A Story of Success for a Century-old Party
By Zhao Xing, Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan
1 July 2026 marked the 105th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). For the Chinese people, this memorable moment is not only in retrospect of the past, but also for new prospects in the future.
On the day, H.E. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chairman of the PRC Central Military Commission, spoke in his address to the commemorative gathering, “Over the past 105 years, our Party has remained committed to its original aspiration and founding mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. With a profound understanding of the evolving global landscape and an accurate grasp of the changing principal contradictions facing Chinese society in different historical periods, the Party has united and led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in unremitting struggle, achieved great accomplishments in the New-Democratic Revolution, socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening up and socialist modernization, and socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.” This important statement summarizes the CPC’s endeavors in more than a century and decodes the CPC’s success in achieving sustained development and progress for China.
More than a century ago, China was way different from what the world beholds today. Starting from the mid-19th century, China had been gradually reduced to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society, a poor and weak nation ridden with foreign aggression, national disunity and social upheaval, where wars and poverty wreaked havoc on its people. At this make-or-break juncture for the Chinese nation, many patriots with lofty ideals dedicated themselves to seeking a path which may secure an independent nation, a rich and strong country and a happy people. Against this historical backdrop, the CPC was founded in 1921, when there were but a few dozen members. Today, the CPC has attracted more than 100 million members joining its grand cause, which always connects the future of China with the destiny of the Chinese people. Through long and arduous struggles, the CPC united and guided the Chinese people to realize the hard-won national independence, which earned the CPC not only the trust and support from the Chinese people, but also a historic mission to advance China’s rejuvenation.
Upon the founding of the PRC in 1949, the Chinese people, under the industrious leadership of the CPC, embarked on a self-motivated and self-reliant journey to transform an extremely weak economy into independent and relatively complete industrial system and national economic structure, representing a face-lifting change to China.
Upon the launch of reform and opening up in the late 1970s, China entered into a period of rapid growth, when its economic power, sci-tech capabilities and overall national strength reached new heights, the people’s living standards were greatly improved, the influence of the Chinese culture expanded and China’s soft power grew by margins. 2021 should be remembered as year with historic significance because China succeeded in eradicating absolute poverty, which not only stands out as a milestone in the history of the Chinese nation, but also a remarkable achievement in the global campaign of poverty alleviation.
Today, the CPC’s mission still goes on, through setting off a refreshed and steadfast journey to advance the Chinese modernization, pursue high-quality development and fulfill its people’s aspiration for a better life.
Throughout its persevering enterprise, the CPC always persists in applying scientific theories to understanding the world, while implementing theoretical innovation to keep the guiding theory abreast with the times and China’s actual conditions.
The CPC always persists in going all out to serve its people, taking the people’s aspiration for a better life as its ultimate goal and drawing strength from the wisdom and creativity of its people as a driving force to grow the nation.
The CPC always persists in balancing immediate priorities with long-term national development, addressing pressing challenges while maintaining strategic continuity and policy consistency.
The CPC always persists in firmly staying true to China’s national conditions while learning in an open-minded manner from the outstanding achievements of human civilizations, and pursuing common development through mutually beneficial cooperation with the international community.
The CPC always persists in pressing ahead with its mission in the face of adversity, and turning risks and challenges into opportunities to strive for broader prospects of progress.
And the CPC always persists in strengthening its own building through self-renewal, self-improvement, self-reform and self-evolution, so as to ensure that the Party, as the leading core, always stay at the helm charting the course of advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
These are exactly the rewarding experience and inspiring wisdom acquired in its long-haul struggle that enable the CPC to unite and guide the Chinese people in creating newer and greater historic cause, and steel into the firm bedrock for the advancement of the Chinese modernization.
As President Xi Jinping once observed, “History looks kindly on those with resolve, with drive and ambition, and with plenty of guts. History won’t wait for the hesitant, the apathetic, or those shy of a challenge.” The CPC’s 105-year journey has well proved that there is no universally applicable model for national development. Each country should make an independent choice of it path for development suited to its own national conditions, and should count on the unity and hard work of its own people, hence opening up vista for an even brighter future.
Although China and Afghanistan differ in our national conditions, both countries have endured foreign aggression, sustained turmoil of wars, and experienced difficult times of poverty and weakness. Our two peoples do share a common aspiration for independence, peace, stability and national rejuvenation.
China has been maintaining a policy toward Afghanistan based on respecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, respecting the independent choices made by the Afghan people, and respecting the religious beliefs and national customs of Afghanistan. China has also been adhering to the principles of never interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, never seeking selfish interests in Afghanistan, and never pursuing so-called spheres of influence.
Guided by the principles of fostering an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, the spirit of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and the vision of building a community with a shared future, China and Afghanistan have been deepening our cooperation in such areas as trade and economic cooperation, infrastructure development and people-to-people exchanges. As Afghanistan ushers in a crucial stage of post-war reconstruction and economic recovery, China has every confidence that a stable, growing and prosperous Afghanistan serves not only the fundamental interests of the Afghan people, but also the lasting regional peace and stability. China has been, is and will always be ready to work with our Afghan friends in seeking paths of development suited to our own national conditions and bringing forth greater benefits for the two peoples.
