China's Communist Youth League starts national congress

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) convened its 19th national congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday.

Leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state, including Xi Jinping, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, attended the opening to extend their congratulations. Cai Qi delivered an address on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

President Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as other leaders were greeted by enthusiastic applause when they arrived ahead of the opening.

On behalf of more than 73 million CYLC members, nearly 1,500 delegates from across the country attended the congress.

Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state, including Xi Jinping, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, attend the opening of the 19th national congress of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) to extend their congratulations in Beijing, capital of China, June 19, 2023. The CYLC convened its 19th national congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

In his address, Cai said under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the CYLC has taken Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its guide since the 18th CYLC national congress. The CYLC has strengthened its political consciousness, advanced nature and ability to represent the people, and enhanced its leadership, organization, and services.

Realizing China's Second Centenary Goal of building it into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization are the central task of the CPC and also the theme of the Chinese youth movement and the youth work in the new era, Cai said.

Cai urged the youth in China to strive to be the new era's great young generation with ideals, a sense of responsibility, grit, and dedication.

Continued efforts should be made to deliver new results that are worthy of the times and history, and true to the expectations of the people, Cai added.

Cai called on the CYLC to further unite the country's young people and lead them in forging ahead on the new journey and making still greater contributions in the new era.

Xu Liuping, secretary of the leading Party members group of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), extended congratulations to the congress on behalf of the ACFTU, the All-China Women's Federation, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and other people's organizations.

Xu called on people's organizations to continue carrying forward the fine tradition and fully leverage their strengths to jointly write a new chapter in the Party's work on people's organizations in the new era.

On behalf of the 18th Central Committee of the CYLC, A Dong, a member of the standing committee of the presidium of the congress, made a report on the work concerning young people, covering strengthening theoretical and political guidance for the youth, and mobilizing young people to serve as a fresh driving force of Chinese modernization.

Members of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat and leading officials of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission, attended the congress.