CPC gears up for centenary with clear mind, determination to tackle more 'tests'

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Tuesday marks the beginning of the 100-day countdown to the centenary anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

In just a century, it has grown into the world's largest Marxist ruling party with more than 91 million members and turned China into the world's second-largest economy.

The CPC has grown up amid trials and tribulations, led the Chinese people in making monumental achievements, and created a great miracle in the history of human civilization, said Wang Xiaohui, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, at a press conference held by the CPC Central Committee.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee holds a press conference to shed light on the celebration activities for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

UPCOMING CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

A series of events will be held to celebrate the Party's centenary anniversary. They will include a Party-wide campaign on CPC history learning and education and a grand gathering to mark the CPC's founding.

The CPC Central Committee will award the July 1 Medal, the Party's highest honor, to outstanding Party members for the first time. A commemorative medal will be granted to more than 7.1 million people with a Party membership of 50 years or above.

Meanwhile, major theme exhibitions, theatrical performances, seminars, and symposiums on theoretical studies will be part of the celebrations.

Holding events to review the historic achievements by the Party and the country is of far-reaching significance to inspire the people to embark on the new journey of building a modern, socialist China confidently, Wang said at the press conference.

"BIG EXAM" 72 YEARS AGO

Exactly 72 years ago, the CPC leaders packed up and left Xibaipo, then the base of the CPC Central Committee in north China's Hebei Province, heading to the 350-kilometer-away Beijing.

Aerial photo taken on June 20, 2019 shows a view of Xibaipo Village of Pingshan County, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong)

Based in the small village from May 1948 to March 1949, the CPC leadership led a series of major military successes against Kuomintang troops. They secured a countrywide victory in the revolution and then established the New China.

On March 23, 1949, Mao Zedong compared the trek to "going for a big exam in the capital city" as they were leaving Xibaipo.

Seventy-two years on, the CPC has proved itself to be an excellent ruling party, presenting remarkable results in the "big exam."

Built from ruins and chaos left by the Kuomintang Party, China, under the leadership of the CPC and with the efforts of the Chinese people, has become the world's second-largest economy. It is the biggest industrial country, the largest goods trader, and the largest holder of foreign exchange reserves.

Today, China has the largest social security system globally, with basic medical insurance covering over 1.3 billion people and basic old-age insurance covering nearly 1 billion. The average life expectancy of the Chinese has risen to 77.3 years.

The country has also eliminated poverty, meeting the poverty eradication target set out in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.

The Party has united and led the Chinese people in making outstanding achievements, said Xu Lin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and director of China's State Council Information Office. "China's development not only delivers a decent life to its people but also benefits the world."

PERSISTENT STRUGGLE TO PASS NEW TESTS

With China's targeted efforts to find effective and well-suited solutions to alleviate poverty, Pingshan County, where Xibaipo is, was removed from the poverty list in October 2018.

The county is developing tourism and green industries to expand its poverty alleviation achievements. It also continues to promote rural vitalization.

"Although the revolutionary base of Pingshan has shaken off poverty, we still face new tests," said Dong Xiaohang, Party chief of the county. He added that high-quality development would be the focus of Pingshan in the next five years.

Poverty is only one of the difficulties and obstacles on China's way to march toward socialist modernization and national rejuvenation.

"We need to combat new challenges. They include the intertwined old and new types of corruption within the Party, the country's economic transition, and problems related to the environment and resources," said Xin Ming, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

Facing new tests, the CPC leadership urged its members to be clear-headed and determined to prepare for tough tests in delivering performances that can withstand the test of time in the new era.

Qu Qingshan, head of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, called for efforts to uphold Party leadership and Marxism, unwaveringly uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and rely on the people.