Advertisement
China’s Communist Party
ChinaPolitics

Xi Jinping tries to build symbolic bridge between past and future at Chinese Communist Party centenary

  • The party chief urged young Chinese to follow the party, while paying tribute to past leaders such as Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping
  • His predecessor Hu Jintao was present, but former leader Jiang Zemin did not attend – probably for health reasons

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Xi Jinping was flanked by former and current senior leaders as he delivered the speech over looking Tiananmen Square. Photo: Reuters
William ZhengandJosephine Ma
Chinese President Xi Jinping paid special tribute to his predecessors and revolutionary leaders in his speech to mark the Communist Party’s centenary on Thursday morning as he urged the younger generation to follow the party in pursuit of the dream of national rejuvenation.
Advertisement

Delivering his speech at Tiananmen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949, Xi praised the older generations for their contribution to the country.

04:14

Xi Jinping leads celebrations marking centenary of China’s ruling Communist Party

Xi Jinping leads celebrations marking centenary of China’s ruling Communist Party

“We owe all that we have achieved over the past hundred years to the concerted efforts of the Chinese Communists, the Chinese people and the Chinese nation,,” Xi said in his hour-long speech.

“Chinese Communists – with comrades Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao as their chief representatives – have made tremendous and historic contributions to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To them, we express our highest respect.
Advertisement

“Their great contributions to our motherland and our nation will be immortalised in the annals of history, and their noble spirit will live on forever in the hearts of the Chinese people.”

Xi was joined by Hu, his immediate predecessor, but Jiang – the party chief between 1989 and 2003 – was a notable absentee along with former premier Zhu Rongji.

Advertisement
Advertisement