At the celebration commemorating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, President Xi succinctly summarized the outstanding qualities of our Party, stating that our Party “leads the country and the nation forward in accordance with the logic of historical progress and develops in line with the trends of the times.” One of the key reasons for this is that “we are keenly aware of China’s national conditions and the themes of the times, and are proactive in adapting to changes and seeking new opportunities.”

Those who discern trends are wise, those who master them achieve success, and those who strategize around them thrive. The methodology of “recognizing change, adapting to change, and seeking change” deeply embodies the ideological line of seeking truth from facts, the strategic thinking of considering the overall situation, and the practical wisdom of adhering to principles while adapting to circumstances. It consistently embodies the essence of Marxist truth, is deeply rooted in the philosophical wisdom of excellent traditional Chinese culture, and fully demonstrates the historical initiative spirit of the Chinese Communist Party.

Currently, changes in the world, the times, and history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. The characteristics of technological changes, changes in warfare, and changes in adversaries are becoming increasingly prominent. These changes contain opportunities. Those who are wise adapt to the times. To achieve the goal of building a strong military within one hundred years and to advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces at a high quality, we must align ourselves with the trends of the times, persist in seeking innovation, progress, and breakthroughs amidst change, and gain advantages, take the initiative, and secure a future by actively recognizing, adapting to, and seeking change.

Understanding change requires foresight, testing one’s perspective and insight. In traditional Chinese medicine, before prescribing a remedy, the practitioner must first examine the patient. Only when the pulse is accurately taken can the correct remedy be prescribed. Similarly, in one’s professional endeavors, failing to recognize changes in the current situation, distinguishing between advantages and disadvantages, and understanding the principles of rise and fall will result in missing opportunities and falling behind in the tide of time. To understand change scientifically, we need to make good use of Marxism’s telescope to “recognize trends,” accurately judging the tendencies of internal contradictions within things. This involves both recognizing the form of change and understanding the momentum of change. We need to employ Marxism’s microscope to “recognize early signs,” paying attention to “the tip of a green apple” and “the mast’s tip” to gain insight and understand even the smallest changes. We must also use Marxism’s perspective lens to “recognize substance,” distinguishing between quantitative changes and qualitative changes, superficial variations and substantive transformations, short-term fluctuations and long-term, trend-driven changes, cyclical changes and structural changes. By deeply grasping the interactions between our own development and the external environment, we can seize new opportunities and create new advantages.

Adaptability is a form of capability that demonstrates responsibility and executional power. “It is not about adhering to established norms, but about adapting to changing circumstances.” The key to effectively recognizing changes lies in scientific adaptation. Adaptability is a hard skill that involves responding to challenges as they arise. How can we address the bottlenecks in the process of transformation and development? How can we overcome the weaknesses and gaps in military preparedness? How can we overcome the obstacles and bottlenecks in planning and execution? Adaptation is not about passively coping with problems or patching up issues as they arise; rather, it is about taking proactive measures with a focus on the future. The core of adaptation lies in grasping the dialectics between “danger” and “opportunity.” We should neither stubbornly cling to outdated methods nor act impulsively and innovatively. Instead, we should seek motivation from reform and vitality from innovation, adapt to local conditions, circumstances, and situations, take the initiative to play the “first move” in turning challenges into opportunities, and fight the “active battle” for transformation and upgrading. Only in this way can we firmly grasp the initiative in development.

Seeking change is a state of mind that embodies ambition and creativity. If recognizing change is about upgrading one’s understanding and adapting to new situations proactively, then seeking change involves actively stepping out of one’s comfort zone, breaking free from old constraints, and cultivating new advantages. The times have never favored those who adhere to tradition and content with the status quo. Opportunities have always belonged to those who are willing to innovate and take bold steps forward. Currently, the pace of military construction and development is accelerating, and the scope and field of military practice have expanded significantly. At the same time, there are also many areas where construction concepts and approaches need improvement. Only by maintaining a clear awareness of seeking change, cultivating the courage to do so, firmly believing in its importance, and enhancing one’s abilities in this regard, by working to improve outdated guidance methods, transforming stagnant and rigid thinking patterns, breaking free from narrow and limiting path dependencies, can we continuously gain vitality and dynamism for development. We must fully prepare for the decisive battle to achieve the goal of building a strong military by the year 2035, and resolutely fulfill the new mission entrusted by the Party and the people in the new era. (Looking into the New Era)