Misplaced Pages

The 100th Anniversary of the Founding of The Communist Party of China

Part of the Two Centenaries
The scenery of decorations at Tiananmen Square on 30 June 2021
Native name	中国共产党成立100周年庆祝活动
Date	1 July 2021 (2021-07-01)
Location	Chang'an Avenue, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China
Coordinates	39°54′26.4″N 116°23′27.9″E / 39.907333°N 116.391083°E / 39.907333; 116.391083
Also known as	Centennial of the Chinese Communist Party Centenary of the Chinese Communist Party 中国共产党成立一百周年
Type	mass pageant, music and dance gala
Motive	Commemoration of the centennial of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in July 1921
Organised by	Chinese Communist Party  • Xi Jinping (General Secretary)  • Li Keqiang (Premier and host)  • Yi Xiaoguang
Participants	Chinese Communist Party, Government of China, National leaders, international organization leaders, PLA, PAP, Militia, and other formations
Website	Official event page (English)

100th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party
Slogan for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China
Simplified Chinese	中国共产党成立100周年庆祝活动
Traditional Chinese	中國共產黨成立100週年慶祝活動
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó gòngchǎndǎng chénglì 100 zhōunián qìngzhù huódòng Wade–Giles Chung-kuo kung-ch'an-tang chʻêng-li 100 chou-nien ch’ing-chou huo-tung
Centennial of the Chinese Communist Party
Simplified Chinese	中国共产党成立一百周年
Traditional Chinese	中國共產黨成立一百週年
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Chénglì Yībǎi Zhōunián Wade–Giles Chung-kuo kung-ch'an-tang chʻêng-li yi-pai chou-nien

Celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (Chinese: 中国共产党成立100周年庆祝活动), or the Centennial of the Chinese Communist Party (Chinese: 中国共产党成立一百周年), were held on 1 July 2021 in Beijing to celebrate the centennial of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has been the sole governing political party of the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 1949. CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping, as the guest of honor, delivered a speech and presented the Order of July the First order of honour to CCP members who have made significant contributions. Premier Li Keqiang served as the official host of the event.

Similar celebrations were scheduled nationwide in mainland China, the Macau Special Administrative Region, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, coinciding with the 24th anniversary of the handover from the United Kingdom on the same day.

Background

The CCP was founded in 1921 by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, with the help of the Far Eastern Bureau of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks), who seized power in Russia after the 1917 October Revolution, and the Far Eastern Secretariat of the Communist International. From 1927 to 1950, the CCP fought a civil war against the Kuomintang-led government but it temporarily ceased its hostilities to form a short-lived alliance with the Kuomintang to fight the war against Japan, and in 1949, it emerged victorious when Chairman Mao proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan. Since then, the CCP has been the sole ruling party in the country, renamed the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Preparations

Leading up to the centenary celebrations, the Chinese government has been promoting Xi Jinping's outlook on history as the new orthodoxy. Internet censorship was stepped up while museums across the country curated exhibitions related to history of the CCP. The Guardian reported that the CCP has been assiduously pushing the official narrative and its official history across the entire country since the beginning of 2021. Adulatory messages such as "Listen to the party, appreciate the party, follow the party" adorned banners and billboards, foreign journalists were given tours to spread the official narrative, and Buddhist temples held special anniversary events. The National Film Administration mandated local film authorities, film and cinema companies and production firms to screen and promote, starting 1 April, "outstanding films" – works "closely focused on the themes of loving the party, loving the nation and loving socialism," and "sing the praises of … and eulogise the Party, the motherland, its people and its heroes". China Central Television (CCTV) produced a patriotic television series, called The Awakening Age, glorifying Chinese revolutionary history from 1915 to 1921; a collection of 100 rappers produced a 15-minute track praising the Party called "100%".

In preparation for the Centennial, efforts at suppressing and tailoring the Party's history were stepped up. The Party uses manufactured historical memories to legitimize the Party's place in society. The highlighting of the Party's centenary followed the CCP's general pattern of periodizing history. It is contrasted with the century of humiliation trope.

The first full rehearsal for the festivities took place on 13 June 2021. Security was strengthened leading up to the celebrations, with an increase in the number of officers of the People's Armed Police and officers of the state security police in Beijing. The first press conference hosted by the Press Center took place on 27 June 2021.

