September 15, 1954

[Opening address at the First Session of the First National People's Congress
of the People's Republic of China.]


Fellow Deputies,

The First Session of the First National People's Congress of the People's
Republic of China opens today in our capital, Peking.

The total number of deputies is 1,226 of whom 1,211 have registered for
attendance and 15 were unable to register on account of illness or for other
reasons and asked for leave of absence; 70 who registered cannot take part
today on account of illness or for other reasons. The actual number of deputies
present at today's meeting is 1,141, which constitutes a quorum.

The First Session of the First National People's Congress of the People's
Republic of China is charged with important tasks.

The tasks of the present session are:

To adopt a constitution;

To enact a number of important laws;

To adopt the report on the work of the government; and

To elect the new leading personnel of the state.

Our present session is of great and historic significance. It is a milestone
marking the new victories and advances of our people since the founding of
our People's Republic in 1949. The constitution to be adopted at this session
will tremendously promote the socialist cause in our country.

Our general task is to unite the whole people and win the support of all
our friends abroad in the struggle to build a great socialist country,
defend world peace and advance the cause of human progress.

The people of our country should work hard, do their best to draw on
advanced experience in the Soviet Union and other fraternal countries, be
honest and industrious, encourage and help each other, guard against boastfulness
and arrogance and gird themselves to build our country, which is at present
economically and culturally backward, into a great industrialized country
with a high standard of modern culture in the course of several five-year
plans.

Ours is a just cause. A just cause is invincible before any enemy.

The force at the core leading our cause forward is the Chinese Communist
Party.

The theoretical basis guiding our thinking is Marxism-Leninism.

We are fully confident that we can overcome all difficulties and hardships
and make our country a great socialist republic.

We are advancing.

We are now engaged in a great and most glorious cause, never undertaken by
our forefathers.

Our goal must be attained.

Our goal can unquestionably be attained.

Let all the 600 million people of our country unite and strive for our
common cause!

Long live our great motherland!

Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project.