Salute to Marx!

by New Worker correspondent

Andy Brooks' tribute to Marx

Last weekend friends old and new, including diplomats from the Chinese and Cuban embassies, gathered at a reception at the NCP Party Centre in London to remember the life and times of Karl Marx, who died in London on 14 March 1883.
MC’d by NCP National Chairman, Richard Bos, guests paused for the formal part of the social to hear a number of speakers pay tribute to Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, the founders of the modern communist movement.
.The immense contribution that Marx and Engels made in the struggle for the emancipation of the working class can never be forgotten said Andy Brooks, the NCP leader whose sentiments were echoed by Michael Chant from the RCPB (ML) and  a member of the Metropolitan Cell & Supporters Group – as well as Dermot Hudson of the Korean Friendship Association and Theo Russell from International Ukraine Anti-Fascist Solidarity who also spoke about the work of their campaigns.
 And finally as no NCP event can ever end without a collection for the New Worker fighting fund Richard made the appeal which raised £200 for our communist weekly.

Red salute for Red October!

Andy Brooks stresses the role of the Bolsheviks

by New Worker correspondent

Millions upon millions of working people all over the world commemorated the  anniversary of the Great October Russian Revolution in 1917 last week. And last Saturday comrades and friends joined them at the NCP’s annual tribute to the 10 days that shook the world.
Representatives from other socialist and solidarity movements as well as members of the Chinese embassy gathered at the Party Centre in London to salute the Bolsheviks who established the first workers and peasants’ republic in November 1917.
Once again the New Worker print shop was transformed for a bar and buffet that paused only for the formal part of the social opened by the NCP’s national chair, Richard Bos.
NCP leader Andy Brooks paid tribute to the achievements of the Soviet Union during its existence and that of the people’s democracies and world communist movement that fights on for the liberation of humanity from oppression and exploitation.
Other speakers included Jiang Zhouteng from the Chinese embassy in London, Ian Donovan of the Consistent Democrats, British Posadist Marie Lynam, Dermot Hudson from the Korean Friendship Association and Theo Russell from the International Ukraine Anti-Fascist Solidarity movement.
No NCP event can end without a collection for the New Worker and Richard Bos continued the tradition with a rousing call in support the £10,000 special appeal. A Chigwell supporter who could not be with us had already given £2,000.  On the night others joined in to push the collection up to a stomping £2,385! 

The Eternal Thoughts of Karl Marx

By New Worker correspondent

Last weekend communists and friends gathered at a reception at the NCP Party Centre in London to remember the life and times of a great revolutionary thinker. Karl Marx died in London on 14th March 1883 but his memory lives on in his works, and those of his life-long comrade Frederick Engels, that are the foundation stones of scientific socialism.

MC’d by Richard Bos in the New Worker print shop guests paused for the formal part of the social to hear a number of speakers pay tribute to the immense contribution that Marx and Engels made in the struggle for the emancipation of the working class. They included Pablo Ginarte from the Cuban embassy, Theo Russell from the International Ukraine Anti-Fascist Solidarity campaign, Dermot Hudson from the Korean Friendship Association and an Italian comrade. Marx’s immense contribution to socialist thinking that we now call Marxism-Leninism can never be forgotten said Andy Brooks, the NCP leader, whose sentiments were echoed by Ian Donovan from the Consistent Democrats group and Marie Lynam from the British Posadists.

Traditionally no NCP event can ever end without a collection for the New Worker fighting fund and comrades rose to the occasion by raising £566 for our communist weekly.

74 years of victory!

Chinese artists entertaining the guests

By New Worker correspondent

NCP leader Andy Brooks joined diplomats, academics, businessmen and solidarity workers at a reception to mark the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China last week.
The ball-room of the Landmark Hotel in central London was packed with hundreds of guests celebrating the establishment of the people’s government on 1st October 1949. Chinese diplomat Yang Xiaoguang warmly welcomed the guests in an opening address in which he outlined the extraordinary achievements of China's economic and social development in the 74 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China. He pointed out that the fundamentals of the Chinese economy, characterised by strong resilience, enormous potential, great vitality and long-term sustainability, remain unchanged and that there is a bright future for China’s economic prospects.
China will solidly promote high-quality development with a people-centred approach, commit to high-level opening up and keep to the path of peaceful development. Recently exchanges between China and the UK, at various levels, have increased. 
On behalf of the British government Lord Johnson, the Minister of State for International Trade, spoke highly of China’s  economic miracle. He said that UK-China relations are crucial  and expressed readiness to strengthen engagement with China and jointly deal with major global issues.
During the reception a short film was screened showcasing China's economic and social achievements and artistic troupes from the Guangzhou province in southern China staged a wonderful cultural performance.