Hong Kong

Although the Civil Human Rights Front, traditional organisers of the annual march, announced that it was cancelling its plans, three other pro-democracy groups stepped in with an application to hold a demonstration, but the request was refused by police on the grounds of COVID-19 restrictions. Thousands of police were mobilised to prevent any possible protests, one day after the first anniversary of the implementation of the national security law in the territory. Victoria Park, the traditional starting point of the annual march, was declared off limits due to public order concerns, and all occupants were banished.

Light shows and television extravaganza

Throughout June 2021, light shows took place in celebration of the anniversary in multiple Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

An extravaganza produced by China Central Television was held at the Beijing National Stadium on 28 June 2021. It starred over 90 celebrities. The gala evening concluded with a huge fireworks display and a rendition of "Without the Communist Party, There Would be No New China".

Tiananmen Square ceremony

A national ceremony and rally of 70,000 took place on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It was attended by CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping, former General Secretary Hu Jintao, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, former Premier Wen Jiabao and members of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party. Hong Kong and Macau Chief Executives Carrie Lam and Ho Iat-seng were also in attendance. However, former CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin and former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji were absent.

The events began with a flag raising ceremony by the PLA Honour Guard after it marched off from the sides of the Monument to the People's Heroes, with a gun salute of 56 gunners (representing the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups of China) being fired 100 times (representing the 100 years of the party) in the background. The Flag of China was raised to the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, March of the Volunteers. The Communist Youth League of China and the Young Pioneers of China also read a message of congratulations.

Military flypast

In March 2021, General Li Jun, assistant to the director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, had said at a news conference that the expected military parade would not occur. The traditional military parade was replaced by a flypast of Chinese aircraft. Seventy-one People's Liberation Army Air Force fighters flew over Tiananmen Square, with helicopters and fighter jets forming the numbers "100" and "71".

Speech by Xi Jinping

Later, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an hour-long speech in which he specifically declared the realization of the first of the Two Centenaries' goals.

In his speech, Xi coined the phrase "whole-process people's democracy" and tied the concept to "common prosperity."

While Xi warned during his speech that "any foreign force who attempted to bully China would find their heads broken and bashed bloody against the great wall of steel forged by the blood and flesh of 1.4 billion Chinese people", the official translation used the analogy "on a collision course with a great wall of steel". Xi praised the Communist Party, saying that there would be no new China without it, and it had "profoundly transformed the advancement of the Chinese nation ... ... the foundation and lifeblood of the party and the country, and the crux upon which the interests and wellbeing of all Chinese people depend."

With respect to Taiwan, he stressed the need to "crush any Taiwan independence", reiterating the adherence to the one China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and the goal of completing unification, although the People's Republic of China has never ruled over the island. The spokesperson of Taiwan's Presidential Office, Kolas Yotaka, retorted that the CCP ought to "grow up" and "just pick another birthday gift for itself", while the Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council called for a democratic transition in China on the CCP's 100th anniversary.

Incidents

Hong Kong suicide attack

Amidst heavy police presence in Causeway Bay aimed at stopping demonstrations along the traditional march route in Hong Kong, a 50-year-old man stabbed a police officer in the back with a knife at 10 pm, and then turned the knife on himself. The police officer was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but survived, while the alleged assailant was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. Hong Kong's newly appointed Security Secretary, Chris Tang, declared it a "terrorist act" committed by a "lone wolf", but blamed "many people who have encouraged violence and incited hatred toward society and the country". After mourners started laying flowers at the location where the suspect fell, police warned against mourning, amounting it to "supporting terrorism".

Twitter incident

Anne-Marie Brady, a Sinologist at Canterbury University in New Zealand and prominent critic of the CCP, saw her Twitter account temporarily suspended as a result of her tweets mocking Xi Jinping and the lack of international validation of the centenary. A columnist for The Times said that the block was probably an algorithmic response to the number of complaints from CCP agents that would have been received by Twitter. Her account was subsequently restored.

Symbols

Commemorative coins

On 21 June 2021, the People's Bank of China issued a set of nine commemorative coins for the anniversary.

