Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the ruling Communist Party to remain adaptable and safeguard its achievements during a ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the party's founding on Wednesday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi's speech highlights strategic opportunities and risks
In a 40-minute address, Xi stated that China's development is in a period where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges. He did not specify particular opportunities or threats, but analysts point to slower economic growth and demographic decline as key challenges for the world's second-largest economy.
Xi, the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, called for better coordination within the party to address domestic and international issues. He emphasized the need to strengthen the party's grasp on all aspects of Chinese society, especially in the face of external challenges such as Western-led curbs on advanced technology, turbulent trade ties with the United States, and tensions over Taiwan.
Party growth and transformation ambitions
Founded by only dozens of Chinese revolutionaries in 1921, the Communist Party now claims more than 100 million members, representing 7.2 percent of China's population. The official Xinhua news agency said in an editorial this week that the party's ambition is to transform itself from the world's largest political party into the world's most powerful political party.
Xi urged members to stamp out harmful aspects to the party's advancement and purity, as well as all viruses that erode the party's healthy body. Since taking power in 2012, Xi has worked to reassert the party's unquestioned authority at home, demand loyalty and discipline among its ranks, and expand China's global influence.
Anti-corruption campaign and future direction
Xi has launched one of China's most sweeping anti-corruption crackdowns since Mao's era, investigating millions of officials at all levels, purging hundreds, including top generals, in the years-long campaign. The anniversary speech underscores the party's focus on maintaining stability and control amid domestic and international pressures.
