2021-07-08
On the occasion of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the CPC Central Committee has decided to posthumously award Lu Guanqiu, founder of Wanxiang Group, former secretary of its Party committee and Chairman of its Board of Directors, the title "National Excellent Communist Party Member".
It is pointed in the Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Commending National Excellent Communist Party Members, National Excellent Party Workers and National Advanced Grass-roots Party Organizations that, "The excellent individuals and advanced collectives commended this time are outstanding representatives of all fronts. Their exemplary deeds and lofty spirit make clear to all the Party's ideals, beliefs and tenets, inherit and carry forward the glorious tradition of the Party, fully demonstrate the fruitful results of the Party's cause and Party building, and vividly show the pioneer image of Communists in the new era." The CPC Central Committee calls on all Party members to follow the examples of the commended outstanding individuals in remaining firm in ideals and convictions, practicing the fundamental tenets, taking the lead in tackling difficulties and challenges, and maintaining honesty and uprightness, carrying on the hard work in building a modern socialist country in all respects, winning the great victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
In his 55 years of entrepreneurial endeavors and 48 years of running Wanxiang, Comrade Lu Guanqiu had always listened to the Party and followed the Party. General Secretary Xi Jinping commented on him, "He has aligned himself with the CPC Central Committee, and has always actively accomplished all that is advocated by Party committees and governments at all levels." He gave such compliments to him as that he "has kept pace with the times, and always walked on the right path", and that he "has unfailingly pondered over Wanxiang, allowing Wanxiang to be the trend setter all the time."
He remained firm in his ideal and conviction and took the pursuit of communism as his lifelong ideal and practice. Since 1972, he had submitted seven Party membership applications, saying "I will follow the Communist Party of China my whole life", and finally joined the CPC in 1984. He held the belief that the development of the enterprise would not be possible without the correct leadership of the Party. Therefore, he established a Party branch in 1970, a general Party branch in 1986, and a Party committee in 1991, innovatively carrying out Party building work, and leading the staff to make persevering and earnest efforts in their posts. Reform and innovation, getting rooted in the industry, "going out", nurturing agriculture with industry, developing new energy, planning Wanxiang Innovation & Energy-gathering City... He made every effort to integrate corporate goals into the great goals of the Party, and advance towards the ideal of communism from his job.
He practiced the tenets of the Party and took the road to prosperity for all as the basic principle for enterprise management. He believed that the fundamental realization of prosperity for all calls for the development of productivity. He led his employees to create, start businesses and innovate together, transforming tens of thousands of farmers into industrial workers and changing their destinies with the performance of "having the revenue increase tenfold after ten years' struggle". Thinking of the source after becoming rich and showing gratitude when wealthy, he kept on doing what he could for public good and charity in various ways, helping more people get rich after getting rich himself. He persisted in fostering aspirations for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and took part in the large-scale development of China's western region, rejuvenation of the northeast industrial base, and cooperation between underdeveloped mountainous areas and developed coastal regions to lead more people to prosperity after getting prosperous himself. He also firmly believed that material wealth without ideological depth could not be regarded as true wealth, and led people at Wanxiang to strive to achieve the elevation from material wealth to spiritual wealth by virtue of integrity, morality and the cultivation of the Party spirit.
With the conviction of achieving business prosperity through hard work, he contributed a kind of reform thought and exploration spirit to society through constant innovation and development. Characterized by being forced to search a way out due to poverty, breaking out of bottlenecks, expanding from the fields, getting a foothold with hard work, and gaining strength through innovation, the history of Wanxiang is a pioneering history featuring the tackling of difficulties and challenges. At the beginning of his business, he led people at Wanxiang to carry forward the "four thousands spirit" (traveling thousands of mountains and rivers, speaking thousands of self-promotional words, coming up with thousands of ways, and going through thousands of hardships), and had the enterprise survive under the harsh conditions of the planned economy. In the subsequent practical reform and development, such as contractual operation, shareholding reform, nurturing agriculture with industry, and development of new energy, he forged ahead with determination and perseverance regardless of the difficulties or lengthy processes. "With ideals, all difficulties become temporary and conquerable." Many "fanciful ideas" became reality, and the road to successful reform was found, allowing Wanxiang to avail itself of the benefits of the reform and realize the steady development of the enterprise.
He remained unchanged in character, and demonstrated his personal charisma in his life-long endeavors for ideals and convictions. While material living conditions improved, he insisted on tempering his ambition and morality with diligence and thrift, requiring that his daily life be "as simple as possible"; and cultivated an attitude of self-respect and self-discipline in personal life and a tenacious character in work through the practice of diligence and frugality in material life. He kept cultivating virtue and practicing self-discipline, requiring people at Wanxiang to do a good job in managing five kinds of people, namely one's superiors, one's subordinates, one's relatives and friends, one's children, and oneself. He led everyone to guard themselves against corruption and check erroneous ideas at the outset, engraining the clean-fingered culture in the minds of the people to ensure the healthy growth of individuals and the sound development of the enterprise, thereby winning the respect of society. At moments of achievements and honors, he reminded himself that "he has never had any ground for pride or reason for complacency", and kept on developing the enterprise in a down-to-earth way with modesty and prudence.
Comrade Lu Guanqiu's entrepreneurial deeds became "the existence that cannot be bypassed in the history of reform", and were included in A Concise History of the Communist Party of China, a designated book for the study and education of the Party history, and the "Red Ship Setting Sail" thematic exhibition of the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Museum. In the past three years since he passed away, he was awarded the title "Reform Pioneer" at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up in 2018, the title "Most Beautiful Struggler" at the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 2019, and the title "National Excellent Communist Party Member" posthumously at this year's celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. The recognition of the Party and the state is an honor, as well as a spur, which people at Wanxiang cherish very much and by which they are greatly invigorated. Feeling the glorious mission and heavy responsibility, they will move forward with infinite momentum.
Comrade Lu Guanqiu has left us with "the spirit of tackling difficulties and challenges without distractions, the righteous path spirit of making unwavering steps and upholding harmony, the persevering spirit of creativity, an optimistic spirit undisturbed either by favor or disgrace, and a virtuous and tenacious spirit of great harmony". Wanxiang takes the righteous path guided by integrity, and gathers energy to achieve success in great undertakings. People at Wanxiang will carry forward and practice the Lu Guanqiu spirit, always listen to the Party and follow the Party, and remain true to their original aspiration and keep their mission firmly in mind to forge ahead and keep up the hard work, further their input in clean energy and intelligent control of mobility, spare no effort in building Wanxiang Innovation & Energy-gathering City, do a better job in fostering aspirations for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, "make the air fresher", and pursue "development in rural areas, agricultural modernization, and prosperity of farmers", making new contributions in the new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, and the practical exploration of building a demonstration zone for common prosperity.