Medal

Since June 2021, the "Glorious 50 Years in the Party" Commemorative Medal had been awarded, and the awarding continued until 1 July. It consisted of the party emblem, a five-pointed star, the flag, a monument, a sunflower, and other elements. The CCP award ceremony to present the 1 July Medal to outstanding CCP members took place on 29 June 2021.

Gallery

• Z-8L carrying the flag of the Chinese Communist Party flying over Beijing on 1 July 2021.
• 29 Z-19's forming the number "100".
• 10 J-10's forming the number "71".
• The first of three groups of 5 J-20 fighters.
• 10 JL-8's formation.
• 2021 postage stamp of Serbia, commemorating the event
• 2021 postage stamp of Serbia, commemorating the event
• 2021 postage stamp of Serbia, commemorating the event

See also

• 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
• 100th Anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution and Republic of China
• Two Centenaries
• Xi Jinping Administration

References

1. ^ "'Making China great again': pomp and propaganda as CCP marks centenary". The Guardian. 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
2. CoconutsHongKong (23 June 2021). "All aboard: Trams, buses celebrate 100th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party | Coconuts Hong Kong". Coconuts. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
3. Tatlow, Didi Kirsten (20 July 2011). "On Party Anniversary, China Rewrites History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
4. Doyon, Jérôme; Froissart, Chloé, eds. (25 January 2024). The Chinese Communist Party: A 100-Year Trajectory (1 ed.). ANU Press. doi:10.22459/ccp.2024. ISBN 978-1-76046-623-7.
5. Xinhua, ed. (23 March 2021). "CPC to hold a series of events for centenary celebrations". Beijing. Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
6. ^ Davis, Rebecca (1 July 2021). "China's Entertainment Industry Bolsters Communist Party's 100th Anniversary Celebrations". Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
7. Davis, Rebecca (2 April 2021). "China's Film Authority Orders All Cinemas to Screen Propaganda Films at Least Twice a Week". Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
8. Ross Smith, Nicholas; Fallon, Tracey. "How the CCP Uses History". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
9. "Analysis: G-7 and the Chinese Communist Party have no chemistry". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
10. "China Mounts Massive Security Operation in Beijing Ahead of Centenary". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
11. The first press conference of the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the CPC, archived from the original on 27 June 2021, retrieved 27 June 2021
12. "From partner to pariah: how the Hong Kong gov't attitude to July 1 protest organiser soured over the years". Hong Kong Free Press. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
13. ^ "Xi Jinping warns China won't be bullied in speech marking 100-year anniversary of CCP". The Guardian. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
14. EPIC! Six-minute Bund light show invites you all to believe in Shanghai miracles, archived from the original on 27 June 2021, retrieved 27 June 2021
15. Light shows celebrating CPC's 100th anniversary held in Jinan, Changchun, archived from the original on 27 June 2021, retrieved 27 June 2021
16. Davis, Rebecca (2 July 2021). "Jackie Chan, Andy Lau Celebrate China's Communist Party Anniversary as Hong Kongers Are Arrested". Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
17. Buckley, Chris; Bradsher, Keith (1 July 2021). "Marking Party's Centennial, Xi Warns That China Will Not Be Bullied". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
18. "At Communist Party centenary, Xi says China won't be bullied". AP NEWS. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
19. "China says there will be no military parade to mark party centenary". South China Morning Post. 23 March 2021. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
20. "China's Communist Party skips military parade for centennial". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
21. ^ Ben Westcott; Steven Jiang (July 2021). "Foreign countries that 'bully' China will meet a 'great wall of steel,' says Xi". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
22. Frank N. Pieke; Bert Hofman, eds. (2022). CPC Futures The New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Singapore: National University of Singapore Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-981-18-5206-0. OCLC 1354535847.
23. ^ "At Communist Party centenary, Xi says China won't be bullied". AP NEWS. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
24. "Xi says Chinese people will never allow foreign bullying, oppressing, or subjugating – Xinhua". English.news.cn. Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
25. ^ "Taiwan tells CCP to 'pick something else' for its birthday". Taiwan News. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
26. "MAC calls for democracy in China on CCP's 100th anniversary". Radio Taiwan International (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
27. "CCP threatening global democracy, MAC says". Taipei Times. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
28. "Taiwan pits peace, democracy against Xi's 'one China' principle". Taiwan News. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
29. ^ "Hong Kong police officer's condition improves after stabbing". ABC News. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
30. Grundy, Tom (1 July 2021). "Man dies after stabbing Hong Kong police officer and himself in Causeway Bay". Hong Kong Free Press.
31. "Hong Kong police warn residents against mourning man who stabbed police officer". CNA. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
32. "Twitter restricts account of expert who mocked China leader". AP NEWS. 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
33. "建党100周年纪念币来了，共9枚含10元、50元、100元三种面额". Sina Corp. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
34. "CPC to award July 1 Medal for first time". npc.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.

