On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, a grand commemorative gathering was held in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on July 1st, at which Comrade Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People’s Republic of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an important speech.
Among the key points made by Xi Jinping are:
One hundred and five years ago, amid the great awakening of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation and the close integration of Marxism-Leninism with China’s workers’ movement, the Communist Party of China was born. From that point on, the Chinese people and the Chinese nation had a most reliable backbone, and a China beset by internal turmoil and external aggression and mired in poverty and weakness embarked on an earth-shaking historical transformation.
Over these 105 years, our Party has held fast to its founding mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It has discerned the broad trends of world development, accurately grasped the changes in the principal social contradiction across different historical periods, and united and led the people of all ethnic groups in unremitting struggle. It has achieved the great successes of the new democratic revolution, of socialist revolution and construction, of reform and opening up and socialist modernisation, and of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, writing the most magnificent epic in the several-thousand-year history of the Chinese nation.
Leading the people through magnificent and great struggles, our Party overthrew the three big mountains of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism, established a New China in which the people are masters of the country, brought a definitive end to old China’s history as a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society, and achieved the historic leap in the people’s lives from inadequate food and clothing, to moderate prosperity in general, and then to moderate prosperity in all respects.
Through the great endeavours of revolution, construction, reform, and the new era, our Party has led the people through countless hardships to successfully open up and stay on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, completing in a few decades an industrialisation process that took developed countries several centuries, and producing the twin miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have demonstrated the powerful vitality of Marxism. Our Party has integrated the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture, continually advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and giving rise to Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thereby greatly enriching and developing Marxism. Today the vigour and vitality of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics have fully borne out the scientific and truthful nature of Marxism, fully displayed its people-centred and practical character, and fully demonstrated its openness and contemporary relevance.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have profoundly shaped the course of world history. Our Party has always stood on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, and through tireless self-strengthening it has profoundly changed the trends and configuration of world development. Today, as the Party leads the people in advancing Chinese modernisation, it has created a new form of human civilisation and broadened the paths by which developing countries can achieve modernisation. We are working to build a community with a shared future for humanity, contributing Chinese wisdom, Chinese proposals, and Chinese strength to solving humanity’s major problems. Socialist China under the Party’s leadership is widely recognised as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
Our Party has kept firmly in mind the nature, purpose, and goals of a Marxist party, vigorously carried forward the great founding spirit of the Party, and grown ever more resolute through adversity and ever stronger through repeated tempering. Today our Party has grown into the world’s largest governing party with major global influence, enjoying the wholehearted support of the people, serving as the strong core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and proving itself fully worthy of being called a great, glorious, and correct party.
At this moment we deeply cherish the memory of the older generation of revolutionaries such as Comrades Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun, and of Comrade Jiang Zemin, and we deeply cherish the memory of the revolutionary martyrs and people of high ideals who advanced wave upon wave, sacrificing and giving of themselves for national independence, the liberation of the people, the prosperity of the country, and the happiness of the people.
Our Party takes Marxism as a powerful ideological weapon for transforming both the subjective and the objective world; it upholds emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, keeping pace with the times, and taking a realistic and pragmatic approach; it works to reveal and apply truth within the movement of social contradictions.
Our Party keeps in mind that this country is its people and its people are the country; it upholds building the Party for the public good and exercising power for the people; it consciously acts on the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly; and it stands firmly together with the people, thinking and working as one with them, giving it a solid foundation that no storm can shake.
Our Party cherishes the lofty ideal of communism and is dedicated to the enduring great cause of the Chinese nation; it firmly bears on its shoulders the heavy responsibilities entrusted to it by history and the people; it keeps long-term goals and stage-specific goals unified, sets central tasks in line with changes in the principal social contradiction, and formulates and implements correct lines, principles, and policies, ensuring that it keeps a firm grip on leadership and initiative in the development of its cause.
With a strong sense of history and a broad global vision, our Party has a clear-eyed grasp of China’s national conditions and the themes of the era; it actively recognises, responds to, and seeks change, forging ahead with determination.
