National model workers and advanced workers are vanguards in the construction of socialist material civilization, political civilization and spiritual civilization of our country. They are outstanding representatives of the Chinese working class and the broad masses of the working people. The great sense of responsibility as the master of the country, enterprising spirit and selfless devotion, remarkable work ethics and professional commitment that they display in their work have provided a driving force behind the progress of the times. They embody the noble spirit of the nation and deserve to be fully described as the elite of the nation, the backbone of the country, the mainstay of the Chinese society and the example of the people.

Since 1950, the Party Central Committee and the State Council have held 12 national conferences successively to commend a total of 10,667 advanced collectives and 22,297 advanced individuals. Since 1989, the National Conference of Model Workers and Advanced Workers has been taken place once every five years, with about 3,000 individuals commended each time.

Over the past five decades, the extensive publicity of model workers and advanced workers and their spirit has helped bring about the social trends of “learning from model workers, respecting them, caring for and supporting them”. The perception of “work is glorious, knowledge is noble, talents are precious and creativity is great” has deeply rooted in the hearts of the general public.

This year, the Party Central Committee and the State Council will convene a national conference in Beijing before the May Day holiday, where about 3000 national model workers and advanced workers will be commended.

Annex:

Previous National Conferences of Model Workers

1. National Conference of Model Workers, Peasants and Soldiers (1950)

This conference was held in Beijing from September 2 to 25, 1950, with 464 representatives present. The Central People’s Government awarded 464 individuals with the title of National Model Worker.

On September 25, the conference was inaugurated at the Huairen Hall of Zhongnanhai. Present at the conference were Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central People’s Government, and Zhu De, Li Jishen and Zhang Lan, vice chairmen. Zhu De presided over the opening ceremony, followed by opening remarks by Chen Yun and a congratulatory message from Mao Zedong. On September 26, Liu Shaoqi, Vice Chairman of the Central People’s Government, addressed the conference. On October 2, Li Lisan, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), made concluding remarks at the closing ceremony of the conference. A Letter of Tributes to Chairman Mao was approved at the conference.

2. National Conference of Advanced Workers (1956)

The conference was held in Beijing from April 30 to May 10, 1956, with 5,556 participants. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council conferred the title of National Advanced Collectives on 853 work units and the title of National Model Workers on 4,703 individuals.

On April 30, the conference was solemnly inaugurated at the Beijing Stadium with Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai and Zhu De present. Lai Ruoyu, President of the ACFTU, presided over the opening ceremony, Li Fuchun, Vice Premier of the State Council, delivered opening remarks and Liu Shaoqi, Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, extended a congratulatory message. Lai Ruoyu made a report to the conference on May 2. General Directors of the general offices of different departments under the State Council, Chairperson of the All-China Federation of Women (ACFW), Secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth League and President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences made special reports at the conference. The conference was concluded on May 10, with a closing speech by Zhu Xuefan, Vice President of the ACFTU. A Letter from the Entire Representatives of the Conference to the Workers and Staff Members across the Country was issued at the end of the conference.

3. National Conference of Advanced Collectives and Advanced Representatives of Socialist Construction in Industry, Communications and Transport, Capital Construction, Finance and Commerce (or “the National Gathering of Heroes”, 1959)

The conference was held in Beijing from October 25 to November 8, 1959, with 6,577 representatives present. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council cited 2,566 work units as National Advanced Collectives and 3,267 individuals as National Advanced Representatives.

The conference opened at the Great Hall of the People on October 25, with Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and Deng Xiaoping present. Liu Ningyi, President of the ACFTU, presided over the inaugurating ceremony, with a congratulatory message from Zhu De, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee. Li Fuchun, Vice Premier of the State Council, made a report to the conference. During the session, Vice Premiers Bo Yibo, Tan Zhenlin, Li Xiannian, Nie Rongzhen and Lu Dingyi, and Hu Yaobang, Secretary of the Youth League Central Committee, and Cai Chang, Chairwoman of the ACFW, made reports on special topics. Premier Zhou Enlai hosted a banquet in honor of all the representatives. At the closing ceremony on November 8, Premier Zhou presented commendation flags to all the delegations, followed by closing remarks by Zeng Shan, Member of the Central Committee of the CPC and Minister of the Communication Ministry of the Central Government. The conference approved a Telegram of Tributes to the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao, a Letter to the Workers and Staff Members across the Country, a Letter of Tributes to Brothers and Sisters from the Countryside and a Telegram of Tributes to the PLA.

4. National Conference of Advanced Collectives and Advanced Workers of Socialist Construction in Education and Culture, Healthcare, Sports and Media (or “the National Gathering of Heroes from Educational and Cultural Frontlines,” 1960)

The conference was called in Beijing from June 1 to 11, 1960, with 5,806 representatives present. 3,092 work units were awarded by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council with the title of National Model Work Unit and 2,686 individuals, the title of National Model Worker.

The conference was inaugurated at the Great Hall of the People on June 1, with Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Song Qinglin, Dong Biwu and Deng Xiaoping present. Lin Feng, Member of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, made a work report to the conference. Liu Ningyi, President of the ACFTU, addressed the conference and Premier Zhou hosted a banquet in honor of the entire representatives. The conference concluded on June 11, with a Telegram of Tributes to the CPC Central Committee and Chairman Mao approved. Lin Feng awarded all the representatives. At the end, Zhang Jichun, Member of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Cultural and Educational Affairs Office under the State Council, delivered closing remarks.

