Photo: Li Keyang

 
Leaders always occupy a prominent position in our lives. In today's highly competitive and ever-changing society, everyone wants to be a leader and enjoy the feeling of leading the way. But who can be a leader? What qualities should they possess? There may be various answers, but I think the two most important ones are as follows.

First, leadership should include cooperation. A look around the world today shows that China is moving closer to the center of the world and there had not been a time that China showed its influence and charisma. "The Belt and Road Initiative" with China as the sponsor and participator   is a good case in point. Not only is China setting off a wave of opening up, but also it is creating a peaceful and cooperative atmosphere in the world. China has played a leading role and joined hands with the countries to build a community of shared future for mankind.

Without doubt, China is a leader in this area, but in my view, what makes “The Belt and Road Initiative” so attractive and dynamic is the cooperation which is embedded in leadership. A leader who has a good command of cooperating can unite all the available talents to push his team to success. Throughout the ages, too many leaders have failed to cooperate. Napoleon's failure to listen to advice led to Waterloo, Louis XVI's arrogance led to his death. These living examples all proved the significance of cooperation.

At its core, leadership should include dedication. As we all know, Karl Marx was an excellent leader who, despite numerous hardships, still insisted on leading people to the eternal truth. Marx's theory is our leader on the road of national construction which has brought about earth-shaking changes in China. He took it as his ideal to work for the welfare of all mankind, and devoted his whole life to the global revolution, showing extraordinary leadership and dedication. In his junior high school graduation examination, he wrote:"If we choose the profession that best serves the welfare of mankind, then the burden cannot overwhelm us, because it is the sacrifice of all. Then we shall not feel poor limited selfish pleasures, and our happiness shall belong to millions." Now, I want to ask you a question: When you were in junior high school, would you make it your life's ambition to lead the world for the better? And would you give your life for that?

In the end, Marx became an excellent leader, and the reason he received so much support, I think, was because of his dedication of his leadership. If leadership is the bright flower on the tree, then dedication is the foil leaf. If leadership is the wing that makes people fly, then dedication is the feather that makes the wings.

Of course, there's more to leadership than that, but these are the basics. In today's society, we emphasize the importance of leadership because we desire to move forward.

Charles Dickens once said: This is the best of times, this is the worst of times. Without great leaders , how can we have the confidence and ability to meet the "best of times"?

The greatest generosity to the future is to leave everything to the present. Let's start right now, dedicate ourselves to everyone, cooperate with others sincerely, make the cooperation as the foundation, dedication for the soul. When you do all of this well, you will quietly find yourself surrounded by followers --- you already have the leadership.