Since the party came to power in 1949, it has been through a series of tumults. Almost 30 years later, in 1978, the Communist Party carried out a drastic change in course that transformed the country into the industrial superpower we know today, beaten only by the United States.
The 75th anniversary was celebrated with a flag ceremony on Tuesday, and on Monday evening there was a banquet for party leaders.
– The road ahead will not be easy. Obstacles will definitely appear, and we may even have to face strong seas and high waves, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned.
Now the question is whether the communist government will survive for 100 years. Party leaders are working to build an even stronger China by 2049.
– We must be vigilant in times of peace, plan ahead and trust closely the entire party, the army and people from all ethnic groups across the country. No difficulties can stop the Chinese people from moving forward, Xi said in his speech.
Hundred Flowers and Cultural Revolution
The Communist Party’s rule at the start was not without problems.
Mao Zedong proved less suited to lead a sprawling country than he was to lead a revolution. In 1956, he invited critical voices about how the country should be run in the Hundred Flowers campaign. But Mao disliked the criticism that eventually flooded in, and several of those who made suggestions were either sent into exile to rural areas or thrown into prison.
Ten years before his death in 1976, Mao strengthened his position as leader. Through the Cultural Revolution, he encouraged young Chinese to stand up against capitalist features.
This led to complete chaos where intellectuals and teachers were beaten up, humiliated and in many cases killed.
Tightened his grip on power
In recent times, China has disproved that communism and a planned economy belong together. The Communist Party has proven that they can have a partially free market without a democratic system of government.
Western hopes that China would one day transition onto a democratic track, as many other Asian countries did after experiencing economic growth, turned out to be wishful thinking.
Chinese party leaders have studied the fall of the Soviet Union to avoid a similar outcome in China.
New challenges await in the coming years. With an aging population and both geopolitical and economic ambitions that can create conflicts with both neighboring countries and the great power USA, there may be high waves as the country’s president predicted in his speech.
Disputes over Taiwan and uninhabited islands in the South China Sea may shape the country’s foreign policy in the years to come.
Xi has secured power for as long as he wants, or until his own death. He has done this by removing the time limits on how long a president can serve, while at the same time giving himself more power over the government and within the party.
China also does not allow free elections, and the Communist Party controls the media that informs its population of nearly 1.4 billion people.
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2024-10-01 23:55:41
