People gathered along Chang’an Avenue in Beijing to bid farewell to their respected Premier on Jan. 11, 1976.

January 8, 2018, marked the 42th anniversary of the death of late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. Every year, Chinese people remember the “for the people” Premier. This year, People’s Daily Online compiled some moments of his life to pay tribute to him.

In 1976, the country fell into grief after the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) passed away at the age of 78. On Jan. 11, millions gathered along Chang’an Avenue in the capital to bid farewell to their respected Premier.

Zhou Enlai delivered his final report on the work of the government at the fourth National People’s Congress in 1975.

On January 13, 1975, the 77-year-old Premier delivered his final report on the work of the government at the fourth National People’s Congress. Zhou, who was suffering from cancer at that time, finished his 5,000-word report in half an hour, and noted his wish of realizing the “Four Modernizations.”

Since the founding of the PRC, Premier Zhou Enlai stressed the importance of national defense and peaceful diplomacy.

National defense has to be enhanced to safeguard democracy and independence, said Zhou in June 1950. He contributed to the national defense of the newly-established country by modernizing and standardizing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), supporting the manufacturing of military products, and strengthening frontier and coastal defenses.

Zhou Enlai reviewed the PLA Navy in 1957.

Against an unfavorable international situation, Premier Zhou spoke at the Bandung Conference held in Indonesia in April 1955, advocating the principle of “seeking common ground while reserving differences” and suggesting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as the basis for establishing friendly and cooperative relations between countries of different social systems.

Now, China has entered into a new era, with more confidence and a stronger voice.

The global community is seeing a stronger China with a diplomacy pattern in all dimensions and at all levels, and it acknowledges its presence on the global stage and responsibility as a big country through the “Belt and Road” Initiative, G20 Hangzhou Summit, BRICS Xiamen Summit, and other multilateral diplomatic activities.

It is hoped that every soldier will work hard to build a stronger navy for the peace in the Far East and the world at large, Zhu wrote in 1957, after watching the PLA navy’s first parade to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the PLA. Six decades later, the world witnessed the Zhurihe military drill, China’s first self-developed aircraft carrier, and other achievements made to safeguard national defense and world peace.

Zhou Enlai welcomed Richard Nixon in Beijing in February 1972.

Now, China is the world’s second largest economy and people all around the globe are learning Chinese language. When then American President Richard Nixon paid a state visit to China in 1972, Premier Zhou made a small wish for China to have its own communication satellite. Nine years later, China succeeded in testing its first communication satellite. Today, the country leads in quantum communication technology and serves the globe with its self-developed Beidou satellite system.

Premier Zhou once said that China should satisfy the basic needs of people living in such a country with large population. By 2020, China will become a well-off society and all the people living under poverty will be lifted out. In addition, a blueprint for development over the next three decades has also been mapped out, with the aim of making China a prosperous country.

Many wishes made by the Premier have been realized thanks to the persistent efforts of Chinese people driven by his vision. Premier Zhou Enlai is and will be always remembered by his country and countrymen.