Gloucestershire’s phlebotomists have brought their historic strike to a close after almost a year of action, leaving a legacy of determination – and a clear lesson about the power of solidarity in the face of anti-union laws and austerity, says FBU general secretary STEVE WRIGHT
IN JUNE I was one of the recipients of China’s top award for foreign writers on that country, officially described as: “The Special Book Award of China, sponsored by the National Press and Publication Administration of the People’s Republic of China, is the highest national award given to those who have made outstanding contributions in introducing contemporary China and promoting Chinese publications and related cultural products overseas.”
This award has been given to 188 people from 62 countries since its establishment in 2005. It was presented by Li Shulei, a member of the politburo of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
But, receiving this award, I couldn’t help thinking of the contrast between the extraordinary achievements of socialist China and another event I witnessed 30 years previously.
BEN CHACKO welcomes a masterful analysis that puts class struggle back at the heart of our understanding of China’s revolution
STEPHEN BELL reports from a delegation that traced the steps of China’s socialist revolution from its first modest meetings to the Red Army’s epic 9,000km battle to create the modern nation that today defies every capitalist assumption