It is both willing and able to struggle and has always maintained the conviction of certain victory. Our Party upholds and carries forward the spirit of fearing no sacrifice and fighting valiantly; for the sake of the people, the country, and the nation, and for the sake of its ideals and convictions, it cuts through thorns and presses forward.
It attaches great importance to its own development, resolutely removing every factor that damages the Party’s advanced nature and purity and clearing out every virus that erodes the Party’s healthy body, growing stronger and more capable through revolutionary tempering.
China’s development is at a stage in which strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges and in which uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing, requiring us to be ready at all times to withstand major tests of high winds and rough seas, and even perilous storms. On the new journey, the whole Party must strengthen its sense of adversity and adhere to bottom-line thinking, carry forward the fighting spirit and enhance its capacity to struggle, better coordinate the two overall situations of the domestic and international spheres, coordinate development and security, and improve its ability to scientifically anticipate change, detect risks in good time, and respond effectively to challenges, ensuring that the great ship of China’s rejuvenation cuts through the waves and sails steadily into the distance.
To be firm in confidence and carry the struggle forward, we must continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. As the once-in-a-century changes accelerate, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, and humanity once again stands at a crossroads over which way to go. On the new journey, we must follow the aspirations of the people and the trend of the times, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, champion the common values of humanity, promote the building of a new type of international relations, and push forward the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, injecting more positive energy into world peace and development.
Taking the Party’s political building as the overarching principle, we must strengthen Party building in all respects, resolutely wage the tough, protracted, and all-out battle against corruption, and continually enhance the Party’s capacity to provide political leadership, to guide through theory, to organise the people, and to inspire society, ensuring that the Party always remains the strong core of leadership in the historical process of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.
The 105-year glorious history of the Communist Party of China is a source of pride, but we must never become arrogant or complacent or come to a halt. By the middle of this century, we are to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieve the Second Centenary Goal. Time waits for no one. History waits for no one. All comrades of the Party must never forget our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, we must be modest and prudent and work hard, we must dare to struggle and be adept at struggling, closely rely on and unite with and lead the people of all ethnic groups of the whole nation in forging ahead on the new journey and performing meritorious deeds in the new era, and strive to create new historic glories!
The following is the full text of the speech. It was published in Chinese by the Xinhua News Agency and has been translated using AI and then sub-edited for clarity and accuracy.
Comrades, friends:
Today we gather solemnly to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, to look back on the glorious course our Party has travelled, to look ahead to the bright prospects for the cause of the Party and the people, and to rally the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to advance with confidence toward the grand goals of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
First, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, I extend festive greetings to all members of the Communist Party of China. I offer warm congratulations to the recipients of the July 1 Medal and to the national outstanding Party members, outstanding Party affairs workers, and advanced primary-level Party organisations being honoured today.
Comrades, friends!
One hundred and five years ago, amid the great awakening of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation and the close integration of Marxism-Leninism with China’s workers’ movement, the Communist Party of China was born. From that point on, the Chinese people and the Chinese nation had a most reliable backbone, and a China beset by internal turmoil and external aggression and mired in poverty and weakness embarked on an earth-shaking historical transformation.
