Celebrating the 105th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China
— Some Historical Experiences and Thoughts
Zhao Jian, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Kiribati
In 1921, the Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded, and to date it has been 105 years. Over these 105 years, the CPC has grown from a small party with only some fifty members into a major party with over one hundred million members. Over these 105 years, through the efforts of the CPC, China has transformed from a poor and weak country, wantonly bullied by foreign powers, into a country that stands tall and self-reliant among the nations of the world, and that is capable of upholding international peace, development, and stability. There is much discussion in the international community about China today, with great interest in why China has been able to achieve such tremendous development. In my view, these achievements have all been made under the leadership of the CPC, and I would like to share a few points of experience with you all.
— Upholding the principle of serving the public good and exercising power in the interests of the people. The original aspiration and the mission of the CPC is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. The CPC has always put the people's interests first. Whether it is advancing the battle against poverty, establishing a social security system covering 1.4 billion people, or adhering to the principle of putting life above all else in the face of sudden disasters, all these have vividly illustrated the profound meaning of the statement that "this country is its people, the people are the country. " This selfless dedication to serving the people has enabled the CPC to rally the mighty strength of hundreds of millions of people, which is the deepest source of confidence for China's development.
— Upholding rigorous Party self-governance and continuously drawing on experience in Party building. It takes a good blacksmith to make good steel. The CPC is fully aware that to lead a country of this size, it must maintain a high level of advanced nature and integrity. For over a century, the CPC has consistently carried out self-reform with the courage to turn the blade inward, strictly enforced discipline and rules, resolutely punished corruption, and ensured that the Party never changes its nature. At the same time, the CPC is adept at drawing wisdom from history. At every major turning point, it has been able to sum up experience, correct mistakes, and unify thinking. This extraordinary capacity for self-repair and self-improvement has enabled it to remain the strong leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
— Upholding a long‑term perspective and carrying out a single blueprint through to the end. Unlike the policy flip‑flops in some countries, the CPC has a distinctive advantage in long‑term planning. From the Five‑Year Plans to the "two‑step" strategic arrangement, from the "Two Centenary" goals to the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, the CPC has always anchored its direction with a broad historical vision. This view of governance, which holds that "success need not be credited to me personally, but I must contribute my share to its achievement," has enabled the country's development to maintain a high degree of continuity, stability, and sustainability, ensuring that the great ship of China sails forward against the wind and waves, always on the right course.
— Upholding the principle of concentrating strength to accomplish major undertakings and overcoming development bottlenecks. In the face of various difficulties and obstacles encountered by late‑developing countries in their modernization process, China has fully leveraged the superiority of its socialist system, efficiently mobilizing all sectors through national strategic planning and overall resource coordination. From the "two bombs, one satellite" that established China's status as a major power, to the high‑speed rail network that has laid out the arteries of development; from the Three Gorges Project that turned a deep gorge into a placid lake, to recent breakthroughs in key areas such as chip R&D, space exploration, and new energy, overcoming "bottleneck" technologies — this strong capacity for organization, mobilization, and collaborative problem‑solving has enabled China to accomplish in just a few decades the industrialization process that took Western countries centuries, and to continuously scale new heights in science, technology, and industry.
— Upholding peaceful development and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The CPC does not follow the old path of some countries that achieved development through colonial plunder or external expansion; rather, it pursues a path of peaceful development. The CPC believes that the future and destiny of every nation and every country are closely intertwined, and that we should stand together through thick and thin, sharing weal and woe, and strive to turn this planet, on which we were born and raised, into a harmonious family. From high‑quality Belt and Road cooperation to the implementation of the four major global initiatives, the CPC has demonstrated through concrete actions that a strong China is not a threat to the world, but a positive force in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The above are some of the historical experiences from the 105 years since the founding of the CPC. I would also like to emphasize that all countries need to explore development paths suited to their own national conditions, rather than simply copying others. The right of every country to independently explore a development path that fits its own realities should be respected. The CPC adheres to proceeding from China's actual conditions, upholds the principle of independence, and does not practice self‑centeredness, exclusion, or the imposition of its own values on others. It has no intention of exporting its development model abroad, but instead advocates common development on the basis of mutual respect, and win‑win cooperation through seeking common ground while shelving differences. Likewise, China hopes that other countries will view China and the CPC objectively and respect China's development path.
Kiribati is a good friend, good brother, and good partner of China, and shares much in common with the CPC in terms of governance philosophy and principles of conduct.
— Emphasis on the concept of community. Kiribati society places great value on community interests, and it is noteworthy that the word "community" shares the same root "commun-" with "communism." The CPC advocates common prosperity and stresses that the fruits of development should be shared by all the people.
— Respect for fine traditional culture. Kiribati society respects tradition and works to preserve and promote its traditional culture. The CPC has put forward the "Second Integration," which refers to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture. This reflects the CPC's commitment to carrying forward and promoting China's fine traditional culture.
— Practice of collective decision‑making. Kiribati society emphasizes collective responsibility, and the Maneaba is the venue for major collective deliberations and decision‑making. The CPC also places a high value on collectivism, and has established mechanisms for collective division of labor and coordination, collective study and research, collective decision‑making, and collective accountability.
Since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Kiribati, the development strategies of the two countries have been closely aligned, and fruitful cooperation has been achieved in multiple areas such as health, education, policing, and connectivity. China is willing to continue strengthening inter‑party exchanges with Kiribati, deepening practical cooperation, learning from each other, and advancing hand in hand to achieve common progress and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.