5. National Conference on Industries Leaning from Daqing (1977)

The conference was held in the Daqing Oilfield and Beijing respectively from April 20 to May 14, 1977. More than 7,000 representatives attended the conference. The Party Central Committee and the State Council awarded 2126 enterprises with the title of Daqing-type Enterprise or National Advanced Enterprise, and 385 workers, the title of National Advanced Workers.

The conference was inaugurated on April 20. Hua Guofeng, Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, presided over the opening ceremony, with opening remarks by Vice Premier Li Xiannian. Song Zhenming, Secretary of the Party Committee of Daqing City, gave a report on the basic experience of the city. On April 27, the conference was resumed in Beijing. Entrusted by the Party Central Committee, Yu Qiuli, Vice Premier of the State Council, delivered a report to the conference. The conference was rounded off on May 14, with a closing speech by Vice Premier Ji Dengkui. Vice Premiers Wang Zhen and Gu Mu presented Glory Rosettes to the representatives.

6. National Science Conference (1978)

The conference was held in Beijing from March 18 to 31, 1978, with about 6,000 participants. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council conferred the title of National Advance Collective on 826 work units and the title of National Advanced Scientific and Technological Worker, on 1,213 individuals.

The conference was inaugurated at the Great Hall of the People on March 18. Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, Hua Guofeng, presided over the opening ceremony, along with a work report by Deng Xiaoping, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Government and Vice Premier of the State Council. On March 24, Hua Guofeng made a report at the conference. On March 31, the conference was concluded with a written speech by Guo Moruo, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and closing remarks by Ji Dengkui, Vice Premier of the State Council. In addition, Vice Premier Fang Yi presented certificates to advanced collectives and individuals.

7. National Conference on Finance and Commerce Learning from Daqing and Dazai (1978)

The conference was held in Beijing from June 20 to July 9, 1978, with over 5,000 representatives. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council conferred the title of Daqing-type Enterprise on 736 financial and commercial enterprises, and the title of National Model Workers and Advanced Workers, on 381 individuals at the Conference.

The conference was inaugurated at the Great Hall of the People on June 20. Hua Guofeng, Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, chaired the opening ceremony, where Li Xiannian, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, delivered a speech. The conference was rounded off on July 9, with closing remarks by Vice Premier Fang Yi. Vice Premiers Chen Yonggui, Wang Zhen and Kang Shi’en presented Glory Rosettes to advanced collectives and workers.

8. National Conference of Advanced Enterprises and Model Workers in Industry, Transport and Capital Construction (1979)

The conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 28, 1979. 340 representatives attended the Conference, at which 118 National Model Work Units and 222 National Model Workers were commended by the State Council.

Present at the conference were Hua Guofeng, Ye Jianying, Deng Xiaoping and Li Xiannian.
Kang Shi’en, Vice Premier of the State Council, presided over the conference and read out
the commendation decisions. Li Xiannian, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and
and Vice Premierof the State Council, delivered a speech. Leaders of the Party and the State
presented awards to representatives of model units, and certificates and medals to model
workers. At the end, representatives issued a written appeal to the workers and staff members working on the frontlines of industry, transport and capital construction.

9. National Conference of Advanced Work Units and Model Workers in Agriculture, Finance and Commerce, Education, Public Health and Scientific Research (1979)

The conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on December 28, 1979. 691 representatives participated in the conference, at which 351 work units and 340 were awarded the title of National Advanced Unit and the title of National Model Workers respectively.

Present at the conference were Hua Guofeng, Deng Xiaoping and Li Xiannian. Vice Premier Yu Qiuli chaired the conference and read out the commendation decision. Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Li Xiannian delivered a congratulatory speech. Leaders of the Party and the State presented Special Awards of the State Council to representatives of national advanced units, and certificates and medals to the national model individuals. Shi Laihe and Liu Jinghui, national model workers, read out an open letter of appeal from national model work units and model workers respectively.

10. National Conference of Model Workers and Advanced Workers (1989)

The conference was held in Beijing from September 28 to October 2, 1989. 3065 representatives attended the conference, at which 2,790 workers were conferred by the State Council the title of National Model Worker and Advanced Worker.

On September 28, the conference opened at the Great Hall of the People, with Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Yang Shangkun and Wan Li present. Ni Zhifu, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and President of the ACFTU, presided over the opening ceremony. Li Peng delivered a speech on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. Leaders of the Party and the State presented awards to representatives of model workers and advanced workers.

11. National Conference of Model Workers and Advanced Workers (1995)

The conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 29, 1995. About 3,059 representatives attended the conference, with 2,873 individuals awarded with the title of National Model Worker or National Advanced Worker.

Present at the conference were Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Qiao Shi, Li Ruihuan, Zhu Rongji, Liu Huaqing and Hu Jintao. The Conference was chaired by Luo Gan, State Councilor and Secretary General of the State Council. Jiang Zemin, General Seceretary of the CPC Central Committee, made an important speech at the conference. Zhou Jiahua, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, read out the Decisions of the State Council to Cite National Model Workers and Advanced Workers. Bao Qifan, a model worker, read out an open letter, appealing for hard work to set good examples in reform, development and stability.

12. National Conference of Model Workers and Advanced Workers (2000)

The Conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 29, 2000, with 2,946 being awarded with the title of National Model Worker or National Advanced Worker by the Party and the State Council.

Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Li Ruihuan, Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing and Li Lanqing were present at the conference, which was chaired by Zhu Rongji, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council. Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State and Chairman of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, made an important speech. Wang Zhongyu, State Councilor and Secretary General of the State Council, read out the Decisions of the State Council to Commend National Model Workers and Advanced Workers. Li Huangxi, a national model worker, read out an open letter of appeal.