News

The father, the daughter and their legacy with the CPC

Published

2 years ago

27/11/2021

MNN

Qu Duyi had a remarkable career as a journalist, covering momentous historical events.

In 1949, when Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), she was the one who broadcast it in Russian to the world.

She co-founded Xinhua News Agency’s Moscow bureau and was among the first correspondents stationed abroad from the PRC.

But, it was her father’s exemplary work and the family’s legacy with the Communist Party of China (CPC) through generations that brought her to the spotlight.

Her father, Qu Qiubai, was an early CPC leader and a revolutionary hero.

In 1920, he landed up in Moscow in search of ways to salvage China. There he researched and wrote about the changes after the October Revolution as a journalist, and listened to Vladimir Lenin’s passionate speeches.

He joined the CPC in 1922 and became one of its early leaders. Qu Qiubai earned acclaim as a writer, editor and theorist among his comrades. He was also fluent in Russian.

In 1935, Qu Qiubai was captured by enemy forces and was later executed. He walked through the gates of death unfazed, humming “The Internationale,” a song he had translated into Chinese. “Communism is the greatest ideal of humankind,” he said before the execution. “Sooner or later, it will be realized, and the CPC will win the final victory.”

Qu Duyi, then 14 years old, learned about her father’s death from a newspaper in the Soviet Union. She had not seen her parents for five years. They were called back at a time China was reeling under white terror and the Party’s underground activities needed them most.

It was an abrupt departure and Qu’s father sent her a postcard and flowers from Berlin on the way home.

“Was my father more of a scholarly gentleman or a revolutionary martyr? I was confused,” she said in a 2016 interview.

(160630) — BEIJING, June 30, 2016 (Xinhua) — File photo shows a family portrait of Qu Qiubai (R), a key leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in its early days, his wife Yang Zhihua (L) and their daughter Qu Duyi. Qu was an active leader of the cultural movement of the Chinese revolution and was once the president of the Red China News Agency, the name under which Xinhua News Agency was founded in 1931. Qu was captured and killed by the Kuomintang army in 1935. This year marks the 95th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC). (Xinhua) (wyl/wjq)

Qu was born in 1921, the same year the CPC was founded. Revolutionary vibes permeated her life early on.

At the age of seven, she had already helped her mother provide cover for delegates to cross the border to the Soviet Union to attend the CPC’s sixth National Congress. At a tender age, she understood that a communist is one who does good deeds for the people.

In the early 1940s, Qu and her mother were captured and imprisoned by enemy forces upon their return to China. During an interrogation when she was asked whether she would choose death or abandon the revolutionary, Qu said: “I always believe in communism and I won’t think twice. The Party is fighting for the interests of the nation… People’s liberation, rights, freedom and well-being are what I pursue. Death is glorious.”

By the time Qu was rescued and she formally joined the Party in 1946, she had known what lifelong dedication to communism really meant.

At the Party’s base in Yan’an, Qu and her husband used to work for Xinhua News Agency, and on Oct. 1, 1949, they truly saw the rise of “Xinhua” — meaning New China — with the founding of the PRC. A day Qu said she never forgot.

“The most exciting part was when Chairman Mao announced the founding of the central government of the PRC,” she said in a memoir. Fourteen years after her father’s martyrdom, the day turned a new page in history.

File photo taken on Oct. 1, 1949 shows Qu Duyi broadcasting the news of the founding of the People’s Republic of China to the world in Russian. (Xinhua)

Qu was called to the state radio station where she broadcast Chairman Mao’s speech to the world in Russian. It made her the first journalist to report the PRC’s founding to a global audience.

In March 1950, Qu and her husband were among the first correspondents China sent abroad. They helped build Xinhua’s Moscow bureau from scratch. They dispatched many first-hand reports about the Soviet Union for the audience of the young people’s republic.

At times, Qu would double as a translator for the Chinese embassy. She did interpretations for the then premier Zhou Enlai and the visiting Chinese delegations.

Qu started working with Xinhua’s international news department in Beijing in 1978 and retired in 1982.

In 2021, prior to the Party’s centenary, Qu was awarded the July 1st Medal, the highest honor of CPC, becoming the only journalist to receive the title.

“The CPC is 100 years old. So am I,” she said in a June interview.

On Nov. 26, Qu passed away in Beijing, marking an end to her extraordinary life. But her remarkable works and the family’s legacy shall live on.

News

Foreign observers impressed with election arrangements

Published

21 hours ago

23/04/2024

Foreign observers have praised the voting arrangements made by the Elections Commission (EC) for the this year’s parliamentary election.

A total of 19 international observers from nine different countries visited the Maldives to observe the election for the 20th parliament assembly. The observer groups consisted of elections commissioners and chief elections commissioners of the foreign countries.

The chair of the foreign observers team spoke with the local media, noting they monitored the elections by splitting the team into four groups.

The observers team chair also highlighted peaceful proceedings across the all polling stations from commencement until the end, and singled out the installation of fans for voters in waiting areas.

“It is delightful to see that 90% of the elections officials were women. Vote counting had begun almost immediately after polling closed, which too proceeded peacefully,” the observers team chair commented.

Besides this, majority of the observers had praised the use of technological equipment in the voting as well. Nelson Sallis, the election monitor from the Philippines highlighted the voter’s details could be accessed promptly using the tablets used by the officials, which allowed voters to cast the ballots faster.

“This was an exemplary usage of technology by the Maldives Elections Commission,” Nelson said.

The monitors unanimously singled out the lack of any notable confrontations or commotions at the polling stations during the election, and praised the Elections Commission for it.

Source(s): sun.mv

World

Biden tells Zelenskyy new arms will be provided quickly to Ukraine

Published

21 hours ago

23/04/2024

U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over phone on Monday that his administration will soon quickly provide additional arms to Ukraine once a bill authorizing related funds clears Congress and becomes law.

“President Biden shared that his administration will quickly provide significant new security assistance packages to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield and air defense needs as soon as the Senate passes the national security supplemental and he signs it into law,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

Biden was referring to the $61 billion aid for Ukraine that the House passed Saturday. The measure, now bundled with other foreign aid funding, will be voted on as a comprehensive national security supplemental appropriations bill in the Senate this week, with passage all but certain and Biden pledging to sign it as soon as it reaches his desk.

“President Biden also underscored that the U.S. economic assistance will help maintain financial stability, build back critical infrastructure,” the readout said, adding that the economic assistance will also “support reform as Ukraine moves forward on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.”

Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the new aid from Washington is expected to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense as well as its long-range and artillery capabilities.

The Ukrainian president also discussed with Biden the work on a bilateral security agreement and the preparations for the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland slated for mid-June, he said.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X on Saturday that senators have reached an agreement to vote on the national security supplemental on Tuesday.

Source(s): CGTN

News

President invites political leaders’ involvement for nation’s progress

Published

21 hours ago

23/04/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has urged all political leaders to refrain from political rivalry and to exert collaborative efforts, aiming for the nation’s expedite development. The remarks were made by the president in the event held to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the parliamentary elections.

Speaking at the event, President Dr. Muizzu affirmed that the projects and plans made by the government will be executed and completed at an accelerated rate, following PNC’s victory. The president assured that with the new Parliament, the international community will comprehend the significance of independence and freedom of expression to the Maldivians. On this stance, he invited all political leaders to participate and exert collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable development in a timely manner. He additionally ensured that no individual will be discriminated based on their parties.

Furthermore, President Dr. Muizzu stated that it is a responsibility of all individuals to contribute to the development of the nation. The president urged boosting communal harmony and bolstering Islamic values as well.

Source(s): PsmNews