On January 9th, the National Conference of Veterans Affairs Department (Bureau) Directors was held in Beijing. The conference is guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 2nd and 3rd Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important statements and instructions on the work of retired soldiers, implementing the deployment of the Central Economic Work Conference and the National Conference on Retired Soldiers, summarizing work and deploying tasks, mobilizing the whole system to overcome difficulties, reform and innovate, and demonstrating new responsibilities and achievements on the new journey of the new era. The meeting believes that 2024 is a crucial year for achieving the goals and tasks of the 14th Five Year Plan. Veterans affairs departments at all levels are seeking reform, solving problems, and promoting development. The leadership of the Party is further strengthened, ideological and political guidance is enhanced, and the overall situation is actively served. Service guarantees are continuously optimized, and institutional mechanisms are gradually improved. New progress and achievements have been made in various work. The meeting stressed that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made a systematic deployment to further comprehensively deepen reform and promote Chinese path to modernization. The Department of Veterans Affairs was born out of reform, and the work of veterans has progressed due to reform. We must deeply grasp the major principles and scientific methods for further comprehensive deepening of reforms, focus on the major issues of concern to the Party Central Committee, the deep-seated problems that constrain the development of the cause, and the urgent and difficult problems that retired soldiers are concerned about. We must identify the key points and driving forces for deepening reforms in the field of retired soldier affairs, and coordinate the planning and promotion of various reform tasks. The meeting pointed out that in 2025, the work of retired soldiers should adhere to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, further deepen reforms comprehensively, effectively receive and resettle retired soldiers, provide good service guarantees, manage education, play their roles well, and safeguard their rights and interests. Efforts should be made to demonstrate new responsibilities and achievements in serving a strong country and military, and improving the level of service guarantees. Firstly, we must resolutely implement the important instructions and directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. The second is to strengthen the effectiveness of ideological and political work, guide retired soldiers to always maintain their revolutionary qualities, always listen to the Party, feel the Party's favor, and follow the Party. The third is to promote the refinement and implementation of regulations and policies, and improve supporting policies in combination with reality. The fourth is to fully serve the military in training and preparing for war, focusing on solving problems for officers and soldiers, and providing assistance to the military. Fifth, actively build a platform for officers to start businesses, and guide and promote the majority of ex servicemen to actively participate in the construction of Chinese path to modernization. Sixth, we will continue to improve the level of service guarantee, strengthen the work of pension and preferential treatment, increase efforts to assist those in need, and accelerate the construction of an information platform that connects the upper and lower levels. Seventh, we will focus on consolidating and optimizing the service system, effectively enhancing our service guarantee capabilities. Eighth, we will increase the efforts to commend martyrs, continue the red bloodline, and gather the strength for progress. (New Society)