Xi Jinping’s statements on strengthening China through education are rooted in a profound historical context and reflect significant contemporary developments. This paper examines the historical foundations of Xi’s educational strategy, tracing its origins from the achievements of the new era, through the educational reforms of the past 40 years of opening-up, to the broader educational initiatives of the People’s Republic of China over the last 75 years. It also considers the century-long efforts of the Communist Party of China to transform the nation through education. Xi’s address at the National Education Conference articulated the core principles and pathways for strengthening China through education. He elucidated key relationships to be managed in this endeavor and outlined strategic tasks and measures to comprehensively advance this goal. This paper argues that Xi’s statements represent a new theoretical framework for educational development in China, constituting a significant advancement in the application of Marxist thought to Chinese education. As the guiding principle for achieving educational excellence by 2035, Xi’s vision for strengthening China through education carries profound implications across political, theoretical, practical, cultural, and global dimensions.