Welcome the Year of the Tiger

by New Worker correspondent

NCP leader Andy Brooks joined diplomats, politicians and businessmen at an online reception held by the Chinese embassy in London on Monday to welcome the Chinese New Year.
    Ambassador Zheng Zeguang delivered a keynote speech in which he said: “The Chinese New Year is also a festival of hope and aspiration. As a Chinese saying goes: “Plan for a successful year in the spring.” Spring is the season when nature comes back to life. It is also the time for making plans and getting down to business.
    “Looking around the world, the changes of the times are precipitated by the worst pandemic of the century. The world enters a new period of turbulence. What must we do to prevail over COVID‑19? What kind of a world do we want post pandemic?
    “At the 2022 World Economic Forum Virtual Session on 17th January, President Xi Jinping proposed and expounded China’s solution. He pointed out, countries need to embrace co-operation and jointly defeat the pandemic, resolve various risks and promote steady recovery of the world economy, bridge the development divide and revitalise global development, and discard Cold War mentality and seek peaceful co-existence and win–win outcomes.
    “In the Year of the Tiger, China will stay committed to pursuing high-quality development, to reform and opening-up and to promoting ecological conservation. We will continue to champion the common values of mankind. We will always be a defender of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of international order. And we will work with all countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind.”

Celebrating Vietnam’s freedom

 Nguyen Hoang Long (second from right) and British guests

by New Worker correspondent

Vietnamese ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long welcomed politicians, diplomats, journalists and members of the Vietnamese community in London at a celebration of Vietnam’s National Day at Claridge’s Hotel on Monday.
    NCP leader Andy Brooks and Rob Griffiths from the CPB joined the packed assembly in the ballroom of the Mayfair hotel for the first major diplomatic reception in the capital since the end of the lockdown. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Minister of State for Asia Amanda Milling and the Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace were also amongst the 500 or so guests at the commemoration of the Vietnamese declaration of independence from France on 2nd September 1945.
    On that day Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Hanoi, and the beginning of the struggle for freedom that finally ended with the defeat of US imperialism in 1975 and the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
    In his welcoming address, Nguyen Hoang Long underlined that the event also aimed to celebrate the friendship between Vietnam and its partners and all countries in the world.
    Highlighting the achievements that Vietnam has made after 35 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), the Vietnamese envoy noted that from a war-torn country, Vietnam has become the fourth leading economy in ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the 37th in the world, as well as one of the most open economies with the signing of 14 new free trade agreements and new generation deals.
    As a responsible member of the United Nations, Vietnam has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council twice, and performed excellently the role of ASEAN Chair twice, including in 2020 amidst the challenging situation due to COVID‑19, he said.
    The Vietnamese ambassador also spotlighted the growth of the Vietnam–UK strategic partnership over the years, including many high-level visits to each other. He underlined that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s participation in the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow this November and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son’s attendance at the G7-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will contribute to strongly boosting the bilateral partnership in the future.
    At the ceremony, the Vietnamese Embassy honoured several individuals and organisations in the UK for supporting Vietnam in COVID‑19 prevention and control activities. They have raised about $575,400 in cash and medical supplies for Vietnam.
    The embassy also auctioned three paintings by Vietnamese young painters for £6,700 for the COVID‑19 fight at home.
    Participants also had a chance to hear Vietnamese singer Nguyen Hong Nhung, see a photo collection featuring the tangible and intangible heritage of Vietnam, and enjoy Vietnamese cuisine.

Celebrating People’s China at the Guildhall

Chinese ambassador Liu Xiaoming says that mutual respect is the "anchor" of the China-UK "Golden Era" relationship and a key principle to ensure the steady and sustained development of the bilateral relations.

Liu was speaking at a reception on Monday, to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, at the Guildhall in the City of London,

This year also marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment  in 1949 of diplomatic relationship between China and the UK at charge d'affaires level in 1964.

"Our experience in the past 65 years tells us that when our two countries respect each other's core interests and major concerns, treat each other as equals, and seek common ground despite differences, China-UK relationship will move forward and even achieve leaps and bounds," Liu said.