Over these 105 years, our Party has held fast to its founding mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. It has discerned the broad trends of world development, accurately grasped the changes in the principal social contradiction across different historical periods, and united and led the people of all ethnic groups in unremitting struggle. It has achieved the great successes of the new democratic revolution, of socialist revolution and construction, of reform and opening up and socialist modernisation, and of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, writing the most magnificent epic in the several-thousand-year history of the Chinese nation.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have fundamentally changed the future and destiny of the Chinese people. Leading the people through magnificent and great struggles, our Party overthrew the three big mountains of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism, established a New China in which the people are masters of the country, brought a definitive end to old China’s history as a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society, and achieved the historic leap in the people’s lives from inadequate food and clothing, to moderate prosperity in general, and then to moderate prosperity in all respects. Today the Chinese people hold their destiny firmly in their own hands and are striding toward an even better future with confidence, self-reliance, and self-improvement.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have opened up the correct path to realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Through the great endeavours of revolution, construction, reform, and the new era, our Party has led the people through countless hardships to successfully open up and stay on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, completing in a few decades an industrialisation process that took developed countries several centuries, and producing the twin miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. Today the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, presenting brighter prospects than ever before.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have demonstrated the powerful vitality of Marxism. Our Party has integrated the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture, continually advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and giving rise to Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thereby greatly enriching and developing Marxism. Today the vigour and vitality of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics have fully borne out the scientific and truthful nature of Marxism, fully displayed its people-centred and practical character, and fully demonstrated its openness and contemporary relevance.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have profoundly shaped the course of world history. Our Party has always stood on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, and through tireless self-strengthening it has profoundly changed the trends and configuration of world development. Today, as the Party leads the people in advancing Chinese modernisation, it has created a new form of human civilisation and broadened the paths by which developing countries can achieve modernisation. We are working to build a community with a shared future for humanity, contributing Chinese wisdom, Chinese proposals, and Chinese strength to solving humanity’s major problems. Socialist China under the Party’s leadership is widely recognised as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
One hundred and five years of unremitting struggle have forged a strong Communist Party of China. Our Party has kept firmly in mind the nature, purpose, and goals of a Marxist party, vigorously carried forward the great founding spirit of the Party, and grown ever more resolute through adversity and ever stronger through repeated tempering. Today our Party has grown into the world’s largest governing party with major global influence, enjoying the wholehearted support of the people, serving as the strong core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and proving itself fully worthy of being called a great, glorious, and correct party.
Comrades, friends!
Every achievement we have made over these 105 years is the result of generation after generation of Chinese Communists uniting and leading the Chinese people in unremitting struggle. The Chinese Communists represented chiefly by Comrades Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao established great, history-making merits for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To them we pay our highest respects.
At this moment we deeply cherish the memory of the older generation of revolutionaries such as Comrades Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun, and of Comrade Jiang Zemin, and we deeply cherish the memory of the revolutionary martyrs and people of high ideals who advanced wave upon wave, sacrificing and giving of themselves for national independence, the liberation of the people, the prosperity of the country, and the happiness of the people. The great deeds they performed for the country and the nation will forever be recorded in history. Their lofty spirit will forever be enshrined in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people.
The people are the makers of history and the true heroes. Here, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, I pay high tribute to the people across the country and to people from all walks of life who are working hard on every front. I extend sincere greetings to our compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, our compatriots in the Macao Special Administrative Region, our compatriots in Taiwan, and overseas Chinese. And I extend heartfelt thanks to all the peoples and friends of other countries who have lived in friendship with the Chinese people and who have cared about and supported China’s cause of revolution, construction, and reform.
Comrades, friends!
The reason the Communist Party of China has been able to achieve one brilliant feat after another over 105 years of struggle, and the reason history and the people chose the Communist Party of China, lies fundamentally in the outstanding qualities our Party possesses that no other political party or political force can match.
It is resolutely committed to the pursuit of truth and has always kept a firm grip on the direction of advance. Our Party takes Marxism as a powerful ideological weapon for transforming both the subjective and the objective world; it upholds emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, keeping pace with the times, and taking a realistic and pragmatic approach; it works to reveal and apply truth within the movement of social contradictions, is adept at testing and developing truth in practice, and continually uses new theory to guide new practice, ensuring that the cause of the Party and the people advances in the right direction.
It is deeply rooted in the people and has always possessed a solid foundation. Our Party keeps in mind that this country is its people and its people are the country; it upholds building the Party for the public good and exercising power for the people; it consciously acts on the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly; and it stands firmly together with the people, thinking and working as one with them, giving it a solid foundation that no storm can shake.
