In October 1915, Soong Ching-ling married the founding father of the nation, Sun Yat-sen. (Online image)
[People News] November 12 marks the 160th anniversary of the death of Mr Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China. On this day, the Communist Party of China (CPC) held a prominent commemorative conference in Beijing, led by party leader Xi Jinping, who attended alongside all members of the Standing Committee and delivered a speech.
As in previous addresses, the CPC claims to be the successor to Sun Yat-sen, with Xi asserting that CPC members are "the most steadfast supporters, the most loyal collaborators, and the most faithful successors of Mr Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary cause." He stressed the importance of "learning from, inheriting, and promoting his invaluable spirit," which encompasses his "patriotic spirit," "concern for the people," "pursuit of truth," "unyielding perseverance," "advocacy for unity," "broad-mindedness," and "maintenance of national unity and ethnic solidarity," among other values.
It is clear that the CPC, while invoking Sun Yat-sen's name, is merely dressing its actions in a beautiful facade to deceive both the Chinese populace and the international community.
Those who understand history know that the CPC, which adheres to Marxism-Leninism, is the least devoted to China. It has been willing to sacrifice China's interests to protect the Soviet Union, colluding with the Japanese army for its own selfish purposes while secretly attacking the Nationalist forces. In its quest for power, it has destroyed the invaluable heritage left by thousands of years of ancient wisdom, toppling and persecuting countless intellectuals who embodied the traditional gentlemanly spirit. By introducing and indoctrinating Marxist-Leninist ideology, it has contributed to the moral decay of contemporary Chinese society and a decline in social ethics.
The assertion that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is 'concerned about the people' is utterly absurd. For over seventy years of rule, the CCP has caused suffering to tens of millions of Chinese citizens, and it continues to oppress the populace today, stripping them of their rights to free speech, belief, assembly, and other fundamental freedoms. Numerous incidents have demonstrated that the CCP, while loudly proclaiming 'serving the people' and 'putting the people first,' actually engages in actions that are deeply resented by the public. The CCP's loss of credibility and the widespread condemnation it faces serve as clear evidence of this.
Moreover, any claims that the CCP is learning from Sun Yat-sen's principles of 'pursuing truth,' 'advocating unity,' 'broad-mindedness,' and 'maintaining national unity and ethnic solidarity' are equally laughable. When has the CCP, which is rife with deceit, ever genuinely pursued truth? Is the CCP, which has inflicted harm on countless Uyghurs and Tibetans, truly advocating for ethnic unity? And does its so-called 'broad-mindedness' and 'maintenance of national unity' rely on infiltrating other nations, using financial incentives, and intimidation to achieve its objectives?
Ultimately, the saying remains true: the CCP, fundamentally infused with malevolent traits, will never sincerely embrace the spirit, beliefs, and principles of Sun Yat-sen. Its commemoration of Sun Yat-sen is primarily a means to seek legitimacy for its regime and to create a facade for its so-called 'peaceful reunification' of Taiwan.
In my opinion, the most crucial lesson the CCP should learn from Mr Sun is to avoid clinging to power.
On January 1, 1912, the Provisional Government of the Republic of China was established in Nanjing, with Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan) taking the oath of office as the Provisional President. On February 12, during the fourth year of Emperor Xuantong's reign of the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Longyu held the last court meeting with Emperor Xuantong in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. At this meeting, Longyu issued an abdication edict in the name of the emperor.
On February 14, Sun Yat-sen resigned from the Provisional Senate and recommended Yuan Shikai as the Provisional President. The following day, the Nanjing Senate conducted a presidential election, where Yuan Shikai was unanimously elected as the second Provisional President by representatives from seventeen provinces. On February 20, Li Yuanhong was re-elected as the Provisional Vice President. Although Yuan Shikai later pursued a path to restore the monarchy and ultimately faced disgrace, many believe this was a consequence of Sun Yat-sen's compromises and concessions to Yuan Shikai. Nevertheless, the peaceful transition of power between Sun Yat-sen and Yuan Shikai, without any outbreak of war, remains an undeniable fact.
So, why did Sun Yat-sen choose to step down? Researchers on the mainland have identified several reasons, including that, given the political climate at the time, Yuan Shikai was the most suitable candidate accepted by both northern and southern factions; financial considerations; and Sun Yat-sen's lack of concern regarding Yuan Shikai's potential betrayal of the republican system, as he swiftly enacted and published numerous laws and regulations during his brief tenure as Provisional President, particularly the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China, which could limit Yuan Shikai's power.
However, beyond these reasons, the most critical factor is that Sun Yat-sen was not attached to power.
Sun Yat-sen had long made a commitment to step down from power. In his oath of office as provisional president, he stated: "Once the despotic government is overthrown, there is no chaos in the country, and the Republic stands out in the world, recognised by the nations, at that time I shall resign from the position of provisional president." This means that Sun Yat-sen had already pledged to relinquish his position upon taking office, contingent upon the overthrow of the Qing government, the establishment of stability and peace in the country, and the recognition of the Republic by other nations.
On the second day after assuming office, Sun Yat-sen sent a telegram to Yuan Shikai, the Beiyang minister backed by the Qing court, indicating that if Yuan could "achieve the people's aspirations without resorting to war," specifically by having the Qing emperor abdicate and declaring a republic, he would be willing to step down. In subsequent telegrams to Yuan Shikai and northern military leaders, he consistently emphasised that his only goal was to achieve a republic, with no personal interests involved.
After Yuan Shikai successfully compelled the Qing emperor to abdicate, Sun Yat-sen honoured his promise. This is what makes Sun Yat-sen particularly admirable: his broad-mindedness, his lack of personal ambition, and his indifference to personal gain or loss. He once remarked: "I am here to accomplish great things for the revolution, not to seek personal power. As long as it benefits the country, I will not concern myself with personal gains or losses."
One might wonder, from Mao Zedong to Xi Jinping, how many top leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) possess such a mindset. Who among them has not reached the highest position and, in order to maintain the CPC's power, including their own authority, engaged in actions detrimental to the country and its people?
If the CPC genuinely wishes to learn from Sun Yat-sen, the first lesson should be to avoid clinging to power, to return authority to the people, and to elect a government that truly serves the common populace through universal suffrage. The question remains: can the CPC achieve this?
(People News first published) △
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