Party Honorees Share Stories at Beijing Press Conference
Representatives of the July 1st Medal recipients and national “Two Excellences and One Advanced” awardees met with Chinese and foreign journalists in Beijing on July 22, sharing their experiences in grassroots governance, special education, rural revitalization, and community service. The event, held at the State Council Information Office under the theme “Strivers on the New Journey,” showcased the Chinese Communist Party’s recognition of exemplary individuals across diverse sectors of society.
A Platform for Grassroots Voices
The press conference brought together five representatives from across China, each with a distinct story of service and dedication. According to People’s Daily, the event was designed to highlight the Party’s “mass line” approach and its emphasis on grassroots governance as the foundation of its legitimacy.
The Mediator: 38 Years of Grassroots Service
Ma Shanxiang, a July 1st Medal recipient and retired cadre from Chongqing’s Guanyinqiao Subdistrict, has spent 38 years working at the community level. As head of the “Old Ma Studio,” he has received over 20,000 visitors and mediated more than 2,500 disputes, developing the widely recognized “Old Ma Work Method.”
“Having worked at the grassroots for 38 years, I have witnessed the happy lives of the people rising step by step, from quantitative to qualitative change,” Ma said at the press conference. He recalled an elderly resident who told him: “Old Ma, now that the country is so good and life is so good, if I don’t live to 100, I would be letting down our Party!”
Building Unity in a Multi-Ethnic Community
Zhao Naixiang, Party Secretary of the Changcheng Garden Community in Yinchuan, Ningxia, leads a neighborhood of nearly 20,000 residents, 38 percent of whom belong to ethnic minorities. To foster harmony, she organizes “Thousand Family Feast” events during traditional festivals, where each household contributes a dish.
“Everyone sits together enjoying delicious food and chatting, melting away estrangement and deepening feelings, holding together tightly like pomegranate seeds,” Zhao said, as reported by China Civilization Network. Her community has established 23 volunteer teams, including matchmaking and caregiving groups, to address diverse resident needs.
Special Education: “Not One Less, Each Must Shine”
Liang Yan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Branch at Anyang Special Education School in Henan Province, brought a powerful visual to the press conference: oracle bone script porcelain carvings created by her hearing-impaired students. The artwork bore the inscription “Self-improvement and social commitment.”
“Special education is a conscience project,” Liang said. “For many years we have insisted on teaching according to aptitude, tailoring personalized growth plans for children.” Her school operates 14 special-interest clubs including dance, drum music, and porcelain carving, following the philosophy: “Not one less, each must shine.”
From Debt to Prosperity: A Rural Transformation
Zhong Baijun returned to Xijidang Village in Jiangsu Province in 1998 when it was burdened with debt and lacked industry. As Party Secretary, he developed a nylon granule recycling industry using local resources. By 2016, the village invested 120 million yuan to establish a company with villager shareholding.
“We have created a ‘Party branch + industrial chain + leading enterprises’ model,” Zhong explained. Last year, the village’s total industrial output reached 2.5 billion yuan, with collective operating income of nearly 15 million yuan. The village has since funded housing renovations, free medical care for residents, and a free canteen for the elderly.
Organizing the Gig Economy
Wang Kehao, a Party worker from Chengdu, Sichuan, has focused on integrating delivery riders and other gig economy workers into Party structures. Starting with just three members in 2021, his “Little Bull哥·Pioneer Riders” volunteer service team Party branch has grown to 13 members, with the volunteer team expanding to over 700 riders.
According to CCTV News, the branch has reported over 1,000 grassroots social governance leads and undertaken more than 850 volunteer service projects, including “Love Errand Running” initiatives that have assisted over 2,000 people with special difficulties.
Broader Significance
The press conference, held shortly after the 105th anniversary of the CPC on July 1, reflects the Party’s ongoing efforts to project an image of deep connection with ordinary citizens. The selection of representatives — spanning grassroots mediation, ethnic community governance, special education, rural development, and gig economy organizing — signals key policy priorities for the Party leadership.
The inclusion of Wang Kehao’s work with delivery riders is particularly notable, indicating the Party’s push to organize and integrate workers in China’s rapidly growing platform economy into its organizational framework.
What to Watch
As China continues to develop its grassroots governance model, the “Old Ma Work Method” and similar innovations may inform broader national policy. The emphasis on integrating new employment groups into Party structures suggests that the CPC is adapting its organizational approach to keep pace with China’s evolving economic landscape.
This article was compiled from reporting by People’s Daily, CCTV News, Xinhua News Agency, Guangming Daily, and China Civilization Network.