It bravely shoulders its historical mission and has always held the strategic initiative. Our Party cherishes the lofty ideal of communism and is dedicated to the enduring great cause of the Chinese nation; it firmly bears on its shoulders the heavy responsibilities entrusted to it by history and the people; it keeps long-term goals and stage-specific goals unified, sets central tasks in line with changes in the principal social contradiction, and formulates and implements correct lines, principles, and policies, ensuring that it keeps a firm grip on leadership and initiative in the development of its cause.
It moves with the tide of development and has always stood at the forefront of the times. With a strong sense of history and a broad global vision, our Party has a clear-eyed grasp of China’s national conditions and the themes of the era; it actively recognises, responds to, and seeks change, forging ahead with determination; it ensures that all its work reflects the character of the times, follows underlying laws, and is rich in creativity; and it leads the country and the nation forward in the logic of history’s advance and in the current of the era’s development, making it a worthy vanguard of the times and backbone of the nation.
It is both willing and able to struggle and has always maintained the conviction of certain victory. Our Party upholds and carries forward the spirit of fearing no sacrifice and fighting valiantly; for the sake of the people, the country, and the nation, and for the sake of its ideals and convictions, it cuts through thorns and presses forward. However strong the enemy, however perilous the road, however severe the challenge, it is never afraid and never retreats, and with an iron will that stands unshaken whatever storms may come, it inspires the whole nation to move from victory to victory.
It attends to keeping itself strong and has always been full of vigour and vitality. Our Party is clearly aware that it takes a good blacksmith to forge good steel; it is adept at examining itself against the demands of the times, alerting itself with a keen sense of adversity, and improving itself through the spirit of self-reform. It attaches great importance to its own development, resolutely removing every factor that damages the Party’s advanced nature and purity and clearing out every virus that erodes the Party’s healthy body, growing stronger and more capable through revolutionary tempering.
These outstanding qualities are the key code to why the Communist Party of China is able to succeed. In light of new realities, we must continue to carry forward and enhance the Party’s outstanding qualities and ensure that the Party never changes its nature, its colour, or its flavour, and always retains its powerful creativity, cohesion, and fighting capacity.
Comrades, friends!
“Lofty achievements come only from aspiration; great undertakings come only from diligence.” Accomplishing the Party’s mission and tasks on the new journey of the new era requires all Chinese Communists to be firm in confidence, to carry the struggle forward, and to continually achieve new accomplishments worthy of the times and the people.
To be firm in confidence and carry the struggle forward, we must uphold the Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic policy. The Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic policy are major achievements gained by the Party and the people through arduous exploration and are the fundamental guide for the cause of the Party and the country. On the new journey, the whole Party must maintain the resolve to keep the path unchanged and the aspiration unshaken; uphold the Party’s overall leadership and the centralised, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee; thoroughly implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; hold firm to confidence in our path, our theory, our system, and our culture; carry forward the cause into the future while upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground; and refuse to let drifting clouds block our view or to lose our bearings as we ride the wind and break the waves.
To be firm in confidence and carry the struggle forward, we must rely closely on the people to accomplish great historic undertakings. Upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is the shared cause of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country. On the new journey, the whole Party must further lift the drive and spirit for getting things done and starting new endeavours, uniting and leading the people of all ethnic groups to break new ground; advance the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan as a whole and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy in a coordinated way; fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy in every respect; move faster to build a new development pattern; and take solid steps to promote high-quality development. We must act on the people-centred development philosophy, develop whole-process people’s democracy, and continually consolidate and strengthen the great unity of all ethnic groups, the great unity of the whole nation, and the great unity of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, fully unleashing the initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity of hundreds of millions of people and pooling the mighty strength to advance Chinese modernisation.
