Comrade Mao Zedong’s Opening Speech
at the Seventh National Congress1
(April 23, 1945)
Comrades! The Seventh National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
opens today. This is a congress that concerns the destiny of 450 million people.2
Ours is a congress for the defeat of the Japanese aggressors and the building of a
new China, for final victory through unity of the whole nation3 and of the people
of the whole world.
The times are very favorable. In the West, the war against Fascist Germany is
about to be successfully concluded.4 In the East, the war against Fascist Japan5 is
also near victory. We are6 now on the eve of victory.7
Facing us and all of China’s people there is light and there also is darkness.8
The Japanese aggressor9 has not yet been defeated. But even after its defeat two
prospects will still confront us. Either a China that is independent, free,
democratic, united, prosperous, and strong10 or a China that is semicolonial,
semifeudal, divided, poor, and weak.11
What is our task?12 Unite13 all the forces in the nation capable of being united
in order to defeat14 the Japanese aggressor and build a new China15 that is
independent, free, democratic, united, prosperous, and strong, strive for the bright
future, and oppose a dark future.16 This is our task.17
Is it possible for us and for the people of China to realize this task? I believe it
is.18 (1) China not only has another political party, it also has a powerful
Communist Party with rich experience and a membership of 1.21 million. (2)
China not only has other areas but also has powerful liberated areas with a
population of 95.5 million, an army of 910,000, and a militia of 2.2 million. (3) The

support of the masses throughout the country. (4) The support of innumerable
people in the whole world.19 With these conditions,20 it is entirely possible to
defeat the aggressors and build a new China.
We must have a correct policy. The fundamental point of our policy is to unite
all possible forces within the whole nation and around the world to21 defeat the
aggressors and build a new China.
In the twenty-four years of its existence since its birth in 1921 the Chinese
Communist Party has gone through three historical periods of heroic struggle—
the Northern Expedition, the Agrarian Revolution,22 and the War of Resistance
Against Japan—and has accumulated a wealth of experience. Now our Party has
become the center of gravity of the Chinese people’s struggle to resist Japan and
save the nation.23
We should be modest and prudent, guard against arrogance and rashness, and
serve the Chinese people heart and soul. We should struggle to unite them to
defeat the Japanese aggressors in the present and to build a new democratic state
in the future. Provided we do so, provided we have the correct policy, and
provided we make a united effort, we can definitely fulfill our task.
Down with Japanese imperialism!
Long live the liberation of the Chinese people!
Long live the Chinese Communist Party!
Long live the Seventh National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party!
Notes
Our source for this document is Mao Zedong ji, Vol. 9, pp. 179–82, where it is reproduced from Jiefang ribao,
May 1, 1945. Text in italics, below, reflects the original text, which was removed in the revised version
published in Xuanji in the 1950s (under the title “China’s Two Possible Destinies”); for more details, see
“Variants” in “Note on Sources and Conventions,” above, pp. lxi–lxvi.
affects the destiny of China’s 450 million people. China can have one of two destinies. Someone has written
a book about one of them; our congress represents China’s other destiny and we, too, shall write a book
about it. The aim of our congress is the overthrow of Japanese imperialism and the liberation of all the
people of China.
onditions:

--- Notes

1. Comrade Mao Zedong’s Opening Speech at the Seventh National Congress → China’s Two Possible
Destinies

2. [after “people.” add] → What is the significance of our congress? It is a congress, it should be said, that


3. The whole nation → All the Chinese people

4. In the West, the war against Fascist Germany is about to be successfully concluded. → In Europe, Hitler
will soon be overthrown. The chief theater of the world anti-Fascist war is in the West, where the fighting
will soon end in victory, thanks to the efforts of the Soviet Red Army. The guns of the Red Army can already
be heard in Berlin, which before long will probably fall.

5. Against Fascist Japan → To overthrow Japanese imperialism

6. We are → Our congress is

7. Victory. → Final victory in the anti-Fascist war.

8. Facing us and all of China’s people there is light and there also is darkness. → Two roads lie before the
Chinese people, the road of light and the road of darkness. Two possible destinies await China, a destiny of
light and a destiny of darkness.

9. The Japanese aggressor → Japanese imperialism

10. [after “strong” add] →, that is, a China full of light, a new China whose people have won liberation,

11. [after “weak.” add] →, that is, the old China. The new China or the old China—these are the two
rospects facing the Chinese people, the Chinese Communist Party, and our present congress.

12. What is our task? → Since Japan is not yet defeated and since the two prospects will still face us even
fter its defeat, how should we set about our work? What is our task?

13. Unite → Our sole task is boldly to mobilize the masses, expand the people’s forces and unite

14. In order to defeat → In order to struggle under our Party’s leadership to defeat

15. A new China → A bright new China, a China

16. Strive for a bright future, and oppose a dark future. → We must strive with all our might for a bright
uture, a destiny of light, and against a dark future, a destiny of darkness.

17. This is our task. → This is our one and only task! Indeed, it is the task of our congress, of our whole
arty, and of all the people of China.

18. Is it possible for us and for the people of China to realize this task? I believe it is. → Is it possible for
ur hopes to be realized? We believe it is. The possibility exists, because we already enjoy the following


19. The support of innumerable people in the whole world. → The support of the people of all countries,
nd especially of the Soviet Union.

20. With these conditions, → With these conditions—a powerful Communist Party, powerful liberated
reas, the support of the masses throughout the country and the support of the people of the world—can our
hopes be realized? We believe they can. China has never before enjoyed these conditions. Some have been
resent for a number of years, but never so fully as today. Our Communist Party has never been so powerful,
he revolutionary base areas have never had so large a population and so large an army, the prestige of the
Communist Party is higher than ever among the people, both in the Japanese-occupied and the Guomindang
reas, and the revolutionary forces of the Soviet Union and the people of all countries are stronger than ever
efore. One must say that, with these conditions,

21. Is to unite all possible forces within the whole nation and around the world to → Is boldly to mobilize
he masses and expand the people’s forces so that, under the leadership of our Party, they will

22. Agrarian Revolution → Agrarian Revolutionary War

23. [after “nation.” add] →, the center of gravity of their struggle for liberation and of their struggle to
efeat the aggressors and build a new China. China’s center of gravity lies right here where we are and
nowhere else.