v t e Xi Jinping
General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party President of China Chairman of the Central Military Commission
Policies and theories	China under Xi Jinping paramount leader leadership core Li Qiang Government (2023–present) Xi Jinping–Li Keqiang Administration Li Keqiang Government (2013–2023) Li Keqiang Xi Jinping Thought Culture Diplomacy Clear waters and green mountains Chinese Dream Chinese-style modernization Common prosperity Document Number Nine Dual circulation Eight Musts Eight-point Regulation Four Comprehensives Four Confidences Great changes unseen in a century New productive forces Party media takes the party's last name Holistic security concept Three Stricts and Three Honests Historical resolution Two Centenaries Two Establishes and Two Upholds Whole-process people's democracy
Events	First term 2012 election as Party general secretary Anti-corruption campaign Wang Qishan (2012–2017) World Internet Conference 709 crackdown Toilet Revolution in China 2015 China Victory Day Parade Ma–Xi meeting Xi–Chu Summit Second term 2017 reelection as Party general secretary Persecution of Uyghurs in China Xinjiang internment camps China–United States trade war 2019–20 Hong Kong protests 2019 China 70th National Day grand parade COVID-19 pandemic Response 100th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party 2020 Inner Mongolia protests 2020-2021 Xi Jinping Administration reform spree 2022 Winter Olympics 2022 Hong Kong visit Third term 2022 2nd reelection as Party general secretary
Diplomacy	Policies Belt and Road Initiative 2017 BRI Forum Community of Common Destiny Global Development Initiative Global Security Initiative Wolf warrior diplomacy China and the Russian invasion of Ukraine Meetings and trips 2013 Russia, Tanzania, South Africa, Congo visit 2015 Pakistan visit 2015 United States visit 2015 United Kingdom visit 2017 Vietnam and Laos visit Kim–Xi meetings 2019 Italy and France visit CPC and World Political Parties Summit 2022 Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan visit 2022 China-Arab States Summit 2023 Russia visit China-Central Asia Summit 2023 Vietnam visit 2024 France, Serbia, Hungary visit 2024 Kazakhstan and Tajikistan visit 2024 Peru and Brazil visit
New Zhijiang Army	Cai Qi Chen Min'er Huang Kunming Lou Yangsheng Bayanqolu Ying Yong Li Qiang Ding Xuexiang Zhong Shaojun
Works	General Secretary Xi Jinping important speech series The Governance of China The Hopes of President Xi Zhijiang Xinyu
Family	Xi Zhongxun (father) Qi Xin (mother) Ke Lingling (1st wife) Peng Liyuan (2nd wife) Qi Qiaoqiao (sister) Xi Yuanping (brother) Xi Mingze (daughter)
Related	Amazing China Accelerator-in-Chief Censorship of Winnie-the-Pooh Cult of personality Panama Papers (Deng Jiagui) Open Letter asking Xi Jinping to Resign Rhyzodiastes xii General Secretary Xi Jinping's Kindness We Never Forget Xuexi Qiangguo
Category:Xi Jinping

v t e Military parades of the People's Republic of China
National Day Parades	Proclamation of the People's Republic of China 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China 35th anniversary of the People's Republic of China 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
Other	2015 China Victory Day Parade 2017 PLA Day Parade 2018 South China Sea Parade 2019 PLA Navy Platinum Jubilee Parade 2021 Chinese Communist Party 100th anniversary military flyover

• 2021 in Beijing
• Chinese historical anniversaries
• Regional centennial anniversaries
• Events in Beijing
• July 2021 events in China
• History of the Chinese Communist Party