President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to “consolidate and develop harmonious, friendly, cohesive, and pure internal relationships.” Recently, reports about an instructor at a battalion of a certain regiment of the army who had served for over three years, adhering to the practice of “mobile accommodation” and carrying backpacks to join individual squads and platoons, sparked heated discussions within the grassroots military units. This instructor’s approach has enabled the deepening of the camaraderie of “being comrades with one's fellow soldiers” within the framework of “cadres living among the troops and key personnel stationed in platoons,” effectively bridging the relationship between officers and soldiers, fostering mutual understanding, emotional resonance, and harmony between words and actions.

“Is it said that there is no clothing? I share my cloak with you.” The strong camaraderie between officers and soldiers is a unique political advantage and a cherished tradition of our military. It is a distinctive feature that sets us apart from other armies, and it is also a crucial safeguard in overcoming all difficulties and dangers. Looking back at the history of our military, stories of comrades who were inseparable in life and death, their love and sincerity shining like stars: During the Long March, the head of the supply department who was responsible for clothing would rather endure the cold himself than give away the warm coats to the soldiers, “leaving the hope of survival for my comrades”; During the War of Liberation, the “companions who share life and death” were tasked with protecting the main force’s retreat. The entire company’s officers and soldiers fought alongside an enemy that outnumbered them by dozens of times for over 80 days without a single soldier falling behind. In the new era, facing danger, Du Fu-gu led his comrades to retreat and decisively chose, “Let me go…”. From the days of revolutionary warfare to the era of peaceful construction, it is this deep-seated camaraderie, epitomized by the phrase “share a cloak with one’s comrade,” that has become a firm foundation for generating combat effectiveness and has forged the military’s unyielding spirit of invincibility.

“Comrades, comrades! This endearing term, this lofty friendship, has united us into a steel-reinforced collective… A song titled ‘Comrade’s Song’ captures the essence of camaraderie. In peacetime, we are like brothers; only in wartime can we depend on each other’s lives and deaths. By enhancing ‘trust indices’ in peacetime, we can improve ‘victory indices’ in wartime. The times and environments are constantly changing, but the sentiment of ‘sharing hardships with one another’ cannot change. Modern warfare is a confrontation between systems and systems, a competition between systems and systems, which requires even greater coordination, close collaboration, and high levels of trust. The requirements for revolutionary camaraderie among comrades have not diminished; rather, they have become more stringent and profound.

The power of emotions is awe-inspiring and inherently a form of combat capability. Revolutionary camaraderie does not develop naturally; rather, the bonds of camaraderie forged through shared hardships must be actively cultivated and nurtured with care. The essence of emotional bonding lies not in slogans but in action; not in formality but in sincerity. The traditional virtues of understanding and loving soldiers, and using emotions to lead them, will never become obsolete. Systems like “Five Togetherness” and “Three Mutualities” will always retain their vitality. To build a “bridge of unity” for communication between officers and soldiers, and to integrate into the “WeChat Moments” of the soldiers, one must genuinely understand and care for soldiers, show genuine affection, and exert sincere efforts in leading them, thereby fostering a cohesive force characterized by mutual reliance and collective solidarity.

The difference between “comrades” and “friends” lies in the word “war”. Comrades are comrades because of their shared experiences in “war”. Building camaraderie akin to that of fellow soldiers in the new era requires solidifying and elevating this relationship through practical training. Soldiers are born to conquer. As a common goal for officers and soldiers, enhancing combat capabilities and winning future wars cannot be achieved without mutual trust and seamless collaboration. Only by sharing hardships together on the training ground and fighting shoulder-to-shoulder during missions can true “trust in putting one’s back to a comrade” be established.

The deep camaraderie forged in battle depends not only on the “mutual effort” of officers and soldiers, but also requires systems to support and sustain it. As early as 1937, Comrade Mao Zedong summarized three key principles of our military’s political work, one of which was unity between officers and soldiers, emphasizing “living together in shared hardships and joys.” On this new journey, party organizations at all levels and those in charge of troops should find ways to facilitate open communication channels and improve institutional mechanisms, so that the close relationship between officers and soldiers can transition from “one-time events” to a “normal and sustainable” state. This will undoubtedly enable the camaraderie of “sharing hardships with comrades” to be passed down through generations and never fade away. (Looking into the New Era)