The ambassador said open cooperation is the basis for common development as both China and the UK are supporters, practitioners and beneficiaries of free trade and open economy.

Liu called on the two countries to focus on development, leverage comparative strengths, dovetail strategies, and foster a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for the companies of the two countries.

"We should enhance cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative and in the areas of infrastructure, financial services, big data, clean energy, science and technology, and innovation," he said.

Meanwhile, Liu urged inclusiveness and mutual learning between the two countries, as China and the UK differ in social systems, history, culture and development.

The ambassador recalled China's development over the past 70 years, from a secluded and backward nation to become the world's second largest economy, with the GDP increasing by more than 450 times, from $30 billion in the early years of New China to more than $13.6 trillion in 2018,

China has led the world in the number of R&D professionals and invention patent applications for many years in a row. It also ranks second in the world in terms of R&D spending, he noted.

In China's relations with the world, the past 70 years also witnessed a tremendous change, said the ambassador.

"China is approaching the centre stage in world affairs, it is becoming more closely integrated with the world, and it is participating and taking the lead in building a better world," he said.

Meanwhile, amid the tremendous changes over the past 70 years, China has been unwavering in its values -- the pursuit of harmonious coexistence, between individuals, between man and nature, and between different countries, said the ambassador.

"China is committed to peaceful development and pursues the common good for all," Liu said.

Xinhua

Cuban National Day in London

By New Worker correspondent

Teresita Vicente welcoming guests

New Communist Party leader Andy Brooks joined diplomats, businessmen and solidarity workers at a celebration to mark Cuba’s National Day in London last week. Cuba’s Ambassador in London, Teresita Vicente Sotolongo, highlighted Cuba’s long relationship with Britain, which began with the brief occupation of Havana and other parts of the island during the Seven Years War with Spain in the 18^th century.

Britain maintained diplomatic relations with the socialist island throughout the Cold War and British–Cuban trade has thrived in recent years, boosted by the efforts of the Cuban tourist industry to attract more visitors from Britain and the rest of the European Union (EU).

Last November Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel stopped over in London following talks in China, Democratic Korea, Laos and Vietnam. There, he held talks with the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and members of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. and paid tribute to Karl Marx at a ceremony at the Marxist thinker’s tomb in Highgate.

Celebrating Red October

for the fund!

By New Worker correspondent

Communists all around the world celebrated the greatest event in the 20^th century last week in events to mark the 101^st anniversary of the Russian revolution that established the first workers and peasants republic, the USSR. On Saturday comrades and friends gathered to join them at the New Communist Party’s annual tribute to the Bolshevik victory in 1917.

The print shop was, as usual, was transformed into a bar and buffet for comrades to meet friends old and new and greet the honoured guests who joined us on Saturday to honour the generations who fought and built the Soviet Union.

The formal part of the event was opened by Party Chair Alex Kempshall, who introduced the speakers, all of whom were London activists well known to comrades in the room. Dermot Hudson from the Korean Friendship Association and Marie Lynam of the British Posadist movement both talked about the Russian revolution, the achievements of the Soviet Union and the relevance of the Bolshevik experience to the working class today.

NCP leader Andy Brooks spoke on the need to build the revolutionary movement in Britain to build the resistance to austerity and defeat all attempts to reverse the decision to leave the European Union at the 2016 referendum. He said that the Bolshevik revolution in 1917 inevitably led to the end of the first world war the following year and the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany was the decisive factor in ending the second world conflict in 1945.

Lenin and Stalin were following in the footsteps of the Paris Commune and the fires of 1917 continue to blaze in Cuba, Democratic Korea, China, Vietnam and Laos today. Although the counter-revolutions that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the people’s governments in eastern Europe were a setback, the world communist movement has revived and continues to fight for peace and socialism and national liberation all over the world.

Other comrades also spoke on this theme, including Theo Russell who pointed to the flag of the Donetsk People’s Republic in the Donbas on the wall and called on everyone to help build solidarity with the Donbas republics and the anti-fascist resistance in Ukraine.

Everyone spoke of the inspiration that the Great October Revolution had given to the oppressed all around the world. Workers, led by the Bolsheviks, had overthrown a mighty imperialist empire and then defeated the reactionary armies, backed by the imperialist powers, during the Civil War to build the Soviet state that turned an economically backward country, barely emerging from feudalism in some parts, into a world power.

  This was taken up by Alex in his appeal for the New Worker fighting fund to keep our communist press going, which raised £320 for our communist weekly!