Mark Levine. (COURTESY PHOTO)

    By Mark Levine

    After receiving my Ph.D. in sociology in 1976, I left the academic world.From that time until I came to China in 2005, I worked as what has come to be called a "public sociologist". In other words, rather than investing my time and energy into doing academic research, or working to implement US governmental policies, I literally gave my skills and training in an effort to change the conditions of life for low-income workers across the country. I say "literally" because throughout those 29 years I was a full-time volunteer organizer. I had come to understand that given the conditions faced by the poor in the U.S. at that time, the "ivory tower" academic world was too far removed from the problems these workers and the policies of government sociologists only served to exacerbate their problems. For that entire time I worked and lived side-by-side with those whose situation I had learned needed to be changed. Everyday, as I walked along the streets of desperate communities, I talked to those who were suffering, learned of their problems as we jointly discussed and then did what it was that was needed to rectify their situation.

    I could fix nothing, but together there was nothing that could not be done. With determination and perseverance, proper leadership and united action, there was nothing that could stand in the way. Having lived in China for the past  16  years  there  was  so  much  in President Xi Jinping's New Year address that was familiar to me and so much to be applauded.

    There is work in poverty alleviation, environmental and ecological protection, the serious effort in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Developments in science and technology are all impressive but given my own experience, there are other things in his speech that caught my attention even more.

    President Xi spoke frequently of his many trips around China that gave him a first-hand understanding of problems that brought him to see the critical need for solutions. He referred to his own experience of working in the countryside during his youth and the knowledge that provided him with of the severity of poverty that was faced by much of the population. This was an understanding that strengthened his own drive to eliminate the lack of food or clothing, absence of decent housing, the unavailability of quality education.

    He spoke of other journeys where he learned of environmental problems and saw the power of collective effort in overcoming these.

    While speaking of the critical role of the Communist Party, President Xi acknowledged the celebration of the first centenary of the founding the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2021. But throughout his speech he explained that while the CPC provided leadership  and  inspiration,  it  was  Chinese people who ultimately did the work to make all that progress happen.

    Addressing the need to continue to carry out the principles that laid the foundation for the Party's original founding, President Xi's call was not an empty one merely saying that we can do it. What he offered was much more than that. In fact what can be referred to as "a material manifestation of hope" beginning with what has already been done which can provide the necessary confidence and resources to continue on the path to even greater accomplishments.

    This idea was reinforced by President Xi's reference to a conversation between Chairman Mao and Huang Yanpei in Yan'an. And although details of this converation were not contained in this New Year address, it is important for us to remember the Huang's words from his 1945 book Return from Yan'an. "I think the most impressive quality of my friends in the CPC is that they constantly seek improvement and progress. If they bring this strength fully to bear, their further potential will be limitless."

    As I said in my song about the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, "The Future's Very Bright Ahead Led by the CPC."

    Dr. Mark Levine is an American sociologist who came to China in 2005. Now, he teaches at the English Department in the School of Foreign Studies in Minzu University of China.