizens and the dedicated efforts of government officials. If the government fails to unite with the people, nothing can be accomplished. There are two kinds of governments: one that only knows how to exploit the masses, and another that genuinely serves them—the Border Region Government belongs to the latter category. The people have brought sacks of flour from hundreds of miles away to display at the fair. Such acts are of great strategic significance in the war against Japan. They reflect the genuine enthusiasm of our fellow citizens. The Border Region Government enjoys the support of the people and has accomplished many beneficial tasks, all thanks to this very same spirit of dedication. We must further cultivate and expand this spirit.

Yet there is another point: enthusiasm alone is not enough; we must also strive for progress. This year’s exhibition demonstrates just such progress. We should commend these model workers, for they not only possess great zeal but also a constant desire to improve. Of course, we have the Eighth Route Army, yet the army is, in essence, composed of the people themselves. Therefore, the military must never forget its roots—its true foundation lies in the working class and the peasantry. Many comrades present here belong to the Eighth Route Army. You should pay respect to the people and refrain from abusive language. The people may criticize us, but we must never retaliate with insults, for they are the masters. It is they who provide our food and build our homes. What we need is close cooperation between the army and the people. The Eighth Route Army upholds two fundamental principles: first, solidarity between officers and soldiers; second, unity between the military and the civilian population. Only by standing together in harmonious unity can we surely defeat the Japanese invaders.

Our Border Region comprises thirteen counties—neither too many nor too few. Unfortunately, there are certain disruptive elements who have dispatched troops to attack several of our counties. Such actions are entirely unacceptable. Comrades who travel outside the region should especially take the opportunity to engage with these groups in earnest dialogue. We must choose the path of unity rather than that of friction. Friction brings only pain and suffering; it can lead to death and even national ruin. Today we are holding this grand assembly, attended by numerous comrades, including Mr. Zhang and our Mongolian friends. Let us all commit ourselves to the cause of unity and reject the path of discord. As for friction, it should be directed exclusively against Japanese imperialism—let us grind that enemy into the sea! We must not allow internal strife to consume us.

I wholeheartedly endorse the convening of today’s inaugural meeting of the Natural Sciences Research Society, for natural science is an invaluable discipline. It provides practical solutions to the fundamental needs of life—clothing, food, shelter, and transportation—and thus deserves the support of every single person. Each of us ought to devote ourselves to the study of natural science. Some argue that China has never possessed a tradition of natural science, but this view is incorrect. Ever since human beings began to inhabit this land, we have needed to produce food, and the very act of production necessarily gave rise to rudimentary scientific thought, which gradually evolved over time. The only shortcoming lies in the fact that, in the past, Chinese natural science was never systematically organized into a coherent body of knowledge. Moreover, natural science serves as a powerful instrument in humanity’s struggle for freedom. To secure social freedom, we must employ the social sciences to understand and transform society, thereby effecting social revolution. Similarly, to attain freedom within the natural world, we must apply natural science to comprehend, overcome, and reshape nature, thus liberating ourselves from its constraints. In short, natural science operates under the guidance of the social sciences to transform the natural environment. Regrettably, however, capitalist society has severely impeded the development of natural science, making it imperative to overhaul this unjust social order. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, our Border Region has undertaken profound social transformation, fundamentally altering relations of production. As a result, we now possess the necessary preconditions for advancing natural science, and productive forces have steadily grown, as evidenced by the region’s ongoing production campaigns and agricultural-industrial exhibitions. Consequently, the current social system prevailing in the Border Region is highly conducive to the flourishing of natural science.

To conclude: While the Border Region’s economy remains relatively backward, precisely because of this state of affairs does our work carry greater significance. With concerted effort, we can certainly transform it into a far more prosperous and advanced area. Finally, let me emphasize that Marxism encompasses natural science. We must all engage in the study of natural science; otherwise, vast realms of knowledge will remain beyond our grasp, and we shall fall short of becoming true revolutionaries. o•••