China Daily:

This year, the CPC Central Committee will award the July 1 Medal for the first time, and also honor those who have been Party members for at least 50 years with commemorative medals for the first time. Could you please share some more information with us on this? Thank you. 

Fu Xingguo:

Thank you for your question. Let me start by talking about the selection and awarding of the July 1 Medal.

In order to mark the centenary of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee has decided to award the July 1 Medal for the first time. In accordance with the intra-Party award regulations of medals and honorary titles released by the CPC Central Committee in 2017, the July 1 Medal, which has been initiated by the CPC Central Committee, represents the highest honor of the CPC. In general, it will be granted every five or 10 years to celebrate major anniversaries of the CPC.

Candidates for the July 1 Medal must meet four requirements: First, they must adhere to firm ideals and convictions, and be loyal to the Party. They must strengthen their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment. They must enhance confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position in both the CPC Central Committee and the Party as a whole as well as the CPC Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. Second, they must have made outstanding contributions to China's revolution, construction and reforms, as well as to the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the battle against poverty and the great new project of Party building. Third, they should be role models in terms of morality and conduct, and should have created precious spiritual treasure. Fourth, they should have significantly influenced the Party and the whole society and received high praise. 

The selection process of the July 1 Medal will follow the correct political direction and sound political criteria, and will also focus on achievements. It will follow the principles of openness, justice and equity, and strictly implement the selection procedures, which will include the following steps: nomination, preliminary review, examination, deliberation and public announcement. The CPC Central Committee will hold a grand ceremony to present the medals ahead of July 1 this year. At present, the relevant work is well underway as planned.

Moreover, ahead of July 1 this year, the CPC Central Committee will honor a group of outstanding Party members and Party affairs workers and advanced primary-level Party organizations. 

Next, I would like to share some information on the "Glorious 50 Years in the CPC" commemorative medals.

The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to giving incentives, care and assistance to Party members, especially to senior Party members. In accordance with the measures of the CPC to give incentives, care and assistance to its members released in 2019, those who have been Party members for 50 years or longer, and have consistently performed well in their roles, will be awarded the "Glorious 50 Years in the CPC" commemorative medal. 

According to the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, the commemorative medals will be awarded for the first time ahead of July 1. This is an important part of the CPC centenary celebrations. The recipients will be living CPC members who have been Party members for 50 years or longer as of July 1, 2021, who have consistently performed well in their roles. Those veteran Party members have dedicated their life to the cause of the Party. The awarding of commemorative medals to them demonstrates the care and commendation of the CPC Central Committee. It will help Party members enhance their sense of honor, of belonging and of mission, and will encourage generations of CPC members to continue to dedicate themselves and struggle. It will also pool the collective strength of all Party members to achieve the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. 

Currently, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee is organizing the design and manufacturing of the commemorative medals to ensure that over 7.1 million eligible senior Party members will receive them before July 1, and truly feel the care and warmth from the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.

Thank you.