To be firm in confidence and carry the struggle forward, we must actively meet the risks and challenges on the road ahead. China’s development is at a stage in which strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges and in which uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing, requiring us to be ready at all times to withstand major tests of high winds and rough seas, and even perilous storms. On the new journey, the whole Party must strengthen its sense of adversity and adhere to bottom-line thinking, carry forward the fighting spirit and enhance its capacity to struggle, better coordinate the two overall situations of the domestic and international spheres, coordinate development and security, and improve its ability to scientifically anticipate change, detect risks in good time, and respond effectively to challenges, ensuring that the great ship of China’s rejuvenation cuts through the waves and sails steadily into the distance.
To be firm in confidence and carry the struggle forward, we must continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. As the once-in-a-century changes accelerate, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, and humanity once again stands at a crossroads over which way to go. On the new journey, we must follow the aspirations of the people and the trend of the times, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, champion the common values of humanity, promote the building of a new type of international relations, and push forward the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, injecting more positive energy into world peace and development.
To be firm in confidence and carry the struggle forward, we must persist in exercising full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Exercising full and rigorous self-governance is a journey to which there is no end. On the new journey, we must fully implement the Party’s Thought on Party Building in the New Era, act on the general requirements for Party building in the new era, and, with a view to enhancing the Party’s ability to govern over the long term, preserving the Party’s advanced nature and purity, and maintaining the Party’s flesh-and-blood ties with the people, improve the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Taking the Party’s political building as the overarching principle, we must strengthen Party building in all respects, resolutely wage the tough, protracted, and all-out battle against corruption, and continually enhance the Party’s capacity to provide political leadership, to guide through theory, to organise the people, and to inspire society, ensuring that the Party always remains the strong core of leadership in the historical process of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.
Comrades, friends!
A strong country must have a strong military, and only a strong military can ensure national security. On the new journey, we must fully implement the Party’s Thought on Strengthening the Military in the New Era, implement the military strategy for the new era, uphold the Party’s absolute leadership over the people’s armed forces, and unswervingly follow the path of building a strong military with Chinese characteristics. We must comprehensively advance the political work of building the military, the reform and strengthening of the military, the strengthening of the military through science and technology, the strengthening of the military through talent, and law-based governance of the military; promote the modernisation of national defence and the armed forces with high quality; achieve the centenary goal of the People’s Liberation Army on schedule; move faster to build the people’s armed forces into a world-class military; resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests; and make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and development.
Promoting the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao is an inherent requirement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. On the new journey, we must fully, faithfully, and unswervingly implement the policies of One Country, Two Systems, of the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong and the people of Macao governing Macao, and of a high degree of autonomy; act on the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong and patriots governing Macao; enhance the effectiveness of law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao; promote their economic and social development; and support them in better integrating into and serving the country’s overall development.
Resolving the Taiwan question and achieving the complete reunification of the motherland is the unswerving historical task of our Party and the shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. We must thoroughly implement the Party’s overall approach to resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, unite the broad masses of our compatriots in Taiwan, deepen cross-Strait exchanges, cooperation, and integrated development, resolutely combat the separatist forces seeking Taiwan independence, oppose interference by external forces, and firmly advance the great cause of national reunification.
Comrades, friends!
Young people are a vital force in realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The whole Party must value, care for, and support its young people and create the conditions for them to grow and succeed. The young people of China in the new era should unswervingly heed the Party and follow the Party, set lofty aspirations, bravely shoulder the great responsibilities of the times, integrate their personal pursuits into the cause of the Party and the country, seize the day and make the most of their prime years, run their leg of the historical relay well on the new journey, pave the way with their youth, and let their ideals shine.
Comrades, friends!
The 105-year glorious history of the Communist Party of China is a source of pride, but we must never become arrogant or complacent or come to a halt. By the middle of this century, we are to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieve the Second Centenary Goal. Time waits for no one. History waits for no one. All comrades of the Party must never forget our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, we must be modest and prudent and work hard, we must dare to struggle and be adept at struggling, closely rely on and unite with and lead the people of all ethnic groups of the whole nation in forging ahead on the new journey and performing meritorious deeds in the new era, and strive to create new historic glories!
